Google AdMob is our first option for developers starting with rewarded ads. AppLovin MAX and Unity LevelPlay suit teams comparing multiple demand sources through mediation. Liftoff Monetize and InMobi are additional demand options to assess. Choose by integration fit, completed rewards and revenue per user, not an advertised eCPM alone.
| Best For | A first rewarded-ad integration | Comparing connected demand sources | Teams using Unity's monetisation tools |
| Important Check | Reward callbacks and test ads | Adapter compatibility and reward verification | Current SDK and event handling |
| Main role in this comparison | Ad monetisation and mediation | Mediation platform | Mediation platform |
A player runs out of lives. A listener wants an extra feature. A user is happy to watch an ad because the reward is clear and useful.
That is where rewarded advertising can work well. The difficulty comes after the button is pressed: will an ad load, will the reward arrive, and will the person want to use your app again?
The best rewarded video ad networks help you build a reliable exchange. This guide compares five publisher options, including mediation platforms where that is their main role. The recommendations use published product documentation, not a claim that we ran identical earning tests across all five.
Best rewarded video ad networks: Quick comparison
Compare the best rewarded video ad networks based on ad formats, platform compatibility, integration options, payout models, and revenue potential to find the right solution for monetizing your app or game while improving user engagement.
Platform | Main role in this comparison | Best fit | Important check |
|---|---|---|---|
Google AdMob | Ad monetisation and mediation | A first rewarded-ad integration | Reward callbacks and test ads |
AppLovin MAX | Mediation platform | Comparing connected demand sources | Adapter compatibility and reward verification |
Unity LevelPlay | Mediation platform | Teams using Unity's monetisation tools | Current SDK and event handling |
Liftoff Monetize | App monetisation demand | Adding an eligible demand source | Mediation route and incremental revenue |
InMobi | Mobile advertising demand | Another rewarded demand option | Supported integration and audience fit |
A mediation platform manages competition between supported sources. It is not interchangeable with a single advertiser-demand network.
What makes an ad a rewarded ad?
A rewarded ad offers a defined benefit in exchange for an eligible interaction. In an app, that might be extra lives, credits or temporary access to a feature.
“Rewarded video” is often used as a broad category name, but a rewarded ad unit does not always show only a conventional video. Google's documentation also describes playable ads and surveys in the rewarded format.
Plan the reward around the supported completion event, not a timer that merely assumes the ad has finished.
A person who closes early, loses a connection or receives no ad should not get stuck. Decide how those cases will behave before launch. The reward system is part of the product experience, so it deserves the same care as a checkout or account login.
5 Best rewarded video platforms in detail
Explore the 5 best rewarded video platforms, comparing their key features, ad formats, integration options, payment models, and earning potential to help you choose the right solution for monetizing your app or game while rewarding users for watching ads.
1. Google AdMob: Best starting point for a first integration
AdMob provides platform-specific rewarded-ad guides, dedicated test ad units and reward-event handling. Its iOS guide also documents optional server-side verification. Those details make it a practical first place to assess the work required.
The useful starting point is one placement with one clear reward. For a puzzle app, that might be an optional hint. Avoid changing several parts of the reward economy while also learning the ad integration.
AdMob is worth shortlisting because the implementation path is documented, not because it promises a fixed rate. Your audience, demand and placement behaviour still determine the result.
Check how the app behaves when an ad is unavailable. A visible “watch” button that repeatedly fails is a product problem even if the revenue dashboard looks healthy.
Pros
- Detailed integration and testing documentation.
- Reward callbacks and verification options.
Cons
- SDK integration and account requirements still apply.
- A documented setup does not guarantee a filled ad request.
Our verdict: Start with AdMob if you need a clear first implementation to evaluate. Make reward delivery dependable before expanding placements.
2. AppLovin MAX: Best for a mediation-led setup
AppLovin MAX documents rewarded ads and server-to-server reward callbacks. Its role in this shortlist is mediation: it helps a developer work with connected advertising demand rather than treating each integration as a separate product decision.
That is useful when your team wants to compare sources within an organised monetisation setup. It also creates ongoing work around SDK versions, adapters, reporting and account arrangements.
Before switching, identify what the move is supposed to improve. More connected partners are not useful by themselves. You want a measurable gain, such as more completed rewarded opportunities or better net revenue from the same users.
Keep the existing app experience stable during the comparison. If the reward doubles at the same time as the mediation change, you will not know which change caused the outcome.
Pros
- A documented rewarded-ad and callback workflow.
- A mediation approach for evaluating multiple sources.
Cons
- Connected partners add configuration and maintenance.
- A mediation switch can be more work than adding a placement.
Our verdict: Compare MAX when you have enough development capacity to manage a mediation setup. Define the business reason for changing before migrating a working implementation.
3. Unity LevelPlay: Best for teams using Unity's monetisation workflow
Unity's current LevelPlay documentation provides a rewarded-ad integration route for the Unity package. It covers the rewarded ad object and the events used to handle the ad lifecycle.
The distinction matters when reading older lists. “Unity Ads” and “LevelPlay” should not be used as if they describe exactly the same role. Here, LevelPlay is the mediation option being evaluated.
For a team already working with Unity, the documented integration may make it a natural candidate. Still, match the guide to the SDK version in the actual project.
Think through interruptions. A phone call, an app moving to the background or a failed load can change the sequence the user sees. Test these cases without awarding the same benefit twice.
Pros
- A documented rewarded-ad route for Unity projects.
- Fits a mediation-based approach to monetisation.
