10 best programmatic advertising courses in India (2026): fees, duration and placement compared

In short

• The best free programmatic courses are Google Skillshop’s Display & Video 360 (DV360) training and certification, Google Skillshop’s Campaign Manager 360 training, and The Trade Desk Edge Academy.
• The best programmatic courses with placement are Kraftshala’s Marketing Launchpad, a digital marketing course with placement that includes a programmatic module (₹1,93,520 including GST, 6 months full-time or 11 months part-time), and Kraftshala’s PGP in AI-Led Marketing (₹4,89,700 including GST, 9 months on campus in Gurugram).
• Short paid options include Adtechademy’s 8-week programmatic course with DV360 practice, Digital Academy 360’s 3-month diploma and the Deakin University microcredential on FutureLearn.
• Programmatic skills are in demand: India’s programmatic ad spend reached ₹30,081 crore in 2025, 42% of all digital ad spend, according to the dentsu-e4m Digital Advertising Report 2026.
• Free courses teach the platforms. Recruiters also look for hands-on proof of work, such as a media plan, a pacing sheet and a campaign report.

Why learn programmatic advertising in 2026?

Programmatic advertising is the automated buying of ads across websites, apps, YouTube and connected TV through software that bids for each impression in real time. If you are new to the topic, start with our guide to what programmatic advertising is.

There are three reasons to learn it now:

1. The market is large and growing. The dentsu-e4m report puts programmatic spend in India at ₹30,081 crore in 2025, growing 19% in a year, and projects ₹42,435 crore by 2027.
2. It pays well. According to Glassdoor India, programmatic executives typically earn ₹4 to 5 LPA, and programmatic managers working on DV360 earn ₹6 to 12 LPA.
3. Tool skills appear directly in job descriptions. DV360, The Trade Desk and Campaign Manager 360 are named in programmatic job listings, so hands-on practice makes your CV stronger.

Quick comparison: 10 programmatic advertising courses

Fees are as listed on each provider’s page or course listing in September and October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you enrol.

Programmatic courses with placement support

1. Kraftshala Marketing Launchpad

Kraftshala’s Marketing Launchpad is a digital marketing course with placement, run by Kraftshala School of Business. Programmatic Advertising and CM360 is one of its 13 modules, so you learn programmatic alongside Meta Ads, Google Ads, e-commerce ads, SEO and AI search, content and analytics. This matters because many entry-level roles in agencies mix programmatic with other channels.

• Best for: freshers, final-year students and working professionals who want a first job in programmatic or performance marketing
• Format: live online, 6 months full-time (Monday to Saturday) or 11 months part-time (Sundays plus 2 to 3 hours on weekdays), about 920 hours of training
• Fees: ₹1,64,000 + 18% GST, which is ₹1,93,520 in total. EMI from ₹7,198 a month. A ₹30,000 merit scholarship goes to the top 5% of applicants.
• What you learn in programmatic: DV360, The Trade Desk and CM360; DSPs, SSPs, ad servers, exchanges and data platforms; auctions; programmatic guaranteed, private marketplace and open buying; multi-city and hyperlocal campaign setup; pacing sheets; audience planning; Floodlight tracking and attribution; CM360 certification prep
• Programmatic project: plan a complete DV360 media campaign for a bank and present it for review by industry leaders
• Other live projects: Meta Ads, e-commerce, Google Ads, SEO, blog creation, social media strategy, content creation and vibe coding (9+ in total)
• Placement results (reported by Kraftshala): 94% placement rate, 3,300+ students placed, 800+ hiring partners, average CTC ₹5.5 LPA, highest CTC ₹10.4 LPA for freshers. Batch-wise reports are published at placement-reports.kraftshala.com.
• Roles after the program: Programmatic Executive, Digital Marketing Analyst, Performance Marketing Executive, E-commerce Marketing Executive, SEO Analyst and others
• Accountability: 60% fee refund if you are not placed at ₹4.5 LPA or more within 15 months of finishing, as per Kraftshala’s terms. It is not a job guarantee.
• Limits: programmatic is one module of a full-stack program, so if you only want programmatic theory, a free course is cheaper. Admission needs a screening test, and attendance above 90% is required.

2. Kraftshala PGP in AI-Led Marketing

The PGP in AI-Led Marketing is a full-time, on-campus program in Gurugram for people who want a B-school-style marketing education, with programmatic media planning as part of it.

• Best for: graduates and final-year students who want a high-growth marketing career and are ready for a full-time campus program
• Format: 9 months, full-time, on campus in Gurugram, about 30 students per batch
• Fees: ₹4,15,000 + 18% GST, which is ₹4,89,700 in total
• What you learn: an AI-first marketing curriculum covering strategy, brand, growth and content, including programmatic media planning alongside Meta, Google, Amazon, Flipkart and quick-commerce media
• Faculty: industry leaders including Mansi Khanna (Director, Google India) and Kunal Malhotra (former Head of Marketing, Taco Bell)
• Placement results (reported by Kraftshala): average CTC ₹7 LPA, highest CTC ₹12 LPA
• Accountability: 60% fee refund if you don’t get a job, as per Kraftshala’s terms
• Limits: higher fee and a full-time, on-campus commitment in Gurugram. Not a programmatic-only course.

Free programmatic courses and certifications

3. Google Skillshop: Display & Video 360

Google’s Skillshop offers free training on Display & Video 360 (DV360), Google’s DSP, and a free certification exam.

