# AdMob vs AppLovin MAX for Indie App Developers (2026) > AdMob vs AppLovin MAX for solo app developers: mediation, payouts, SDKs, consent and formats compared from official docs, plus our pick for each app type. - Canonical: https://zeroraised.com/blog/admob-vs-applovin-max-for-indie-app-developers - Published: 2026-11-15T11:30:00Z - Author: ZeroRaised Team (https://zeroraised.com/blog/authors/zeroraised) - Publisher: ZeroRaised (https://zeroraised.com/) - Section: Revenue - Tags: mobile-apps, monetization, advertising, comparison **Verdict:** For a utility, tool or content app made by one person, start with AdMob: one Google account, simple setup, and 45 mediated ad sources if you outgrow Google demand. For a casual or hyper-casual game where rewarded and interstitial ads carry the revenue, start with AppLovin MAX, which AppLovin says is free for publishers. Either way, eCPMs vary by app, country and format, so test before you commit. Every payout term, quote and limit below comes from Google's, AppLovin's, Unity's or Apple's own pages, checked on 15 Nov 2026. The advice in between is ours and is marked as such. ## TL;DR - **Both are mediation platforms:** one SDK, many ad networks competing for each impression. - **MAX costs nothing to use.** AppLovin says "Max mediation is free for publishers" ([AppLovin](https://www.applovin.com/monetization)). - **Same $100 threshold, different dates.** AdMob pays on or around the 21st ([AdMob payment timeline](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772140)); AppLovin pays on or around the 15th of the following month for its own demand ([AppLovin payment FAQ](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/faq/faq-applovin-monetization-payment)). - **They are not either/or.** Google demand can bid inside MAX through partner bidding, and AppLovin is a bidding source inside AdMob mediation. - **No eCPM table here.** Neither vendor publishes a first-party eCPM report we could cite, and third-party numbers are often modelled. Run your own test. **Disclosure:** ZeroRaised publishes this comparison and is a launch site for bootstrapped products. ZeroRaised has no commercial relationship with Google, AppLovin or Unity and earns nothing if you sign up for any of them. Facts come from the linked sources as checked on 15 Nov 2026. ## Where this fits Still deciding whether ads are the right model? Read [how to monetize a mobile app](https://zeroraised.com/blog/how-to-monetize-a-mobile-app) first. This post assumes you will show ads and need to pick the plumbing. ## What mediation actually does Without mediation, your app asks one network for an ad. With mediation, a single layer asks several networks and picks the best offer. Networks compete by **bidding** (a real-time auction per request) or in a **waterfall** (called one by one in an order based on the eCPM you set). AdMob lets you combine both: "When you use both bidding and waterfall ad sources in a single mediation group, this is a hybrid setup" ([AdMob Help](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/13411971?hl=en)). MAX also supports both; its getting-started guide tells you to "Configure a waterfall for each ad unit" after integrating your networks ([AppLovin getting started](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/getting-started)). Our read: for a solo developer, bidding is the main reason to use mediation. It does the price discovery for you; hand-tuning waterfall floors per country is a job for a monetization team. ## AdMob vs AppLovin MAX at a glance | | Google AdMob | AppLovin MAX | |---|---|---| | Cost to publisher | Not stated on the pages we checked | "Max mediation is free for publishers" | | Mediated sources | 45 ad sources listed for Android, plus custom events | Bidding and traditionally mediated networks; full list per platform in AppLovin docs | | Payment threshold | $100 (or £60, €70, ¥8000 and other local amounts) | $100 for AppLovin network earnings | | Payment timing | On or around the 21st of the month | On or around the 15th of the following month (net 15) | | Who pays you | Google for Google demand; third-party networks separately | AppLovin only for Ads Manager and ALX; each linked network pays you directly | | Official SDKs | Android, iOS, Unity, C++, Flutter | Android, Fire OS, iOS, plus Unity, Flutter, React Native plugins | | Formats | Banner, interstitial, native, rewarded, rewarded interstitial, app open | Banner, MREC, interstitial, rewarded, app open, native | | Consent tooling | Google UMP SDK (GDPR and US state messages) | Collect consent where required and pass it to AppLovin | | Our read: best fit | Any app, Google demand first | Games (its monetization page speaks to game publishers) | Sources: [AdMob mediation networks](https://developers.google.com/admob/android/choose-networks), [AdMob payment threshold](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772208), [AdMob payment timeline](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772140), [AppLovin monetization](https://www.applovin.com/monetization), [AppLovin payment FAQ](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/faq/faq-applovin-monetization-payment), [Google Mobile Ads Flutter](https://developers.google.com/admob/flutter/quick-start), [AppLovin getting started](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/getting-started). ## Google AdMob in detail ### Mediation and bidding Google's network list for Android mediation shows 45 ad sources ([Google for Developers](https://developers.google.com/admob/android/choose-networks)). Twenty need their own third-party SDK adapter, including AppLovin, Unity Ads, Meta Audience Network, ironSource Ads, Liftoff Monetize, Mintegral, Pangle and Moloco. Another 25 are listed separately as bidding ad sources, outside the SDK-adapter group, such as Index Exchange, Magnite DV+, OpenX and PubMatic. Networks not on the list can be added through custom events, but Google notes that custom events do not support optimization or bidding. Our read: that second group is the hidden advantage for a solo developer, since it adds competition per impression without a stack of extra adapters to maintain. ### Getting paid AdMob's payment threshold is $100 USD, with local equivalents such as €70, £60 and ¥8000, and Google says "we don't ever issue payments for less than this threshold" ([AdMob Help](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772208)). Once you are over it, "you'll be issued a payment on or around the 21st of the month." Google's example: June earnings are finalized by July 3rd and paid around July 21st. EFT payments arrive "up to seven business days after it was issued", and for wire transfers Google says "Allow ten days for the transfer to complete" ([AdMob payment timeline](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772140)). Illustrative example (ours): if your app earns $40 a month, you cross $100 during month three, and that balance is paid around the 21st of month four. Budget for that gap. ### Invalid traffic This is how solo developers lose AdMob accounts. Google lists "Clicks or impressions generated by publishers clicking on their own live ads" as invalid traffic, and warns: "If we observe high levels of invalid traffic on your account, we may suspend or disable the account to protect our advertisers and users" ([AdMob invalid traffic](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/3342054)). It also says invalid traffic can cause a gap between estimated and finalized earnings. Our read: always use test ads or registered test devices while developing, never ask friends to tap your ads, and do not place banners where a thumb lands by accident. ### app-ads.txt app-ads.txt is a file on your developer website that lists who is allowed to sell your inventory. Google describes it as "how the app-ads.txt standard establishes who owns an app." For AdMob to find it, your app must be listed in a store with a developer website on the listing, the file must follow the IAB Tech Lab format, and "It can take up to 24 hours for AdMob to crawl and verify your app-ads.txt files" ([AdMob Help](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/9363762)). ### Consent: UMP, GDPR and US states Google's User Messaging Platform is "a privacy and messaging tool to help you manage privacy choices" ([UMP SDK](https://developers.google.com/admob/ump/android/quick-start)). For Europe, Google says that "As of 16 January 2024, a certified CMP integrated with the TCF is required" when serving personalized ads to users in the EEA and UK, and the same applies in Switzerland from 31 July 2024. Traffic without a certified CMP may still get non-personalized or limited ads where supported ([Google consent requirements](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/13554116?hl=en)). For US state privacy laws, AdMob has a US state regulations message, and Google says to "Ensure you've added the Google User Messaging Platform SDK to your app to enable it to gather consent" ([AdMob Help](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/10860309)). ## AppLovin MAX in detail ### Pricing AppLovin answers the cost question directly: "Yes. Max mediation is free for publishers. Bidding networks pay AppLovin a fee on generated ad revenue." It also claims "Most publishers can integrate Max in less than a day" ([AppLovin](https://www.applovin.com/monetization)). That page does not state the fee bidders pay, so we do not quote