Whether you’re a mobile app developer or a publisher building an OTT app to reach more viewers, creating the app is just the beginning. Now you need to monetize it.
You have plenty of options in that regard, but the easiest one is through mobile advertising. Joining a mobile ad network or an app monetization platform allows you to programmatically sell your app’s ad space to advertisers. And the best part is that you don’t need to be an ad tech expert to set it up.
However, finding the right app monetization platform can be tricky if you are unfamiliar with the industry. That’s why we’ve put this guide together to help you identify some of the best mobile app monetization platforms on the market.
But before we get to our top picks, let’s first cover the basics. If you’re only interested in our list, feel free to skip to it from the table of contents below.
What Is a Mobile App Monetization Platform?
A mobile app monetization platform helps developers and publishers get high-quality ad demand to serve on their mobile or OTT apps. These programmatic advertising platforms were built to streamline the process of ad buying and selling across Android, iOS, and many other devices.
The best part about these platforms is that you don’t need extensive coding knowledge to use them. They exist to streamline the process of implementing VAST & VPAID ad tags into your apps, allowing you to start monetizing in a matter of hours.
· Premium Google ADX Demand
· Omnichannel Monetization
· Rich Selection of Video Ad Formats
· Real-Time Performance Tracking
· Automated Reporting
What to Look for in an App Monetization Platform
Each app monetization platform has different features and functionalities, so you’ll surely need to try a few before settling for one. However, a few features make some of these platforms stand out from the crowd. Knowing which features to look for can help you zero in on the best platforms on the market. Here are some of the most notable ones:
Variety of Ad Formats
One of the most valuable things an app monetization platform can offer you is access to various ad formats. The reason is simple — it gives you lots of flexibility.
From interstitial and gamified ads to multiple types of video ad formats, these are just some of the options the best platforms offer you. The more formats you can use, the better, as it allows you to engage your users through an advertising medium they most enjoy.
Header Bidding Support
This feature is essential if you want serious revenue. Header bidding technology allows publishers and developers to hold real-time auctions between multiple SSPs to maximize profits.
That is particularly true for video header bidding since publishers can use it to achieve CPMs in the dozens. If your monetization platform doesn’t come with this feature, you’ll lose a lot of potential revenue.
Real-Time Ad Analytics
Tracking the performance of your ads is essential to optimizing your creatives, tweaking campaigns, and analyzing business performance. If your app monetization platform lacks this feature, you’ll need to look for a third-party solution, which can just put additional strain on your budget.
And if your platform of choice also supports header bidding, having it come with in-house header bidding analytics will save you even more money. There are few third-party header bidding analytics solutions on the market, and they can cost publishers thousands of dollars monthly.
It’s always better to invest that extra money in your monetization efforts to grow your business than in third-party tools.
Top 12 Mobile App Monetization Platforms for Publishers
Now that you know what features to look for in an app monetization solution, here is our list of the best app monetization platforms on the market.
1. Google AdMob
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Rewarded Ads Native Ads | N/A |
Google AdMob is one of the most user-friendly and accessible mobile advertising networks for app developers and publishers. Being one of Google’s products, this platform ensures publishers access only the highest-quality mobile ad inventory and features some of the highest CPMs in the industry.
Google AdMob gives users access to various ad formats, including different types of display ads, video ads, and native ads. The most notable advantage of using this platform is that it comes with excellent engagement tracking tools and guarantees brand safety.
Key Features:
- Suitable for beginners
- High-end security
- Excellent engagement tracking tools
- Has a variety of non-intrusive ad formats
- Mediation between numerous ad networks supported
- Excellent personalization features
2. TargetVideo Premium Demand
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Instream Video Ads Interstitial Video Ads In-App Video Ads Rich Media Ads | 100,000 Monthly Users |
TargetVideo Premium Demand is a programmatic advertising platform that offers developers and publishers access to premium Google ADX inventory for their apps. The platform is recognized as an official Google MCM partner, guaranteeing complete transparency at every part of the supply chain.
Although TargetVideo Premium Demand works only with mid-sized or larger publishers whose apps have over 100,000 monthly users, the platform also comes with a rich analytics suite and an excellent selection of mobile ad formats.