• Best for: beginners who want to learn the DV360 interface and add a Google certification to their CV
• Format: self-paced online modules
• Fees: free
• What you learn: DV360 setup, campaign structure, targeting, buying options and reporting
• Certification: free exam, valid for one year
• Limits: no live campaigns, mentoring or placement support. It shows you know the platform’s menus, not that you can manage a budget.

4. Google Skillshop: Campaign Manager 360

Campaign Manager 360 (CM360) is Google’s ad server, used to serve ads and track results across channels. Skillshop has free CM360 training and certification.

• Best for: people aiming for ad operations and trafficking roles
• Format: self-paced online modules
• Fees: free
• What you learn: trafficking ads, Floodlight tracking, reporting and attribution
• Certification: free exam, valid for one year
• Limits: CM360 is one piece of the programmatic stack. Pair it with DV360.

5. The Trade Desk Edge Academy

Edge Academy is The Trade Desk’s free library of courses on digital advertising, open to anyone who registers.

• Best for: beginners who want clear explanations of programmatic terms used in interviews and job descriptions
• Format: self-paced, role-based and topic-based learning paths
• Fees: free
• What you learn: courses include Programmatic 101, Marketing Essentials, The Omnichannel Playbook and The Commerce Media Playbook
• Limits: mostly theory and quizzes. No hands-on campaign access or placement support.

6. Udemy DV360 and programmatic courses

Udemy has several self-paced courses on DV360 and programmatic basics from independent instructors.

• Best for: self-paced learners on a small budget
• Format: recorded video lessons
• Fees: vary by course and frequent sales
• What you learn: depends on the course; most cover DSPs, SSPs, RTB, DV360 setup and reporting
• Limits: quality varies by instructor, with no live projects or career support. Check reviews and the last-updated date before buying.

Short paid programmatic courses

7. Adtechademy: Programmatic Ad Technology

Adtechademy runs a programmatic-first course with time inside DV360.

• Best for: learners who want a programmatic-only course with platform practice
• Format: 8 weeks: 4 weeks of theory (20+ hours of content plus live sessions) and 4 weeks of practical work
• Fees: shared on request
• What you learn: programmatic fundamentals, DV360 with edit access and live campaign monitoring, Q&A with industry experts
• Placement support: an optional package adds AI interview practice, mock interviews and CV sharing
• Limits: programmatic only, so you won’t learn Meta Ads, Google Ads or SEO. Fees aren’t published on the website.

8. Digital Academy 360: Skill Diploma in Digital Marketing & Programmatic Ads

This is a 3-month online diploma that combines general digital marketing with programmatic ads.

• Best for: graduates who want a short, low-cost digital marketing diploma that mentions programmatic
• Format: online, 3 months, about 150 hours of instruction
• Fees: ₹39,000, according to its Shiksha listing
• What you learn: digital marketing fundamentals, WordPress, SEO and Google Ads, with 10+ projects, 20+ tools and 10+ case studies
• Placement support: job assistance through a network of hiring partners
• Limits: the published course outline focuses on general digital marketing, so check how many hours go to programmatic and DV360 before you enrol. A graduation degree is required.

9. The Knowledge Academy: Programmatic Marketing Training

The Knowledge Academy runs a one-day programmatic workshop for working marketers.

• Best for: working marketing or media professionals who want a fast overview
• Format: 1 day, online instructor-led, self-paced, classroom or in-house
• Fees: listed at ₹1,54,995 on its India page in October 2026. Prices vary by format and offers.
• What you learn: programmatic fundamentals, strategy, implementation and measurement
• Limits: very short for the price, with no hands-on DSP practice or placement support

10. Deakin University: Programmatic Advertising and Trading (FutureLearn)

This microcredential was created by Deakin University with the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Australia.

• Best for: professionals with some digital or media experience who want a university-backed credential
• Format: 6 weeks online, about 10 hours a week, with flexible deadlines
• Fees: US$1,054
• What you learn: programmatic trading, the ad tech ecosystem, media planning and measurement
• Assessment: a media planning report and a recorded client presentation. Earns 0.5 Deakin postgraduate credit points.
• Limits: examples are Australia-focused, and there is no placement support in India

What skills should a good programmatic course teach?

A good programmatic course should teach these seven skills and let you practise them:

Beginners usually make the same mistakes: spending the budget too fast in the first few days, setting goals the budget can’t reach, targeting so broadly that the right people never see the ads, and judging campaigns only on clicks. A good course gives you enough practice to catch these early.

What jobs can you get after a programmatic advertising course?

Most people start as a programmatic executive or ad operations analyst. Media agencies such as WPP Media (formerly GroupM), Publicis Groupe, dentsu and Madison hire for these roles, as do ad tech companies and in-house teams at e-commerce, banking, fintech and OTT companies.

Source: Glassdoor India programmatic salaries. Actual offers depend on company, city and skills.

How to choose your programmatic advertising course

Use the free courses from Google Skillshop and The Trade Desk to learn the vocabulary and the DV360 platform, and to test whether you enjoy the work. Short paid courses add some platform practice. Full programs add live projects, interview preparation and placement support. The right choice depends on whether you need the skill for your current job or need a new job.

If you want a job in programmatic or performance marketing, Kraftshala’s Marketing Launchpad is a digital marketing course with placement that covers DV360, The Trade Desk and CM360 within a full digital marketing curriculum. It costs ₹1,93,520 including GST, runs for 6 months full-time or 11 months part-time, and refunds 60% of the fee if you are not placed at ₹4.5 LPA or more within 15 months. You can see the syllabus and placement reports on the Marketing Launchpad page. For a step-by-step plan, read our guide on how to learn programmatic advertising.