AppLovin MAX vs Nimbus Mediation
AppLovin MAX
applovin.comNimbus Mediation
nimbus.coSide by side
| Figure | AppLovin MAX | Nimbus Mediation |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Monetization Software | 8.0 (#10) | 7.4 (#16) |
| Auction | MAX runs a real-time auction in which ad networks compete and the highest bid wins. | Nimbus describes its auction as zero-bias, with the highest bid winning. |
| Purpose | MAX provides monetization tools that help mobile games earn revenue from ad impressions. | Nimbus powers in-app monetization with programmatic auctions, direct deal support, and reporting. |
| Reporting | Publishers can access user-level and impression-level data through built-in reporting tools or an API. | Performance Insights includes advertiser-level insights, average winning bids, exchange benchmarks, and comparisons of direct and open-marketplace performance. |
| Support | The getting-started guide directs publishers to their account team or an AppLovin Support ticket when its testing tools do not resolve integration issues. | Nimbus says its team supports publishers from integration through optimization, including performance analysis, floor strategies, demand tuning, and bad-ad investigations. |
Plans
In their own words
AppLovin MAX
AppLovin MAX helps mobile games earn revenue from ad impressions by running a real-time auction among ad networks; the highest bid wins. Supported formats include rewarded video, app open, interstitial, MREC, banner, and native ads. Publishers can review user-level and impression-level data in built-in reports or through an API, and use A/B testing to compare networks, price points, and regional setups. Ad Review offers control over which ads users see and flags problematic or competitor ads. The SDK is described as lightweight, with tools for SDK validation and pre-launch ad testing through Mediation Debugger. The product supports Android and iOS apps and lists integrations for Unity, React Native, Flutter, Cordova, Adobe AIR, Unreal, Godot, and Defold. MAX is free for publishers; bidding networks pay AppLovin a fee on generated ad revenue. A mediated network requires its own account, app and ad unit registration, and approval to serve ads. Custom networks cannot use in-app bidding or Auto-CPM. Publishers must obtain consent where applicable and pass consent flags to AppLovin.
Nimbus Mediation
Nimbus Mediation helps mobile app publishers monetize in-app inventory through programmatic auctions, direct deals and reporting. It connects publishers to more than 60 demand sources across iOS and Android apps. Nimbus describes its unified auction as zero-bias, with the highest bid winning, and supports floor controls by geography, ad type and size, including dynamic floors that respond to market conditions. The Deal Activation System runs publisher-sourced campaigns beside open-market demand without extra setup or integration. Performance Insights includes advertiser-level views, average winning bids, exchange benchmarks and direct-versus-open-market comparisons. Prebid Server demand competes server-to-server without a new SDK, while Google Partner Bidding can be activated after an SDK update. Listed demand partnerships include Amazon Publisher Services TAM, Meta Audience Network and Google AdMob Partner Bidding. Nimbus says support covers integration, optimization, floor strategies, demand tuning and bad-ad investigation. It reports encryption in transit and at rest, AICPA SOC-1 Type II certification, and GDPR, CCPA and IAB TCF readiness.