eCPMs Revealed! Check out Top Ad Monetization Networks for Mobile Apps & Games
By: Andrea Knezovic
Tags: Mobile Marketing, Ecpm, Mobile Games, Mobile Apps, Mobile App Marketing

Wondering how much you can earn by monetizing ads on your mobile app?

You have come to the right place.

In this article, we reveal eCPM value for three different ad formats (rewarded video, interstitial ads, and banners) in three markets (United States, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe). You will also learn what are the top-earning ad networks and DSPs for each one.

This information is crucial for successful mobile app monetization and ad mediation.

For those of you who are new to ad monetization, we have included a glossary with the basic terms at the bottom of the article.

About the Data

The data from this mobile in-app ad monetization performance index comes from Appodeal. They have analyzed the data of more than 150 billion ad impressions delivered through their ad mediation platform, over 40,000 apps, and more than 60 demand sources.

The data analyzed in this performance index is from H2 2018 to H1 2019. This makes it the most recent data available.

The index focuses on three major markets — the U.S., Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. You’ll gain insights into top earning ad networks, ad exchanges, DSPs, and eCPM values for the following mobile ad formats: rewarded video, interstitials, and banners.

This information will help you choose between different ad formats and give you insight into optimal ad revenue based on the geographical location of your users.

Even though ad mediation can be automated, a manual approach in optimizing the setup always yields better results. Different demand sources result in better monetization in different regions. Similarly, eCPMs vary for different formats and platforms in different countries.

That’s why having a benchmark for comparison is valuable to mobile app publishers who want to set up ad mediation that maximizes ad revenue.

Key Insights

Let’s start by explaining key insights from Appodeal’s performance index. Later in the article, we’ll go through top ad networks and average eCPMs for different ad formats in different regions, so don’t miss out.

In-app Mobile Advertising Establishes Itself as a Leading Monetization Method

2019 was a big year for in-app mobile advertising. We can finally say that header bidding successfully transitioned from desktop to mobile.

That’s great news for mobile app publishers.

There are more ad demand sources than ever competing for their ad inventory. That results in better options for ad mediation and, of course, higher ad revenue for mobile app publishers.

USA’s eCPMs Remain at the Top for Most Ad Formats

Historically, the US market always had the highest eCPMs, and it’s still number one.

However, other markets like China, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia are slowly creeping up.

In fact, Japan has higher eCPMs for interstitials on Android that the United States.

When it comes to eCPMs for rewarded video, China comes in a close second — only $2.17 less than the United States. Taiwan, Japan, and Australia are in third, fourth, and fifth place — also very close.

Since the Australian market is very similar to the US market, it’s a great opportunity for mobile app publishers.

eCPMs for Each Country Vary Significantly Between iOS and Android

As you might already know, eCPMs on iOS are usually higher than on Android.

However, the question is — how higher are they?

Well, that depends on the country.

In big mobile markets like the United States and the United Kingdom, the difference between iOS and Android about 20% to 40%.

In smaller markets, the gap can be significantly higher. For example, in Brazil, eCPMs for rewarded video were 352% higher on iOS than on Android. In China, the difference is a whopping 1,774%.

eCPMs for Rewarded Video Keep Increasing

If we look at three main markets analyzed in this report (United States, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe), we can see that eCPMs for rewarded video have increased from 2018 to 2019.

For example, eCPMs for rewarded video on iOS in the US were $13.44 in 2018. By June 2019, they got up to $15.82. That’s an increase of 13%.

The same is happening on Android. In the US, eCPMs for rewarded video went from $11.24 in 2018 to $12.68 in 2019. That’s also a 13% increase, just like on iOS.

There’s an Increase in Interstitial’s eCPMs on Android in the U.S. and in Western Europe

eCPMs for interstitial ads are also increasing, but only in Western Europe and the United States. In Eastern Europe, they’re declining.

There’s an 8% eCPM growth on Android in the US, and a 27% increase on Android. Similarly, interstitial’s eCPMs in Western Europe have increased by 21%.

eCPMs for Banner Ads Are Decreasing

Even though banner ads accounted for one-quarter of the ad revenue share, eCPMs for this ad format are decreasing year over year. This is a trend we see in almost all markets.

