The Best Mobile Ad Networks for App Developers in 2025
| Choosing the right mobile ad network or ad mediation platform can be the single biggest lever on your app’s revenue. This guide breaks down the top platforms – including CAS.AI, AdMob, AppLovin MAX, and Appodeal – across every metric that matters for independent developers and studios. |
What is mobile app monetization?
Mobile app monetization is the process of generating revenue from a mobile app – typically through in-app advertising, in-app purchases, subscriptions, or a hybrid of all three. For most free-to-play mobile games and utility apps, mobile app monetization via advertising remains the dominant revenue model. The core challenge is maximizing eCPM without degrading the user experience.
The solution most professional studios have converged on is ad mediation – letting multiple ad networks compete for every impression in real time.
| Key stat: The global in-app advertising market is projected to surpass $350 billion by 2026. Independent developers who use a best-in-class ad mediation platform consistently earn 40–100% more per user than those relying on a single network. |
What is ad mediation and why does it matter?
Ad mediation is a layer of software that sits between your app and multiple ad networks. Instead of filling every ad request with one network’s demand, an ad mediation platform runs a real-time auction – every network bids, and the highest CPM wins the impression.
What looks like a 15% eCPM uplift in a controlled test regularly becomes 50–100% in production, because different networks dominate different geos, device types, and time-of-day windows. Modern programmatic ad mediation and video ad mediation have made waterfall setups largely obsolete.
| Quick definition: Hybrid mediation = real-time in-app bidding (header bidding) + waterfall fallback. All four platforms in this comparison use a hybrid approach. |
Full platform comparison: best mobile ad mediation platforms in 2025
The table below is fact-checked by our ad tech editorial team. Data sourced from official documentation, developer dashboards, and direct publisher interviews.
Platform-by-platform breakdown
CAS.AI: best for independent developers seeking maximum ARPU
CAS.AI is a fully independent ad mediation platform – not owned by any ad network or DSP. Its standout feature is a verified A/B-tested ARPU uplift of ×1.5–×2, backed by a no-loss guarantee: if your eCPM drops after switching, CAS.AI covers the revenue difference. With processing at over 1 million bid requests per second and SDK downloads exceeding 3 billion lifetime, the infrastructure is enterprise-grade.
Payouts begin on Day 5 in a single consolidated payment – compared to Net 21 on AdMob and fragmented per-network payments on MAX. Crypto payouts and 24/7 human support round out a publisher-first offer.
Google AdMob: largest network, slowest payouts
AdMob mediation eCPM benefits from Google’s enormous advertiser base. With 25+ ad networks connected, it has the broadest raw count in this comparison – though several operate without active optimization. The major trade-offs: Google-owned infrastructure creates potential conflicts of interest, payouts are Net 21, and ARPU uplift figures are not independently verified.
AppLovin MAX: strong for gaming, but publisher conflicts exist
AppLovin MAX is the dominant choice in the hyper-casual and casual gaming segment, partly because AppLovin is both a major advertiser and the platform operator. This dual role raises conflict-of-interest questions that independent publishers should weigh carefully. Payout terms are Net 15+, but networks pay publishers separately.
Appodeal: independent with crypto support
Appodeal is independent like CAS.AI, and also supports crypto payouts. It claims a +17% ARPU uplift, though this figure is self-reported rather than independently A/B-tested. Payouts are available on request rather than on a fixed schedule.
SDK & framework support
Framework support is often the deciding factor for solo developers and small studios building cross-platform. Here’s how the platforms compare:
| Platform | Supported frameworks |
| CAS.AI | Android · iOS · Unity · Flutter · Unreal · React Native · Cordova · Construct · Godot |
| AdMob | Android · iOS · Unity · C++ · Flutter |
| AppLovin MAX | Android · iOS · Adobe AIR · Cordova · Defold · Flutter · Godot · React Native · Unity · Unreal |
| Appodeal | Android · iOS · Unity · React Native · Flutter |
| Developer tip: For ad mediation for Godot, CAS.AI and MAX are your options. For ad mediation for Unreal, only CAS.AI and MAX officially support it. Cordova and Construct support is exclusive to CAS.AI. |
From monetization to mobile game publishing
Monetization and publishing are increasingly intertwined. A mobile game publisher today typically provides not just distribution – getting your game onto Google Play – but also UA, creative production, and crucially, ad monetization infrastructure. This is especially true in casual game publishing and hyper-casual game publishing, where ad revenue often exceeds IAP revenue by 10:1 or more.