Cons
- Old tutorials may describe a different API.
- Reward state must remain consistent across app interruptions.
Our verdict: Shortlist LevelPlay when its current workflow fits your project and team. Follow the version-specific documentation and test the entire reward lifecycle.
4. Liftoff Monetize: Best for evaluating another demand source
Liftoff Monetize provides app monetisation through its Vungle SDK and supports integration through major mediation platforms. Liftoff also documents rewarded placements in its publisher guidance.
Its place on the shortlist is different from MAX or LevelPlay. A developer may evaluate Liftoff as a source of demand inside an existing mediation arrangement rather than replacing the whole arrangement.
Ask what additional revenue the source contributes. If it wins impressions that another partner would have filled at a similar value, its reported revenue is not all incremental.
Look at the complete result after integration: total revenue, loading behaviour, reward completion and support issues. That is more useful than celebrating one partner's dashboard in isolation.
Pros
- A documented app monetisation product and mediation route.
- A candidate for diversifying eligible demand.
Cons
- Another integration means another dependency to maintain.
- Partner revenue does not automatically equal extra total revenue.
Our verdict: Evaluate Liftoff when you want to test an additional demand source. Keep it if the app-level benefit justifies the operational cost.
5. InMobi: Best for another mobile rewarded-demand comparison
InMobi explicitly includes rewarded video in its game monetisation offering. Its format documentation describes opt-in rewarded video alongside other mobile ad formats.
That makes it a relevant option when comparing demand for an app with a suitable reward moment.
Do not assume a network will perform equally across every country or device. Review the audience segments that matter to your app. A strong result from a small segment may have little effect on the overall business.
Ask about the supported route through your chosen mediation platform, the current adapter and any app requirements. Agree on what counts as a useful test before adding development work.
Pros
- Explicit support for rewarded video.
- A mobile demand option to compare against the existing setup.
Cons
- Integration support must match your platform and versions.
- Results from another app are not a forecast for yours.
Our verdict: Put InMobi on the test list when you have a clear reason to diversify mobile demand. Evaluate it by audience segment and total app outcomes.
Why is the highest eCPM not always the best result?
eCPM describes earnings per thousand impressions. It does not say how many users reached an ad, how many requests were filled or whether the reward worked.
Imagine two hypothetical setups:
Setup | Paid impressions | eCPM | Ad revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
A | 10,000 | $12 | $120 |
B | 18,000 | $9 | $162 |
Setup B earns more despite its lower eCPM. These are illustrative numbers, not published rates for any network.
You should also look beyond ad revenue. If a more generous reward reduces purchases or makes progression feel unbalanced, the app's total earnings can fall.
Useful measures include revenue per active user, completed reward events, ad availability and return visits. Keep the definition of each metric consistent during the test.
How should you design the reward?
Offer something useful at a moment when the user understands its value. “Watch an ad for one extra hint” is easier to assess than a vague promise of a bonus.
Make the choice clear. The app should explain the reward before the ad starts and provide the benefit when the qualifying event is confirmed.
Avoid using rewarded ads to repair an intentionally frustrating product. If a normal task becomes tedious only so people will watch more ads, increased short-term activity may come at the cost of returning users.
Set limits where they protect the product economy. The right frequency depends on what the reward does. A cosmetic item, an extra attempt and access to a premium tool have different consequences.
What should you test before release?
Use the provider's test mode or dedicated test units. Google explicitly warns against using live ads for development testing.
Check:
A normal completion awards the correct benefit.
Closing before completion follows the documented rules.
A failed request leaves the app usable.
Repeated callbacks do not duplicate a reward.
Backgrounding and reopening the app preserves the right state.
The reward is attached to the correct account.
Analytics distinguish an ad opportunity from a paid impression.
For higher-value rewards, assess the provider's server-side verification option and your own record of completed events. The goal is consistent reward delivery, including when a user's connection is unreliable.
How should you compare payment terms?
Treat monetisation reporting and cash payment as separate steps. A dashboard can show estimated earnings before adjustments, thresholds or payment conditions are satisfied.
When using mediation, confirm which party pays which revenue. Do not assume that connecting a network causes every earning to arrive through the mediator in a single payment.
Record the currency, threshold, schedule, fees and any account verification requirements. That is especially useful for a small app where a modest balance may take time to become payable.
FAQs: Best Rewarded Video Ad Networks
AdMob is our first option to evaluate because it provides detailed rewarded-ad integration and testing guides. The best choice still depends on your app framework, audience and ability to maintain the setup.
Their main role in this comparison is mediation. They help manage supported demand sources. That role differs from evaluating an individual source of advertising demand.
No. Some rewarded formats can include other creative types. Google's rewarded-ad documentation includes video, playable ads and surveys, so confirm what your chosen ad unit supports.
Potentially, if the app has a useful, permitted reward and a sensible moment to offer it. The reward should serve the user rather than block the normal purpose of the app.
There is no reliable universal winner. Country, device, audience, demand and placement all affect the result. Compare total revenue and completed rewards on your own app.
No. Add sources for a clear reason and measure their incremental contribution. Each extra dependency creates maintenance, testing and reporting work.
Quick Links:
Which rewarded video platform should you choose?: Best Rewarded Video Ad Networks
Start with the implementation your team can maintain reliably. AdMob is a useful first comparison; MAX and LevelPlay suit a mediation decision. Liftoff and InMobi are demand options to investigate within an appropriate setup.
The winning result is an ad that loads, a reward that arrives and a user who still wants to return. Choose the platform that supports that outcome on your app.