For example, on Android in the US, there’s a 27% eCPM decline in 2019 compared to 2018.

We’ll go through details regarding eCPMs for banner ads later in the article, so make sure to keep reading.

DSPs Successfully Compete with Ad Networks for Impressions

“Unlike ad networks, DSPs compete for ad impressions through real-time auctions via ad exchanges. Thanks to the rise of in-app header bidding, DSPs are now able to compete fairly and in real-time with ad networks for ad inventory. The top-ranked DSPs represent those won auctions through our ad exchange, BidMachine, and ultimately the ad impressions themselves.” — Appodeal

Global eCPMs

Let’s start with global eCPMs for rewarded video, interstitial ads, and banner ads. You’ll learn what are the countries with the highest eCPMs for these three ad formats.

Rewarded Video

It’s no surprise to see the United States as the number one country for both iOS and Android when it comes to eCPMs for rewarded video. For iOS, it’s $15.82 and it’s $12.81 for Android.

However, as we go down on the list, the ranking for iOS and Android is different.

Top 5 eCPM countries for iOS are the United States ($15.82), China ($13.65), Taiwan ($12.85), Japan ($12.76), and Australia ($11.86).

For Android, the top 5 are the United States ($12.81), Australia ($12.35), Japan ($9.55), United Kingdom ($8.76), and Canada ($8.26).

As you might expect, rewarded video eCPMs are higher on iOS than on Android. For the top 20 countries, eCPMs on iOS range from $6 to $15, while on Android, they range from $4 to $12.

Interstitial Ads

When it comes to interstitial ads for iOS, the United States is also number one ($8.57). However, for Android, Japan is the country with the highest eCPM ($6.46).

If we look at the top 20 countries for iOS, eCPMs range from $3 to $8. On Android, eCPMs range from $2 to $6.

Overall, eCPMs for interstitial ads are lower than for rewarded video (the highest eCPM for rewarded video is $15.82 and for interstitials, it’s $8.57).

Banners

eCPMs for banner ads are significantly lower than for interstitial ads and rewarded video, ranging from $0.14 to $0.60 in the top 20 countries.

For banner ads on iOS, the highest eCPMs are in these 5 countries: United States ($0.60), Australia ($0.59), Japan ($0.55), South Korea ($0.51), and Switzerland ($0.41).

While the United States ($0.48) is number one on Android, just like on iOS, the rest of the ranking is slightly different.

Canada is in second place ($0.32), Australia is third ($0.31), Switzerland is fourth ($0.26), while the United Kingdom is in fifth place ($0.22).

While South Korea is in the top 5 countries with the highest eCPMs on iOS, it’s in 18th place on Android.

USA: Top Ad Networks and Average eCPMs for 3 Different Ad Formats (iOS)

Now we’ll look at average eCPM trends and top-earning ad networks in the US market for iOS.

Let’s start with rewarded video.

Rewarded Video (iOS)

Rewarded video on iOS accounts for only 1% of impressions share and 12% ad revenue share in the US.

However, eCPMs for rewarded video are very high and continue to rise year over year. In June 2019, eCPMs reached $15.18 which is 13% higher than in the same period in 2018.

While eCPMs have dropped during the holiday season in 2018, they have been pretty steady in 2019. We can expect eCPMs will further increase in the years to come.

Top earning ad networks for rewarded video on iOS are AdMob, Facebook, and AppLovin.

Interstitial Ads (iOS)

Interstitial ads in the US take up 11% of impressions share on iOS and 55% of ad revenue share, which makes this ad format the most profitable one.

The average eCPMs for interstitial ads have increased by 8%, compared to 2018, averaging at $8.64. While eCPMs were rising and falling more dramatically throughout 2018, they were pretty stable in 2019, which is also a good sign.

Ad networks with the highest eCPMs for interstitial ads in the US are AdMob ($11.84), AppLovin ($9.16), and BidMachine ($9.41). Facebook, MoPub, TapJoy, and Unity Ads are also among the top-earning ad networks for interstitial ads on iOS.