But the best part about TargetVideo Premium Demand is that it doesn’t only come with video ad demand. Publishers can also use TargetVideo’s online video platform to access a reliable video ad serving solution and easily integrate the demand from all of their partners in a single CMS.
Key Features:
- Access to premium Google ADX inventory
- Rich selection of video ad formats
- Detailed ad analytics suite
- Guaranteed transparency
- Dedicated account management
3. AppLovin
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Instream Video Ads Rewarded Video Ads Rewarded Interstitial Ads Lock-Screen Ads Native Ads | N/A |
AppLovin is an app monetization platform with more than 1.5 billion users and dozens of supported ad formats. This platform uses advanced user targeting and behavior prediction algorithms to create only the most personalized ad experiences for your users.
AppLovin is beginner friendly since it comes with automatic suggestions for boosting your advertising performance, so you don’t need to be an ad ops expert to use it. But likely the best part about using this platform is that it comes with access to a programmatic ad exchange and hybrid monetization.
These features make AppLovin an excellent choice for both beginner and veteran publishers.
Key Features:
- Incredibly flexible monetization solution
- Supports hybrid monetization
- Offers automatic suggestions for performance improvement
- Comes with access to a programmatic ad exchange
- Various brand safety features
4. InMobi
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Instream Video Ads Native Ads Playable Ads Rich Media Ads Interstitial Ads Carousel Ads | N/A |
InMobi is a sell-side and demand-side mobile advertising platform that offers programmatic solutions for both publishers and advertisers. The platform has a rich selection of mobile ad formats, including rich media ads, native ads, and unique and exciting carousel ads.
InMobi’s platform comes with real-time ad analytics with advanced audience filtering options (e.g., by OS, device, ad format). The platform also gives developers access to a regularly updated SDK, which makes integrating it with their apps that much easier.
Key Features:
- Advanced audience filtering (e.g., OS, device, GEO, channel)
- Ad preloading support
- Rich selection of non-intrusive ad formats
- Comes with a regularly updated SDK
5. AdColony (Digital Turbine Company)
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Instream Video Ads Interstitial Ads Rewarded Ads Rich Media Ads | N/A |
AdColony is an app monetization platform and video ad network that specializes in serving high-quality video demand. The company serves over 1.4 billion users and works with dozens of sell-side partners.
AdColony boasts excellent targeting and ad personalization options, ensuring optimal user experience with every ad. Users who choose this platform will also get a dedicated account manager to help them monitor ad performance and optimize their campaigns.
Key Features:
- Comes with automatic optimization features
- Excellent ad targeting options
- Supports advertising in multiple languages
- Dedicated account manager
- Comes with a regularly updated SDK
6. Unity Ads
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Playable Ads Rewarded Video Ads | N/A |
Unity Ads is an in-app advertising platform specializing in monetizing mobile apps (especially video game apps). The platform comes with the industry’s most common mobile ad formats, including rewarded video ads, interstitial ads, playable ads, and various banner types. The platform also comes with extensive analytics and rich audience filtering options, making optimizing ad campaigns much more accessible.
The most significant advantage of using Unity Ads is that it offers extensive integration support for gaming apps built on the Unity platform and engine. If you’re a developer making mobile apps in this engine, this monetization platform is undoubtedly the best choice.
Key Features:
- One of the leading mobile ad networks for monetizing apps
- Excellent ad integration support for gaming apps built in the Unity platform
- Extensive ad analytics
- Rich audience filtering options (e.g., demographics, GEO, OS)
7. Smaato
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Instream Video Ads Rewarded Video Ads Native Ads Carousel Ads | N/A |
Smaato is a mobile-first ad network that offers both traditional programmatic video advertising and real-time bidding capabilities. The platform prides itself on its brand-safe ad marketplace and rich ad network integration options. That means you can easily implement header bidding with multiple demand sources to maximize revenue.
One of the biggest advantages of using Smaato is that it also comes with a built-in ad server and an option to increase revenue with Dynamic Demand. These factors make it a safe, all-around choice for anyone looking for premium demand for their app.