one. ### Getting paid "AppLovin has a $100 minimum threshold for earnings generated through the AppLovin network before AppLovin issues payments." AppLovin pays on or around the 15th of the following month, so January earnings arrive by February 15th. Methods listed are direct deposit/ACH, wire, check and PayPal, with fees or minimums on some options ([AppLovin payment FAQ](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/faq/faq-applovin-monetization-payment)). The important detail: "AppLovin pays you directly only for revenue generated from AppLovin's Ads Manager and AppLovin Exchange (ALX)." For everything else, "The networks that you link to your MAX account pay you directly for the impressions filled through those networks." The same FAQ says AppLovin impressions served through Google Open Bidding are paid by Google. Our read: that means one payout account, tax form and threshold per network. If you switch on eight networks, small ones may sit under their own thresholds for months. Start with a handful. ### Setup AppLovin's guide says "AppLovin strongly recommends that you use a single ad unit ID for each format in an app", and tells you to add AppLovin to your app-ads.txt "to attract more bidders from the AppLovin Exchange" ([AppLovin getting started](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/getting-started)). Network adapters are chosen on the platform's "Preparing mediated networks" page ([AppLovin Unity docs](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/unity/preparing-mediated-networks)). On consent, AppLovin's Flutter guide says you must collect user consent where required and pass consent values to AppLovin, and update Info.plist with SKAdNetwork identifiers for iOS ([AppLovin Flutter](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/flutter/overview/integration)). ## Using both: partner bidding You do not have to choose between Google demand and MAX. Google's partner bidding lets Google demand bid inside a third-party mediation platform, and its list of supported platforms includes AppLovin MAX and Unity LevelPlay, along with AdMost, Chartboost Mediation, DT Fairbid, Gravite, Nimbus, TopOn and TradPlus VisiM ([AdMob Help](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/12374909?hl=en)). In the other direction, AppLovin is a bidding source inside AdMob mediation ([Google for Developers](https://developers.google.com/admob/android/choose-networks)). Our read: the real question is which platform runs the auction. Pick the dashboard and SDK you would rather live in, then plug the other in as a bidder. ## Unity LevelPlay as a third option If you build in Unity, LevelPlay is the obvious third candidate. Unity's docs describe it simply: "Mediate your monetization sources with Unity LevelPlay", with SDKs for Unity, Android, iOS, Adobe AIR, Flutter and React Native ([Unity docs](https://docs.unity.com/grow/en-us/levelplay)). Unity's page makes no pricing statement, so we cannot compare its cost to MAX. Game developers choosing an engine first should read [Godot vs Unity for indie developers](https://zeroraised.com/blog/godot-vs-unity-for-indie-developers). ## Integration effort for a solo developer | Your stack | AdMob | AppLovin MAX | |---|---|---| | Native Android / iOS | Official SDKs | Official SDKs (Android, Fire OS, iOS) | | Flutter | Google Mobile Ads Flutter plugin (Android and iOS only, no web or desktop) | `flutter pub add applovin_max` | | React Native | Not listed on Google's AdMob developer page | `npm install react-native-applovin-max` (v9 supports the new architecture) | | Unity | Google Mobile Ads Unity plugin, Unity 2019.4 or higher | AppLovin MAX Unity plugin | Sources: [Google AdMob developers](https://developers.google.com/admob), [Google Mobile Ads Flutter](https://developers.google.com/admob/flutter/quick-start), [Google Mobile Ads Unity](https://developers.google.com/admob/unity/quick-start), [AppLovin Flutter](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/flutter/overview/integration), [AppLovin React Native](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/react-native/overview/integration). Our read: React Native developers get the clearest win from MAX. Flutter and Unity developers can go either way. ## Privacy on iOS: ATT Whichever you choose, Apple's rule applies: "In iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5 or later, you need to receive the user's permission through the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework in order to track them or access their device's advertising identifier" ([Apple](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/)). Apple also says a hashed email or phone number is no substitute for that permission. Our read: plan the ATT