Banners (iOS)

While banner ads take up 88% of impressions share, they account for only 33% of the ad revenue share.

The average eCPMs for banner ads were $0.55 in 2018 and $0.62 in 2019, increasing by 13%.

In both 2018 and 2019, eCPMs for banner ads peak during the holidays and then dramatically drop in the following months. However, they start rising again in March.

Top earning ad networks for banner ads on iOS in the United States are MoPub, AdMob, BidMachine, Smaato, Amazon Ads, AppLovin, InMobi, Fyber, Facebook, and StartApp.

Out of those ad networks, MoPub, AdMob, and BidMachine have the highest eCPMs for banner ads ($0.61, $0.54, and $0.59).

Power Ranking: Top DSPs in the US (iOS)

Here are the top-ranked demand-side platforms for iOS in the United States.

Liftoff is number one DSP for all ad formats — $17.59 for rewarded video, $10.55 for interstitial ads, and $0.45 for banner ads.

Besides Liftoff, AppGrowth, Manage.com, and Fractional Media are among the top 4 DSPs for rewarded video and interstitial ads.

For banner ads, Rubicon, Pubmatic, and Open X are top-ranked DSPs.

USA: Top Ad Networks and Average eCPMs (Android)

Now let’s look at some stats for Android in the US market.

Rewarded Video (Android)

On Android, rewarded videos account for 2% of impressions share, but 16% of ad revenue share.

eCPMs for rewarded video are on the rise. We see an increase of 13% compared to 2018, averaging at $12.68 in 2019. Also, the eCPMs have been pretty stable in 2019 — there wasn’t a drop after typical peaks that occur during the holiday season.

Ad networks with the highest eCPMs for Android rewarded video are AdMob ($19.89), Facebook ($18.56), AppLovin ($11.17).

Interstitial Ads (Android)

Android interstitial ads take up 15% of impressions share and 57% of ad revenue in the US market. That makes them a very desirable mobile ad format.

eCPMs for interstitial ads on Android have increased significantly. Even though eCPMs experienced a drop after December, they have still gone up by as much as 27% in 2019 compared to 2018.

Top earning ad networks for Android interstitial ads are AdMob, Facebook, and AppLovin.

Banners (Android)

While banner ads on Android take up as much as 83% of impressions share, they account for just 27% of ad revenue in the US market.

In fact, eCPMs for banner have dropped by 4% compared to 2018, going from an average of $0.56 to $0.54.

Ad networks with the highest eCPMs for banners on Android are AdMob, Amazon Ads, and BidMachine.

Power Ranking: Top DSPs in the US (Android)

When it comes to DSPs, Liftoff, Manage.com, AppGrowth, and Rubicon are among the top-ranked for both rewarded video and interstitial ads.

For Android banner ads, top DSPs are Liftoff ($0.29), Rubicon ($1.13), Pubmatic ($1.05), and Open X ($1.03).

Western Europe: Top Ad Networks and eCPM Trends (iOS)

Western Europe is another big market for app publishers and offers huge opportunities for growth and ad revenue. We’ll start with eCPM trends and top ad networks for iOS.

Above, you can see the list of countries that are a part of this report for Western Europe.

Rewarded Video (iOS)

In Western Europe, iOS rewarded video ads represent 10% of impressions share, but half of the total ad revenue share.

The eCPMs increased only slightly — by just 2% — but they were much more stable throughout 2019, compared to 2018. There is no big spike during December or a drop after the holiday season.

Top ad networks for iOS rewarded video in Western Europe are AdMob, Facebook, and AppLovin, Facebook being the one with the highest average eCPMs ($12.18).

Interstitial Ads (iOS)

eCPMs for iOS interstitial ads in Western Europe have dropped by 3% in 2019 compared to the year before. There was also an expected drop after the holidays in both 2018 and 2019.

Top ad networks for iOS interstitial ads in Western European countries are AdMob ($4.27), AppLovin ($3.05), and Facebook ($3.53).

Banners (iOS)

eCPMs for iOS banner ads in Western Europe are also dropping year over year. In 2018, the average was $0.27 and in 2019, the average eCPM was $0.23, which is 15% less.