Key Features:
- Supports both programmatic advertising and real-time bidding
- Over 390 demand partners
- Rich ad network integration options
- Comes with a built-in ad server
- Has a brand-safe ads marketplace
8. Epom Apps
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Native Ads Rewarded Video Ads | N/A |
Epom Apps is a smart app monetization platform that supports both programmatic and direct deals. The platform supports different types of banner and video ads, making it suitable for all mobile apps.
Thanks to Epom Apps’ SDK, publishers can easily integrate multiple ad networks into their ad stack to maximize revenue. The platform prides itself on its high fill rates (up to 98%) and precise audience-matching technology.
If getting ad demand from giants like Facebook, Google AdMob, and Yandex in a single platform sounds appealing, Epom Apps is perfect for you.
Key Features:
- Smart app monetization
- Supports direct deals
- Excellent technical support for developers
- Dedicated ad optimization team
- Extensive mobile SDK
- Real-time ad analytics suite
9. Leadbolt
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Native Ads Rewarded Video Ads | N/A |
Leadbolt is an app monetization platform that works with both advertisers and publishers. The platform offers a safe and reliable network where publishers can monetize mobile apps with various engaging, non-intrusive ad formats.
Leadbolt’s platform is fully GDPR compliant, meaning publishers monetizing within the European Union won’t have to worry about breaking any laws. The platform also features a few handy ways for publishers to increase revenue, like a referral mechanism and dynamic ad delivery.
Key Features:
- GDPR compliance
- Comes with a handy referral mechanism
- Rich analytics suite
- Dynamic ad delivery
10. ironSource
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Rewarded Video Ads Offerwall Ads | N/A |
ironSource is a platform specializing in mobile video advertising and app monetization that works with hundreds of the world’s leading game developers and brands. The platform serves over a billion impressions daily and easily falls among one of the largest mobile ad networks on the market.
One of the biggest advantages of choosing ironSource as your advertising partner is that you get access to various non-intrusive ad formats, including unique offerwall ads. This platform also comes with a few other handy tools for A/B testing and ad creative production, so publishers will need minimal investment on the side to get their campaigns rolling and optimized.
Key Features:
- Partner with dozens of world-class DSPs
- Variety of non-intrusive ad formats
- Useful creative production tools
- Extensive ad analytics suite
- A/B testing tools
11. MobFox
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Instream Video Ads Native Ads Rich Media Ads | N/A |
MobFox is an ad monetization platform that allows publishers to easily set up and manage app monetization across various ad formats. The platform also comes with a rich campaign performance measurement suite, allowing publishers to optimize their campaigns on the fly easily.
Besides using traditional programmatic technology, MobFox also supports direct deals and private marketplaces. Publishers and developers can use the platform’s SDK to easily integrate any third-party software they may need.
If you ever need help with anything, the company’s support team is available around the clock, making it one of the most responsive platforms on this list in terms of customer service.
Key Features:
- Advanced campaign performance measurement
- Rich selection of ad formats
- Channel management
- 24/7 support
12. Appodeal
| Supported Ad Formats | Minimum Traffic |
|---|---|
| Banner Ads Interstitial Ads Rewarded Video Ads Native Ads Playable Ads | N/A |
Appodeal is a developer-first monetization platform that offers tons of features that help app developers streamline their monetization efforts. The platform’s automatic bid management and multichannel support features allow you to set up and run ad campaigns even without any ad ops knowledge.
The platform also comes with excellent analytics that enables users to track anything from ad performance by position to users’ operating systems or GEO locations. For more advanced publishers, Appodeal’s platform also comes with a built-in feature for A/B testing you can use to test different campaign settings.
Key Features:
- 70+ demand partners
- Multichannel campaign management
- Automated bid management
- Advanced ad performance tracking by position
- Real-time analytics
- A/B testing features
Did You Find the Right App Monetization Platform for You?
Choosing the right app monetization platform is no easy task — we get that. But we hope this article gave you enough information to narrow your choices. Just remember that you don’t have to settle for just one platform — nothing is stopping you from joining several and gaining more demand.
While you’re here, why not start with TargetVideo Premium Demand? The Google ADX inventory you can get with us has some of the highest CPMs in the industry, and our team will even help you set everything up.
Get in touch with us, and start monetizing your mobile app today.
