Google AdMob vs ironSource / LevelPlay: eCPM, Fill and Payouts Compared

At a glance

eCPM by format and tier

Android baseline eCPMs in US dollars per 1,000 impressions, before category and platform multipliers.

Native shows the widest Tier 1 gap: Google AdMob at $3.50 against ironSource / LevelPlay at $3.00. App open is only modelled for Google AdMob.

Which wins for each kind of app

Each row runs 10,000 daily users with that category’s typical format mix and a balanced region split.

Google AdMob leads in 8 of 9 categories and ironSource / LevelPlay in 1. The widest gap is in Finance App, where Google AdMob earns about 45% more. The closest race is Mid-core / Strategy, where the two sit 1% apart.

How region changes the result

The same casual game at 10,000 daily users with three different audience splits.

Google AdMob stays ahead across all three audience splits, by 0% to 1%.

Google AdMob / ironSource / LevelPlay

About Google AdMob

Google AdMob is Google's own app network, and alongside AppLovin MAX it is one of only two options in our tables that offer all five mobile formats, app open and native included. Its central Tier 1 Android estimates of about $12.00 for rewarded and $8.00 for interstitials, with blended fill near 88%, make it a dependable baseline rather than the top bidder.

Strengths

• Demand comes from Google's very large advertiser base, which tends to keep fill steady in most countries.
• App open ads are available, estimated at about $5.50 in Tier 1, a format only AppLovin MAX also offers in our data.
• Built-in mediation lets you add other networks through adapters later, so starting here does not lock you in.
• Reporting connects with Firebase and Google Analytics, which makes it easier to set ad revenue against retention.

Watch-outs

• Google enforces its invalid traffic and placement policies firmly, and ad serving can be limited while it reviews unusual activity.
• The banner estimate of about $0.90 in Tier 1 is modest, so an app built around banners should not expect much from AdMob alone.
• Your first payment waits for a $100 balance and an address check by posted PIN, which can add weeks if the letter is slow.

Best for: A first-time developer who wants every format available from one account, with mediation ready for when the app grows.

About ironSource / LevelPlay

ironSource LevelPlay is Unity's mediation platform, pairing the ironSource network with access to other bidders and waterfall sources. Our estimates put it at about $12.50 for Tier 1 rewarded and $8.50 for interstitials on Android, with fill of around 86%.

Strengths

• Hypercasual and casual studios use it widely, so its tooling is shaped around high-volume rewarded and interstitial play.
• Mediation can mix bidding and waterfall instances, which helps when some networks you rely on do not bid.
• Native is supported alongside the video formats, estimated at about $3.00 in Tier 1.
• Since the merger with Unity it is the route Unity offers for mediating Unity Ads with other networks.

Watch-outs

• Our tables show no app open format, so that placement needs another source.
• Net payment terms differ between contracts, so read your own agreement rather than assuming a standard date.
• Product names and dashboards have changed during the Unity integration, so older tutorials may not match what you see.

Best for: A casual or hypercasual studio running several titles that wants mediation and a strong in-house network in one place.

Payout terms

Verdict

On our numbers Google AdMob is the stronger single choice for most categories, and particularly for Finance App, Utility App. ironSource / LevelPlay holds its own in Mid-core / Strategy. Many studios run both inside a mediation stack, which our model does not combine.

All figures come from our benchmark tables: Android eCPMs by tier, category or niche multipliers, modelled fill and the iOS multiplier. They are estimates for planning, not quotes.