Even though banner ads still work in certain places, overall, their performance has been dropping. That’s why many app publishers use them less frequently than other ad formats.

Top earning ad networks for iOS banner ads are AdMob ($0.24), BidMachine ($0.24), and AppLovin ($0.09).

Power Ranking: Top DSPs in the US (iOS)

Top earning DSPs in Western Europe for rewarded video are Liftoff, AppGrowth, Fractional Media, and Manage.com.

The rankings are similar for interstitial ads — Liftoff is also number one, while Manage.com, Criteo, and App Growth are second, third, and fourth respectively.

For iOS banner ads, Liftoff, Altamob, Criteo, and LiquidM are the ad networks with the highest eCPMs.

Western Europe: Top Ad Networks and eCPM Trends (Android)

eCPM trends for Android in Western Europe are significantly different. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Rewarded Video (Android)

While rewarded video eCPMs on iOS increased by only 2%, they have increased by 11% on Android, reaching $4.78 in June 2019.

Ad networks with the highest eCPMs for Android rewarded video in Western Europe are AdMob ($6.82), Facebook ($8.79), and Unity Ads ($2.62).

Interstitial Ads (Android)

Interstitial ads are a great ad format for Android in Western Europe — they take up 59% of the ad revenue share.

eCPMs for interstitial videos are on the rise — going from an average of $1.97 in 2018 to $2.38 in 2019, which is an increase of 21%. That’s interesting considering eCPMs for iOS interstitials in Western Europe have dropped by 2%.

Top earning ad networks for Android interstitial ads AdMob, Ogury, and Unity Ads.

Banners (Android)

eCPMs for banner ads on Android have decreased by 27% in 2019. We saw a similar trend on iOS as well (the eCPMs dropped by 15% in 2019).

Even though there was a big spike during December 2019 where eCPMs reached $0.31, they continued to drop in the following months, ending up at $0.16 in June 2019.

Power Ranking: Top DSPs in the US (Android)

Top earning DSPs for rewarded video in Western Europe are Liftoff, Manage.com, and AppGrowth, average eCPMs ranging from $3.14 to $3.82.

For interstitial ads, top-ranked DSPs are Manage.com, Liftoff, Criteo, and Rubicon. For banner ads, Criteo, Liftoff, Axonix, and Epom are among the top-earning DSPs.

Eastern Europe: Top-Earning Ad Networks and Average eCPMs (iOS)

Eastern Europe is a market that’s often ignored by mobile app publishers. However, there are a lot of opportunities there, as this market continues to grow.

We’ll start with eCPM trends and top ad networks for different ad formats on iOS.

Rewarded Video (iOS)

eCPMs for rewarded video continue to rise, reaching an average of $2.77 in 2019. That’s a 12% increase compared to 2018.

Top earning networks for rewarded video are AdMob, Facebook, and Bid Machine, Facebook being the one with the highest average eCPMs ($12.33).

Interstitial Ads (iOS)

eCPMs for interstitial ads on iOS have dropped by 12%, going from $1.86 in 2018 to $1.63 in 2019.

Top-ranked ad networks for interstitial ads in Eastern Europe are AdMob, BidMachine, and AppLovin.

Banners (iOS)

Just like interstitial ads, eCPMs for banner ads are also declining. Compared to 2018, they have decreased by 13%.

Top earning networks for banner ads are Yandex, AdMob, and MoPub.

Eastern Europe: Top-Earning Ad Networks and Average eCPMs (Android)

In Eastern Europe, eCPM trends are significantly different on Android than on iOS. For example, while eCPMs for banner ads are dropping in almost every market and platform, they are rising on Android in Easter Europe.

Let’s take a look at some numbers.

Rewarded Video (Android)

eCPMs for rewarded video are pretty stable. There’s no big difference when we compare 2018 and 2019 — only a 1% growth.

When it comes to top-earning ad networks for rewarded video, Facebook has the highest eCPMs ($3.50).

Interstitial Ads (Android)

Even though interstitial ads account for 40% of the ad revenue share on Android in Eastern Europe, eCPMs have been declining. In 2018, they were $1.12, then they dropped by 4% in 2019, averaging at $1.08.