prompt and GDPR message together so first launch is not two confusing dialogs in a row. ## What about eCPMs? We found no first-party eCPM data from Google or AppLovin to cite, and third-party tables are often modelled. Our read: eCPMs depend on your countries, formats and category, so the only honest number comes from your own A/B test. ## Hybrid with subscriptions Our read: many indie apps do best showing ads only to free users and selling an ad-free tier, with rewarded ads (the user chooses to watch) as the bridge, since they sit naturally next to a "remove ads" purchase. To price that tier, see [subscription vs one-time purchase for indie apps](https://zeroraised.com/blog/subscription-vs-one-time-purchase-for-indie-apps). ## Decision table This is our editorial advice, based on the facts above. | Your app | Our pick | Why | |---|---|---| | Utility or tool app (calculator, scanner, tracker) | AdMob | Banners and app open ads, Google demand, simplest single account | | Content or reading app | AdMob | Native ads that match your design; 25 extra bidding sources add competition | | Casual or hyper-casual game | AppLovin MAX | Built around games, rewarded and interstitial formats, free mediation | | Unity game | MAX or LevelPlay, with Google via partner bidding | Both mediate in Unity; Google demand can bid in either | | React Native app | AppLovin MAX | Official npm package | | Tiny app, under $100 a month in ad revenue | AdMob only, no extra networks | Fewer payout accounts sitting under thresholds | | App with real volume across many countries | Test MAX against AdMob | The difference only shows up on your own traffic | ### When to switch Our read: switch platforms only when you have enough traffic for a clean test, ideally a few weeks with a split of new users, and when the alternative wins on revenue per active user per day, not on eCPM alone. A higher eCPM with lower fill can still earn less. ## Setup checklist 1. Pick formats and placements first (rewarded and interstitial for games; banner, native or app open for apps). 2. Add a developer website to your store listing. 3. Create the account, add the app, create one ad unit per format. 4. Integrate the SDK and use test ads only during development. 5. Add consent: a certified CMP such as UMP for EEA, UK and Switzerland, a US state message, and ATT on iOS. 6. Publish app-ads.txt listing every network, including AppLovin if you use MAX. 7. Add two or three extra networks, preferring bidders. 8. Set up payment details for each network that pays you directly. 9. Ship, then watch revenue per active user and fill rate for a few weeks. 10. Test the other platform once you have the volume. For the rest of the release work, use our [product launch checklist for bootstrapped makers](https://zeroraised.com/blog/product-launch-checklist-for-bootstrapped-makers), and for getting your first users without a budget see [how to market a mobile app with no budget](https://zeroraised.com/blog/how-to-market-a-mobile-app-with-no-budget). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is AppLovin MAX free to use? AppLovin's monetization page says: "Yes. Max mediation is free for publishers. Bidding networks pay AppLovin a fee on generated ad revenue." So you do not pay a fee to use MAX; the bidding networks that win your impressions pay AppLovin. ### What is the payment threshold for AdMob and AppLovin? Both use $100. AdMob's threshold is $100 USD (or local equivalents such as £60 or €70) and payments go out on or around the 21st of the month. AppLovin has a $100 minimum for earnings from the AppLovin network and pays on or around the 15th of the following month. ### Can I use Google AdMob demand inside AppLovin MAX? Yes. Google's partner bidding lets Google demand bid inside supported third-party mediation platforms, and AdMob's list includes AppLovin MAX and Unity LevelPlay. AppLovin's payment FAQ notes that linked networks pay you directly, so Google pays you for Google-filled impressions. ### Do I need a consent banner for AdMob or MAX? For personalised ads in the EEA and UK, Google has required a certified CMP integrated with the TCF since 16 January 2024, and in Switzerland since 31 July 2024. Google's UMP SDK is one way to do this. On iOS, Apple requires ATT permission before you track users or read the advertising identifier. AppLovin's docs also say to collect consent where required and pass it to AppLovin. ### Which is better for a Flutter or React Native app? Both work with Flutter: Google publishes a Google Mobile Ads Flutter plugin and AppLovin publishes applovin_max. For React Native, AppLovin publishes react-native-applovin-max, while Google's AdMob developer page lists Android, iOS, Unity, C++ and Flutter but not