Guide · Updated 23 October 2026
Ping tree software: build, run and improve a ping tree
Short answer
Ping tree software offers each lead to buyers in an order you set, one after another, until a buyer accepts. If a buyer declines, is full or the lead does not match their rules, the lead drops to the next buyer. A tree can be a fixed waterfall or a weighted split. The software enforces caps, records the sale and tracks what each publisher is owed.
What ping tree software does
- Takes in leads from forms, links and APIs.
- Checks each lead against your rules before any buyer sees it.
- Offers the lead to buyers in order, or splits volume by percentage.
- Applies caps and schedules so no buyer gets more than agreed.
- Delivers the lead in the format each buyer needs and records acceptance.
- Reports what each buyer accepted and what each publisher earned.
How to order the tree
Most sellers put the best-paying buyer first so each lead has its best chance to earn the most. Buyers behind catch what the first passes on. Price is not the only factor: a buyer who pays more but returns many leads can earn you less than a lower-paying buyer who keeps them.
| Strategy | How it works | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfall | Buyers tried in a fixed order | You have set prices and a clear best buyer |
| Weighted | Volume split by percentage | You want to share leads between buyers, or test one |
| Priority with caps | Highest priority first until its cap fills | Buyers have daily or monthly limits |
Mistakes that cost money
- Building the tree once and leaving it. Buyer demand and quality shift, so review the order regularly.
- No caps, so one good day floods a single buyer.
- No decision about what happens when every buyer declines.
- Switching a new rule on without testing it. Run it in watch-only mode first.
- Paying publishers before a sale is confirmed, so returned leads become your loss.
A worked example
The numbers are illustrative. A seller has four buyers for the same lead type, set up as a waterfall with caps.
| Position | Buyer | Price | Daily cap | Accepts about |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buyer A | $30 | 100 | 60% of leads offered |
| 2 | Buyer B | $24 | 150 | 70% of what A passed on |
| 3 | Buyer C | $18 | Unlimited | 80% of what remains |
| 4 | Buyer D | $10 | Unlimited | Takes most of the rest |
Each lead is offered to Buyer A first. Once A reaches 100 leads for the day, the tree skips them and offers to B. Leads nobody accepts are marked unsold and kept. The seller then checks the numbers weekly: if Buyer A's returns rise, their real value falls, and the order should change.
What to review each week
- Acceptance rate per buyer: how many leads offered were taken.
- Return rate per buyer: how many accepted leads came back.
- Revenue per lead after returns, not the headline price.
- Cap fill: are caps filling too early or never?
- Unsold leads: which sources or fields are not finding a buyer.
- Publisher quality: which sources earn, and which cost you returns.
Questions to ask any ping tree vendor
- Can I use waterfall, weighted and priority orders in the same product?
- Are caps and schedules per buyer, per source and per day?
- Can I test a rule or change in watch-only mode before it affects revenue?
- Are unsold leads kept so I can offer them again?
- Is publisher tracking and payout included, or a separate tool?
- What is the price at my volume, with every feature I need?
Build a ping tree in pingtype
- Add your buyers and set up delivery for each one, with field mapping, and send a test lead before you go live.
- Create a cascade and put the buyers in order, or switch to weighted to split by percentage. Use ping/post bidding where buyers should price each lead.
- Set caps and schedules for every buyer, and acceptance rules on the lead fields that matter to them.
- Turn on rules and phone, email and IP checks, in watch-only mode first so you see what they would reject.
- Send traffic, and follow each lead through the tree in the reports. Unsold leads are kept so you can offer them again.
Questions
What is a ping tree system or platform?
It is software that offers each lead to a list of buyers in order until one accepts, and handles caps, delivery and tracking around that. Ping tree system, platform and software all mean the same thing. pingtype supports waterfall and weighted ping trees.
What is ping tree software?
Software that offers each lead to buyers in a set order until one accepts, with caps, delivery and tracking of what each publisher is owed.
How many buyers should a ping tree have?
Enough that most leads find a buyer, with a fallback for the rest. Start with your best buyers first and add others to catch what they pass on.
Can I build a ping tree without code?
Yes. In pingtype you create a cascade, add buyers in order and set caps and rules on screens.
Is a ping tree the same as ping/post?
No. A ping tree asks buyers one after another. Ping/post asks them all at once and sells to the highest bid. pingtype supports both.