Ad network with the highest eCPMs for interstitials is Yandex ($1.43), followed by AdMob ($1.18), and AppLovin ($0.55).

Banners (Android)

What’s surprising is that eCPMs for banner ads on Android are rising. There’s an increase of 9% in 2019, compared to 2018.

Top-ranked ad networks for banner ads in Eastern Europe are Yandex, AdMob, and MyTarget.

Mobile App Ad Monetization Glossary

If you’re new to mobile ad monetization, take a look at this glossary with the most important terms you should learn.

Ad Mediation

Ad mediation allows app developers to handle numerous ad networks in one place. What’s great is that you can do it with a single SDK integration. Ad networks get access to your ad inventory through ad mediation platforms.

That makes multiple ad networks compete for ad slots which in turn maximizes your ad revenue. It also ensures you get the best possible ads for your app without compromising user experience.

Another advantage of using ad mediation platforms is that you can automate the whole process, which saves you a lot of time.

Ad Network

An ad network connects publishers and advertisers. The advertisers are looking for ad slots in different apps, while app publishers want to monetize their apps by showing ads.

So an ad network is basically the middleman between demand sources (advertisers) and supply sources (publishers).

That way, publishers can easily work with multiple advertisers at once, instead of making deals with individual advertisers.

Ad Inventory

Ad inventory refers to the available amount of ad space a publisher has. That ad inventory is then sold to advertisers. Publishers can sell ad space directly to advertisers or they can use ad networks who work as an intermediary.

The term ad inventory is most often used when talking about digital and mobile ads, but it can be used for traditional media as well. If we’re talking about the digital world, a publisher would either be an app developer or a website owner.

Banner Ads

Banner ads are one of the oldest ad formats out there. However, they’re still popular in the mobile world.

They’re most commonly displayed on the top or bottom of the screen, in a way that doesn’t disrupt the user experience. Banner ads can be static or dynamic and usually stick to the screen throughout the user session.

DSP

DSP is a platform that allows advertisers to access publishers’ ad inventory as well as set up, manage, and optimize online ad campaigns.

It simplifies media buying and it’s completely automated. If the available inventory matches the criteria in the DSP, buyers will be entered for auction. The one with the highest bid price wins. All of it happens in milliseconds.

Along with SSPs, DSPs are essential for programmatic advertising.

eCPM

For many app developers, eCPM might sound complicated. However, it’s essential for all developers who want to monetize their app. You need to know what it means and how to calculate it. So let’s explain it in simple terms.

eCPM is short for effective cost per mile, which basically means the amount of money a publisher earns per thousand impressions.

In order to calculate eCPM, you need to know much you earned from ads in total and how many impressions your app served. Then, you divide total earnings by the number of impressions and multiply by 1,000.

The number you get is your eCPM, and now you know how much your app earned per thousand impressions. If the eCPM is very high, that means the ads on your app are performing really well. That, of course, brings you more revenue.

Interstitial Ads

Interstitial ads are a full-screen ad format that allows users to exit or skip the ad after a certain period of time. This ad format is very effective for mobile apps since interstitial ads are very dynamic and appealing.

Because interstitial ads get higher engagement, app developers get higher eCPMs for this ad format.

Rewarded Video

Rewarded video is another popular mobile ad format. Users who choose to watch the ad get free content in return. For example, in a mobile game app, the users might get coins or extra lives.

The reason why rewarded video works so well as an ad format is that everybody gets something out of it. The user gets free in-app content, the app publisher gets higher eCPMs, and the advertisers get higher CTRs.

Final Thoughts on eCPMs and Ad Monetization Networks

Now we want to hear your thoughts.

What is your experience with eCPMs and ad networks? Do you have any questions about the date?

Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get more insights into mobile app monetization!

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Since 2018 till today, Udonis Inc. served over 17 billion ads & acquired over 75 million users for mobile apps & games. We’re recognized as a leading mobile marketing consulting agency by 5 major marketing review firms. We helped over 20 mobile apps & games reach the top charts. Want to know how we make it look so effortless? Meet us to find out.