For indie game publishing, the calculus is different. An indie developer who self-publishes on Google Play retains full creative and economic control, but needs to independently manage mediation, UA, and ASO. Platforms like CAS.AI are purpose-built for this use case.
When evaluating a game publishing platform, always ask for verified ARPU uplift figures and check whether they operate their own ad network – if they do, ask how conflicts of interest are managed.
Verdict: Which platform is right for you?
| Use case | Recommended platform |
| Best overall for independent studios | CAS.AI |
| Best for highest raw network count | AdMob |
| Best for hyper-casual gaming ecosystems | AppLovin MAX |
| Best independent alternative with crypto | Appodeal |
| Best no-loss migration option | CAS.AI |
| Best for Unity + Godot + Unreal studios | CAS.AI / AppLovin MAX |
| Best payout speed | CAS.AI (from Day 5) |
For most independent developers and studios, the key decision is whether to trust a platform owned by an ad buyer or go with a genuinely independent operator. The conflict-of-interest risk with owned platforms is structural, not theoretical.
Among independents, CAS.AI’s verified ARPU uplift, no-loss guarantee, Day-5 payout, and widest SDK coverage make it the strongest all-around choice for 2025 – especially for studios migrating off AdMob or MAX who need revenue certainty during the transition.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best mobile ad networks in 2025?
The best individual ad networks include Google AdMob, Meta Audience Network, Unity Ads, ironSource, AppLovin, Vungle, and InMobi. However, most professional studios use an ad mediation platform to run all networks simultaneously and let the highest bidder win every impression.
What is the difference between an ad network and an ad mediation platform?
An ad network is a single source of demand – one pool of advertisers. An ad mediation platform aggregates 20+ networks and 150+ DSPs and runs a real-time auction across them for every ad slot. Mediation consistently outperforms direct network integration by 40–100% in eCPM.
Is AdMob still the best ad mediation platform?
AdMob has the largest network count and huge fill rates, but it’s owned by Google, which also runs one of the largest DSPs in the world. This creates structural conflicts. Independent alternatives like CAS.AI have demonstrated verified ARPU uplifts of ×1.5–×2 vs. AdMob in A/B tests, with faster payouts and real human support.
Which ad mediation platform supports Unity, Flutter, and React Native?
CAS.AI supports the broadest range of platforms: Android, iOS, Unity, Flutter, Unreal, React Native, Cordova, Construct, and Godot. AppLovin MAX supports most of these except Construct. AdMob covers Android, iOS, Unity, C++, and Flutter. Appodeal covers Android, iOS, Unity, React Native, and Flutter.
What is a no-loss guarantee in ad mediation?
A no-loss guarantee means the mediation platform commits to paying the revenue difference if your eCPM drops after migrating from your previous setup. Currently, CAS.AI is the only major platform in this comparison that offers this guarantee.
What is the AdMob mediation eCPM compared to other platforms?
AdMob does not publish benchmark eCPM figures. In independent developer comparisons, CAS.AI’s hybrid mediation typically achieves 1.5–2× higher effective eCPM than AdMob standalone, primarily because CAS.AI has no incentive to favor any single demand source in its auction.
How do I publish my game on Google Play?
You need a Google Play Developer account ($25 one-time fee), a signed APK or AAB, and a completed store listing. Integrate an ad mediation SDK before launch so your first users are monetized from day one.
Ready to increase your app’s ARPU? See how CAS.AI’s no-loss guarantee compares to your current mediation setup – free, with verified A/B results. Visit cas.ai
