Vungle / Liftoff vs Chartboost: eCPM, Fill and Payouts Compared
For a balanced global audience of 10,000 daily users in a typical casual game, our tables put Vungle / Liftoff about 15% ahead of Chartboost. 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
| Vungle / Liftoff | Chartboost | |
|---|---|---|
| Formats in our model | Rewarded video, Interstitial, Banner, Native | Rewarded video, Interstitial, Banner |
| Modelled fill rate | 80% | 78% |
| Rewarded eCPM, Tier 1 | $12.00 | $10.00 |
| Interstitial eCPM, Tier 1 | $8.20 | $7.20 |
| Banner eCPM, Tier 3 | $0.08 | $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 | Vungle / Liftoff Tier 1 | Chartboost Tier 1 | Vungle / Liftoff Tier 2 | Chartboost Tier 2 | Vungle / Liftoff Tier 3 | Chartboost Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rewarded video | $12.00 | $10.00 | $4.80 | $4.00 | $1.20 | $1.10 |
| Interstitial | $8.20 | $7.20 | $3.20 | $2.90 | $0.80 | $0.80 |
| Banner | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.30 | $0.30 | $0.08 | $0.08 |
| Native | $3.20 | Not offered | $1.40 | Not offered | $0.35 | Not offered |
| App open | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
Rewarded video shows the widest Tier 1 gap: Vungle / Liftoff at $12.00 against Chartboost at $10.00. 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 | Vungle / Liftoff | Chartboost | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypercasual Game | $9,208 | $8,231 | Vungle / Liftoff | 12% |
| Casual Game | $8,755 | $7,601 | Vungle / Liftoff | 15% |
| Mid-core / Strategy | $10,510 | $8,688 | Vungle / Liftoff | 21% |
| Puzzle Game | $8,806 | $7,587 | Vungle / Liftoff | 16% |
| Utility App | $2,222 | $1,379 | Vungle / Liftoff | 61% |
| Social / Lifestyle | $4,350 | $1,768 | Vungle / Liftoff | 146% |
| Finance App | $3,048 | $1,579 | Vungle / Liftoff | 93% |
| Entertainment App | $5,501 | $3,815 | Vungle / Liftoff | 44% |
| Education App | $2,804 | $2,113 | Vungle / Liftoff | 33% |
Vungle / Liftoff leads in 9 of 9 categories and Chartboost in 0. The widest gap is in Social / Lifestyle, where Vungle / Liftoff earns about 146% more. The closest race is Hypercasual Game, where the two sit 12% apart.
How region changes the result
The same casual game at 10,000 daily users with three different audience splits.
| Vungle / Liftoff | Chartboost | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerging-market lean | $5,375 | $4,730 | Vungle / Liftoff |
| Balanced global mix | $8,755 | $7,601 | Vungle / Liftoff |
| Tier 1 lean | $13,206 | $11,383 | Vungle / Liftoff |
Vungle / Liftoff stays ahead across all three audience splits, by 14% to 16%.
Vungle / Liftoff / Chartboost
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.
About Chartboost
Chartboost is a game-focused network that grew up on interstitials and rewarded video, and it also runs its own mediation product. In our tables it covers rewarded, interstitial and banner, at about $10.00, $7.20 and $0.70 respectively in Tier 1 on Android.
Strengths
- Its demand comes largely from game advertisers, which suits players who are open to trying other games.
- It has a history of supporting cross-promotion and direct deals between studios, useful if you publish several titles.
- It is a common bidder in mediation stacks, adding competition for full-screen slots.
Watch-outs
- Without native or app open formats it cannot cover every placement on its own.
- Fill of around 78% in our model sits at the low end, so a backup source matters.
- Its central estimates are below the leaders in every format, so its value tends to lie in competition rather than headline price.
Best for: A mobile game with full-screen breaks that wants an extra game-specialist bidder in its mediation line-up.
Payout terms
| Vungle / Liftoff | Chartboost | |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold | Around $100 (account dependent) | Around $100 (account dependent) |
| Cycle | Monthly, net terms vary by contract | Monthly, net terms vary by contract |
| Methods | Wire or ACH; typical terms, confirm in your own account | Wire or PayPal; typical terms, confirm in your own account |
Verdict
On our numbers Vungle / Liftoff is the stronger single choice for most categories, and particularly for Social / Lifestyle, Finance App. Chartboost holds its own in Casual Game. 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.
Questions people ask
Does Vungle / Liftoff pay more than Chartboost?
In our benchmark tables Vungle / Liftoff earns more in 9 of 9 app categories for a balanced audience, with an average lead of about 49%. Your own results depend on category, region and setup.
Can I run Vungle / Liftoff and Chartboost 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 80% for Vungle / Liftoff and 78% for Chartboost. Fill varies by country, format and floor settings, so treat these as typical blended figures.