Video ad networks are essential for mobile app publishers aiming to maximize revenue through mobile video ads. They not only boost earnings but also play a key role in lead generation and strengthening relationships with your audience.
By leveraging video ad networks, publishers can tap into advanced advertising strategies that engage users effectively. These ad networks provide the tools needed to drive both revenue growth and long-term user engagement.
Top Video Ad Networks
By partnering with top video ad networks, app marketers can tap into expert strategies that provide a competitive edge. These networks offer specialized knowledge, enabling your app to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
This guide will walk you through the essentials of mobile video advertising, providing insights into how it works and why it’s crucial for app developers. After understanding the basics, you’ll be introduced to a carefully curated list of the best video ad networks.
Choosing the right video ad network gives you access to cutting-edge techniques, innovative ad formats, and advanced analytics. With the right partner, you can stay at the forefront of mobile video advertising and boost app growth.
What are video ads?
Mobile video advertising is a term used to describe any mobile-based video that features an advertisement. It differs from traditional ads by showing up pre-roll (before a video plays), mid-roll (during the video) or post-roll (after the video). Mobile video ads can also appear in non-traditional formats like blog posts or websites.
Think of the times you’ve watched YouTube and the ads that come up as part of the experience. Since there’s no intermission–like with traditional TV broadcasts–viewers must accept having to watch video ads at varying intervals. Unless, of course, they pay for premium features where they can remove ads. YouTube is now a key driver of video ads and boasts 2.5bn annual users.
According to the IAB Revenue Report 2021, digital advertising has hit a total spend of $189 billion. And out of this total, in the last two years, digital video saw the greatest growth. So, as a growing trend, this form of marketing now makes up over 20% of digital ad spending.
Featured Video Ad Networks
The best video ad networks
Video ad networks are platforms that connect advertisers with publishers to distribute video ads across a wide range of websites, mobile apps, and digital channels.
Instead of negotiating placements one by one, advertisers can use these networks to access large pools of inventory, while publishers can monetise their video content more efficiently.
They typically support various ad formats such as in-stream ads (pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll), out-stream ads (within articles or feeds), and interactive video units.
We’ve listed the best video ad networks below.
1. Remerge
Remerge is a mobile ad company specialising in programmatic app retargeting. Unlike user acquisition platforms, which bring in new users, Remerge helps app developers and brands re-engage existing users who may have stopped using their app or who need an extra push to convert.
This makes Remerge especially valuable for industries such as mobile gaming, eCommerce, and on-demand services, where retention is just as necessary as growth. In short, it’s not about acquiring users, but about ensuring the users you already have stay engaged and active.
Overview
Remerge was founded in 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The company was established to address the growing need for mobile app retargeting solutions, a time when the industry was still primarily focused on user acquisition.
The company was co-founded by Pan Katsukis, Benjamin Beivers, and Martin Karlsch. Each founder brought experience from the mobile ad and tech space, which helped shape Remerge’s data-driven, performance-oriented approach.
Services
Remerge provides its customers with the following services:
- In-app video ad placements that allow advertisers to reach users across an extensive network of mobile apps
- Optimised bidding and delivery systems that ensure video ads are shown to the right audience at the right cost
- Privacy-first and measurement-driven retargeting, using advanced tools to track and improve the performance of video campaigns
2. Hitapps
Hitapps is a mobile ad company specialising in performance marketing and real-time bidding. The company’s strength lies in combining advertising expertise with in-app monetisation strategies.
The network partners with more than 50 top global brands and leverages programmatic bidding tools to optimise campaigns, often achieving measurable boosts in return on investment (known as ROI) and user lifetime value (known as LTV).
Overview
Hitapps was founded in 2017 as a digital ad company with a focus on performance marketing and real-time bidding solutions.
In 2019, Valery Kurylau took the lead as founder and CEO, with Alex Dymovich later joining as a co-founder and investor. By 2020, Hitapps launched its gaming division, Hitapps Games, and quickly gained traction in the casual and puzzle genres, achieving over 100 million downloads across its titles.
Services
Hitapps provides its customers with the following services:
- Integration of static, video, and interactive ads to balance user experience with monetisation
- Campaign management, targeting, fraud prevention, RTB, analytics
- A/B testing and analytics to optimise frequency, timing, and format of video ads for higher ROI
3. ASTRAD
ASTRAD is a cloud-based demand-side platform designed to help advertisers run multi-channel programmatic campaigns with scale and precision. It offers solutions for brand awareness, user acquisition, retargeting, and even location-based campaigns, all managed within a single platform.
Advertisers can target audiences with demographic, geographic, and behavioural filters, while delivering ads across a wide range of formats.
Overview
ASTRAD was founded by Daniel (Dan) Macia, who serves as both the founder and CEO of the company.
The DSP has evolved into a global programmatic platform, built on high-throughput infrastructure, that offers advanced targeting, creative tools, fraud protection, and real-time analytics.
Services
ASTRAD provides its customers with the following services:
- Advanced analytics and transparent reporting with hundreds of performance metrics
- Creative Studio for building and optimising video creatives at scale
- Real-time fraud detection and brand safety tools
4. Jampp
Jampp was built for performance marketing, helping app businesses acquire new users and re-engage existing ones through programmatic advertising.
The platform provides a suite of creative and measurement tools to maximise campaign impact. Through automated creative testing, dynamic ad optimisation, and catalogue-based ad variations, Jampp enables the easy personalisation and scaling of creatives.
Jampp also places a strong focus on user engagement through programmatic video and display ads that reach audiences across mobile apps and digital environments. Its advanced targeting capabilities leverage real-time data signals, ensuring ads are delivered to users most likely to convert.
