Google Ad Manager App Mediation

Overview

Google Ad Manager App Mediation routes mobile ad requests through eligible third-party networks, ranked by expected yield. It is strongest for app publishers already building around Ad Manager’s demand and integration requirements. Its appeal is competition with other Ad Manager demand; its key operational risk is that a failed mediation chain stays unfilled.

Key features

Publishers use yield groups to choose which networks can serve particular inventory. Ad Manager orders eligible networks by estimated CPM and real-time Ad Exchange CPM, excluding networks expected to yield less than Ad Exchange. Automatic data collection can estimate a network’s CPM from historical CPM data adjusted for impression discrepancies, easing the need to supply estimates manually.

The chain’s expected yield competes through Dynamic Allocation with Ad Manager line items and real-time bids from Authorized Buyers and Exchange Bidders. That makes mediation a useful fit when third-party demand should compete alongside an existing Ad Manager setup, rather than operate as a separate auction.

Requests pass through Google Mobile Ads SDK, which calls network adapters sequentially until one returns an ad. The serving chain can include up to 50 networks, but sequential callouts mean longer chains risk added latency. If no network fills the request, it remains unfilled; Ad Manager does not automatically send it back to the ad server.

Ad inspector can check fill, show errors, display mediation details for a request, and test an individual yield partner on a device. Participating networks can serve rewarded and rewarded interstitial formats when those formats are selected in a yield group. The SDK can pass a child-directed age treatment signal to third-party networks, though developers remain responsible for those networks’ ad treatment. Third-party mediation impressions are not eligible for Active View measurement.

A network absent from the available partners can be added as Other company, but that route requires custom events in the app and yield groups. Google also advises publishers to consider applicable privacy laws, including CPRA, GDPR, and LGPD, when configuring partners.

Pricing

Google Ad Manager App Mediation: free. The free plan includes mediation and up to 50 networks in a serving chain. No paid plan is described. Free does not remove the integration prerequisites: publishers need an Ad Exchange for mobile apps account linked and set as the default for dynamic allocation.

The free price suits publishers who can meet those requirements and want mediation within Ad Manager. It is less compelling for teams that need a standalone mediation layer or a fallback when the chain cannot fill a request.

Platforms

The mediation setup guides cover Android and iOS apps, which must install Google Mobile Ads SDK and implement adapters for each selected third-party network. The product is also identified as supporting web, but the mediation setup workflow and developer guides are for Android and iOS.

Who it's for

Ad Manager describes its platform as a way to manage an advertising business and grow revenue, with app solutions for developers. App Mediation fits publishers already using that ecosystem and able to link an Ad Exchange for mobile apps account; users also need an AdSense account to work with Google Ad Manager. The sequential workflow and unfilled-request behavior deserve particular attention from teams weighing latency and fill continuity.

Pros and cons

Pros

Yield groups and CPM-based ordering put eligible network demand into competition with Ad Manager line items and real-time bids through Dynamic Allocation.

Automatic CPM estimates can use historical data adjusted for impression discrepancies.

Ad inspector offers request-level mediation detail and device testing for individual partners.

The free plan includes up to 50 networks in a serving chain.

Cons

Setup depends on Google Mobile Ads SDK, network adapters, and a linked Ad Exchange for mobile apps account set as default for dynamic allocation.

Sequential calls can add latency as chains grow, and no-fill requests are not returned automatically to the ad server.

Third-party mediation impressions do not qualify for Active View measurement.

Adding an unlisted partner as Other company requires custom events in the app and yield groups.

Alternatives

For broader game-monetization options, browse the Game Monetization Software list.

Apphud is a freemium option with Android, iOS, API, and web support; its Pro plan is $49 a month and includes $5,000 MTR, with no charge until $1,000 MTR.

PlayFab is a freemium alternative spanning Android, iOS, API, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows; its Free to Start plan is free before a title passes 100K players, with 10 titles in Development Mode and 1,000 lifetime players per title.

RevenueCat is a freemium option for Android, iOS, API, macOS, and web. Its Pro plan is free up to $2,500 in monthly tracked revenue, then charges 1% of tracked revenue once that threshold is reached.

Adapty is a freemium option for Android, iOS, API, and web; Pro is free while monthly revenue is under $5K and costs 1% of monthly revenue above that.

DT FairBid is free for Android, iOS, API, and web; publishers collect payments directly from mediated networks.

Tebex is a freemium option for API, extension, and web, with a Starter plan at free and platform fees of 5% for most games or 15% for FiveM.

AppLovin MAX is free for publishers on Android and iOS; bidding networks pay AppLovin a fee on generated ad revenue.

CAS.AI Mediation is free to set up on Android, iOS, and API, takes a cut from earnings, and offers no-loss A/B testing for apps with 5,000+ daily active users.

Verdict

Choose Google Ad Manager App Mediation if you already use Ad Manager and want third-party network yield to compete with its other demand at no plan cost. Look elsewhere if your integration cannot depend on Google’s SDK and Ad Exchange requirements, or if an unfilled mediation chain needs to fall back automatically to the ad server.