Unity Ads vs Vungle / Liftoff: eCPM, Fill and Payouts Compared
For a balanced global audience of 10,000 daily users in a typical casual game, our tables put Unity Ads about 15% ahead of Vungle / Liftoff. The gap moves with category and region, so the tables below show where each network leads.
Updated · Every figure on this page is an estimate from our benchmark tables, not a quote from any network.
At a glance
| Unity Ads | Vungle / Liftoff | |
|---|---|---|
| Formats in our model | Rewarded video, Interstitial, Banner | Rewarded video, Interstitial, Banner, Native |
| Modelled fill rate | 84% | 80% |
| Rewarded eCPM, Tier 1 | $13.00 | $12.00 |
| Interstitial eCPM, Tier 1 | $9.00 | $8.20 |
| Banner eCPM, Tier 3 | $0.09 | $0.08 |
| Payout threshold | Around $100 (account dependent) | Around $100 (account dependent) |
eCPM by format and tier
Android baseline eCPMs in US dollars per 1,000 impressions, before category and platform multipliers.
| Format | Unity Ads Tier 1 | Vungle / Liftoff Tier 1 | Unity Ads Tier 2 | Vungle / Liftoff Tier 2 | Unity Ads Tier 3 | Vungle / Liftoff Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rewarded video | $13.00 | $12.00 | $5.20 | $4.80 | $1.30 | $1.20 |
| Interstitial | $9.00 | $8.20 | $3.40 | $3.20 | $0.90 | $0.80 |
| Banner | $0.80 | $0.70 | $0.35 | $0.30 | $0.09 | $0.08 |
| Native | Not offered | $3.20 | Not offered | $1.40 | Not offered | $0.35 |
| App open | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
Banner shows the widest Tier 1 gap: Unity Ads at $0.80 against Vungle / Liftoff at $0.70. Native is only modelled for Vungle / Liftoff.
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.
| Category | Unity Ads | Vungle / Liftoff | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypercasual Game | $10,699 | $9,208 | Unity Ads | 16% |
| Casual Game | $10,100 | $8,755 | Unity Ads | 15% |
| Mid-core / Strategy | $11,966 | $10,510 | Unity Ads | 14% |
| Puzzle Game | $10,131 | $8,806 | Unity Ads | 15% |
| Utility App | $1,762 | $2,222 | Vungle / Liftoff | 26% |
| Social / Lifestyle | $2,218 | $4,350 | Vungle / Liftoff | 96% |
| Finance App | $2,006 | $3,048 | Vungle / Liftoff | 52% |
| Entertainment App | $5,017 | $5,501 | Vungle / Liftoff | 10% |
| Education App | $2,825 | $2,804 | Level | 1% |
Unity Ads leads in 5 of 9 categories and Vungle / Liftoff in 4. The widest gap is in Social / Lifestyle, where Vungle / Liftoff earns about 96% more. The closest race is Education App, 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.
| Unity Ads | Vungle / Liftoff | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerging-market lean | $6,204 | $5,375 | Unity Ads |
| Balanced global mix | $10,100 | $8,755 | Unity Ads |
| Tier 1 lean | $15,239 | $13,206 | Unity Ads |
Unity Ads stays ahead across all three audience splits, by 15% to 15%.
Unity Ads / Vungle / Liftoff
About Unity Ads
Unity Ads is a video-first network tied closely to the Unity engine, and in our tables it covers rewarded, interstitial and banner but not native or app open. Its Tier 1 Android estimates of about $13.00 for rewarded and $9.00 for interstitials sit among the stronger figures, helped by game studios buying installs from other games.
Strengths
- Rewarded and interstitial video are its core formats, and its central estimates for both are above AdMob's in our tables.
- If your game is built in Unity, the Ads package plugs into the editor and most of the work is configuration.
- Its advertisers are largely other game studios, so the creative usually suits a player audience.
Watch-outs
- There is no native or app open format, so those placements need a second network.
- Blended fill of about 84% trails AdMob and AppLovin MAX in our model, which leaves some requests empty without a backup source.
- Payment typically arrives 30 or more days after month end, so build that delay into your cash flow.
Best for: A Unity-built game whose earnings rest on rewarded videos offered at reward moments such as extra lives or doubled coins.
About Vungle / Liftoff
Vungle, now part of Liftoff, is a video-led network whose demand leans towards performance advertisers paying for app installs. Our tables put its Tier 1 Android rewarded estimate at about $12.00 and interstitial at about $8.20, close to AdMob, with fill of around 80%.
Strengths
- Full-screen video is its home ground, and its interstitial estimate edges above AdMob's in our tables.
- It is available as a bidder on the major mediation platforms, so it can add competition without becoming your main SDK.
- Liftoff's user-acquisition business brings advertisers who pay for installs, which suits games with engaged players.
Watch-outs
- Banner is a weak spot at roughly $0.70 in Tier 1, and there is no app open format.
- An 80% blended fill means it performs better as one bidder among several than as a standalone network.
- Payment timing is set contract by contract, so ask about it before you count on a particular date.
Best for: A game that already uses mediation and wants another video specialist bidding on its rewarded and interstitial slots.
Payout terms
| Unity Ads | Vungle / Liftoff | |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold | Around $100 (account dependent) | Around $100 (account dependent) |
| Cycle | Monthly, usually 30 or more days after month end | Monthly, net terms vary by contract |
| Methods | Bank transfer or PayPal; typical terms, confirm in your own account | Wire or ACH; typical terms, confirm in your own account |
Verdict
On our numbers the two are close enough that your category and audience decide it: Unity Ads leads in Hypercasual Game, Casual Game, Mid-core / Strategy, Vungle / Liftoff in Utility App, Social / Lifestyle, Finance App.
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.
Questions people ask
Does Unity Ads pay more than Vungle / Liftoff?
In our benchmark tables Unity Ads earns more in 5 of 9 app categories for a balanced audience, with an average lead of about 27%. Your own results depend on category, region and setup.
Can I run Unity Ads and Vungle / Liftoff together?
Usually yes. Most studios reach several networks through a mediation platform so they compete for each impression. Check each network’s current mediation support before you plan around it.
Which has better fill?
Our model uses a fill rate of 84% for Unity Ads and 80% for Vungle / Liftoff. Fill varies by country, format and floor settings, so treat these as typical blended figures.