Google AdMob vs Professor ARPDAU

Google AdMob helps mobile app developers monetize apps by matching ads according to publisher-set criteria and handling billing between advertisers and networks. Publishers can use mediation to work with multiple ad networks; participating sources bid on each impression in real time, and the highest-paying bid wins. Available formats include native, rewarded, banner, video and interstitial ads. AdMob integrates with Google Analytics for Firebase to provide insights into ad revenue and user engagement. Publishers can review individual ads and block them by advertiser URL, category, network or sensitive topic. Google provides Mobile Ads SDK integration guides for Android and iOS, while listed supported platforms also include Unity and Flutter. Signup requires a Google account and phone number, and monetization setup requires payment details. Before fully serving ads, a published app must be linked to a supported store and pass an app readiness review. Apps created after January 2025 that are not verified with app-ads.txt face limited ad serving. For USD accounts, the payment threshold is $100; identity and address verification are required to receive payment. Some features are in beta and not available to all publishers.

Professor ARPDAU is a web service for product managers and teams working on free-to-play mobile games. Its analytics tools model retention, lifetime value, campaign break-even timing, daily active users and revenue. The retention calculator fits a regression curve from D1, D3, D7 and optional D30 observations; at least two observations are needed, while a 0% observation is excluded. The LTV predictor multiplies ARPDAU by the retention-curve total. A break-even analyzer uses CPI, observed LTV and retention metrics to estimate when cohort revenue exceeds acquisition cost. Another predictor models DAU from daily installs and retention scenarios, then estimates daily revenue with ARPDAU. Its geographical pricing tool can update in-app prices by country, with user-controlled targeting and adjustments, using Google Play Console access and Google’s API. Free modeling tools need no account.