Unlike the blinds, everyone at the table pays the ante when they are in play. Antes tend to be much smaller than the blinds and are usually between 10-15% of the big blind. For example, a tournament with antes in play may have a 500 small blind and a 1,000 big blind. Antes will likely be between 100 and 150.
With two to fourteen players at the table, the ante starts the game off with a pot worth winning. It creates a high-stakes situation that engages the players and makes play more exciting. Antes also encourage players to continue playing through to later stages of the game instead of folding.