React Native. If you are on React Native and want an official SDK, MAX is the easier path. ## Launch the app you are monetizing ZeroRaised is a launch directory for products built without institutional VC. Once your ads and consent flow are live, [submit your app](https://zeroraised.com/submit) for free and get it in front of other makers. For more guides on earning without investors, [join the ZeroRaised newsletter](https://zeroraised.com/newsletter). ## Sources All last checked 15 Nov 2026. - [AdMob Help: payment thresholds](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772208) - [AdMob Help: payment timelines](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772140) - [AdMob Help: what is AdMob Mediation](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/13411971?hl=en) - [Google for Developers: AdMob mediation ad sources (Android)](https://developers.google.com/admob/android/choose-networks) - [AdMob Help: mediation platforms that support partner bidding](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/12374909?hl=en) - [AdMob Help: invalid traffic](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/3342054) - [AdMob Help: app-ads.txt](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/9363762) - [Google consent management requirements for EEA, UK and Switzerland](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/13554116?hl=en) - [AdMob Help: US state regulations messages](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/10860309) - [Google UMP SDK quick start (Android)](https://developers.google.com/admob/ump/android/quick-start) - [Google AdMob developer platforms](https://developers.google.com/admob) - [Google Mobile Ads Flutter plugin](https://developers.google.com/admob/flutter/quick-start) - [Google Mobile Ads Unity plugin](https://developers.google.com/admob/unity/quick-start) - [AppLovin monetization (MAX)](https://www.applovin.com/monetization) - [AppLovin monetization payment FAQ](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/faq/faq-applovin-monetization-payment) - [AppLovin MAX getting started](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/getting-started) - [AppLovin MAX preparing mediated networks (Unity)](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/unity/preparing-mediated-networks) - [AppLovin MAX Flutter integration](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/flutter/overview/integration) - [AppLovin MAX React Native integration](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/react-native/overview/integration) - [AppLovin MAX app open ads (Android)](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/android/ad-formats/app-open-ads) - [AppLovin MAX native ads (Android)](https://support.applovin.com/en/max/android/ad-formats/native-ads) - [Unity LevelPlay docs](https://docs.unity.com/grow/en-us/levelplay) - [Apple: user privacy and data use](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/) ## Frequently asked questions ### Is AppLovin MAX free to use? AppLovin's monetization page says: "Yes. Max mediation is free for publishers. Bidding networks pay AppLovin a fee on generated ad revenue." So you do not pay a fee to use MAX; the bidding networks that win your impressions pay AppLovin. ### What is the payment threshold for AdMob and AppLovin? Both use $100. AdMob's threshold is $100 USD (or local equivalents such as £60 or €70) and payments go out on or around the 21st of the month. AppLovin has a $100 minimum for earnings from the AppLovin network and pays on or around the 15th of the following month. ### Can I use Google AdMob demand inside AppLovin MAX? Yes. Google's partner bidding lets Google demand bid inside supported third-party mediation platforms, and AdMob's list includes AppLovin MAX and Unity LevelPlay. AppLovin's payment FAQ notes that linked networks pay you directly, so Google pays you for Google-filled impressions. ### Do I need a consent banner for AdMob or MAX? For personalised ads in the EEA and UK, Google has required a certified CMP integrated with the TCF since 16 January 2024, and in Switzerland since 31 July 2024. Google's UMP SDK is one way to do this. On iOS, Apple requires ATT permission before you track users or read the advertising identifier. AppLovin's docs also say to collect consent where required and pass it to AppLovin. ### Which is better for a Flutter or React Native app? Both work with Flutter: Google publishes a Google Mobile Ads Flutter plugin and AppLovin publishes applovin_max. For React Native, AppLovin publishes react-native-applovin-max, while Google's AdMob developer page lists Android, iOS, Unity, C++ and Flutter but not React Native. If you are on React Native and want an official SDK, MAX is the easier path.