Overview
Jampp was founded in 2011 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, by Diego Meller, Martin Anazco, and Gabriel Oyarzabal.
Their vision was to develop a programmatic ad solution specifically designed for mobile, leveraging data and automation to acquire high-value users at scale.
From its beginnings in Latin America, Jampp expanded globally and established itself as a recognised player in the mobile ad tech ecosystem.
Services
Jampp provides its customers with the following services:
- App retargeting campaigns to re-engage and retain existing users
- Programmatic user acquisition to attract high-value new app users
- Creative and analytics solutions, including dynamic video ad optimisation and incrementality measurement
5. Zoomd
Zoomd is a user acquisition platform that helps brands, app developers, and publishers manage and optimise their digital advertising in one place.
A key part of Zoomd’s strength lies in its automation and performance solutions. The platform can automatically optimise campaigns, allocate budgets, and refine targeting to maximise ROI. It additionally supports influencer and creator-generated content strategies.
Zoomd also provides advanced analytics and insights, giving marketers a clear view of campaign performance across multiple channels. This approach allows brands, developers, and publishers to streamline their ad efforts while maintaining transparency and control over outcomes.
Overview
Zoomd was founded in 2012 by Amit Bohensky, along with Omri Argaman and Niv Sharoni.
The founders brought together expertise in tech, marketing, and product development to build a platform aimed at simplifying and optimising digital advertising. Their vision was to unify campaign management across multiple channels into a single system, making it easier for brands and publishers to acquire users and scale their growth.
Services
Zoomd provides its customers with the following services:
- Real-time performance insights and fraud prevention
- Campaigns leveraging authentic creator content
- Access to top ad networks
6. Smadex
Smadex is a mobile-first DSP that helps advertisers and agencies run performance-driven and brand campaigns across mobile apps and mobile web. The platform emphasises transparency, privacy, and control, giving advertisers complete visibility into their campaigns and inventory.
Smadex also provides creative tools for building engaging ad experiences, robust reporting dashboards with detailed analytics, and support for privacy frameworks such as Apple’s SKAdNetwork.
Overview
Smadex was founded in 2011 in Barcelona, Spain, by Jordi de los Pinos, José Ramón Gómez, and Víctor Ruiz.
The founders set out to create a programmatic ad platform explicitly designed for the growing mobile market at a time when traditional ad tech solutions were not yet optimised.
Under the leadership of Jordi de los Pinos as CEO, Smadex has grown into an internationally recognised DSP.
Services
Smadex provides its customers with the following services:
- Creative and analytics solutions, including dynamic video ad creation
- Programmatic campaigns across mobile, web, and CTV
- App retargeting to re-engage and retain existing users
7. MyBid
MyBid is a modern ad network designed to help both advertisers and publishers achieve their goals with both speed and efficiency. The platform offers access to more than 17,000 websites, along with flexible payment models including CPM, CPC, and CPA.
MyBid also provides advanced tools for precise targeting, real-time analytics for performance tracking, and an in-house anti-fraud system for added security.
The platform supports all primary payment methods, making it convenient and accessible for partners worldwide (while maintaining stable, consistent results).
Overview
MyBid was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in London. Since its launch, the platform has positioned itself as a modern ad network built to serve both advertisers and publishers.
The platform offers a versatile solution for businesses looking to optimise their campaigns and achieve measurable results.
Services
MyBid provides its customers with the following services:
- Tools for precise audience segmentation, real-time performance tracking, and campaign optimisation
- In-house anti-fraud system and compatibility with all key payment methods
- Connection to over 17,000 websites with multiple formats and flexible payment models
8. Mobrand
Mobrand is a mobile app promotion agency dedicated to driving user acquisition through performance-driven strategies. The agency maintains complete control and ensures quality across each campaign it runs.
From in-app engagement to mobile devices and connected TV, Mobrand helps brands reach the right audience and accelerate app growth. Through premium SSP integrations and its proprietary DSP, the platform delivers smarter user acquisition, advanced retargeting, and sustainable brand growth.
Overview
Mobrand was founded in 2015 by Rui Mateus, who also serves as the company’s CTO. With a vision to redefine mobile app promotion through performance-driven strategies, he helped establish Mobrand as a specialised agency focused on user acquisition and campaign quality.
Under Mateus’s leadership, Mobrand has expanded its reach from Portugal to a global scale, supporting apps worldwide in acquiring high-quality users.
Services
Mobrand provides its customers with the following services:
- OpenRTB-powered bidder and DSP with premium SSP integrations for scalable results
- Strategies to re-engage users, increase retention, and maximise lifetime value
- Performance-based campaigns delivering high-quality app users through in-house traffic
9. ResultAd
ResultAd is a mobile marketing agency that focuses on helping brands and partners reach the right audiences through performance-driven strategies.
With experience across both local and global markets, the agency leverages more than 100 traffic sources spanning apps and the web. Positioned as a traffic powerhouse, ResultAd emphasises results by combining its proprietary ad technology with mobile-first expertise.
Overview
ResultAd was founded in 2016 by a group of digital marketing professionals who saw the rapid rise of mobile usage in Indonesia as a unique opportunity for brands to connect with audiences in new ways.
Since its founding, ResultAd has grown into a trusted partner for companies seeking to scale their presence in Southeast Asia’s competitive digital landscape.
Services
ResultAd provides its customers with the following services:
- Integrated video ads that match the look and feel of the platform
- Data-driven optimisation of native ad placements across multiple traffic sources
- Custom visuals, headlines, and content tailored to blend while still capturing user attention
10. Clickadu
ClickAdu is a global ad network with more than a decade of expertise, helping advertisers grow through direct, exclusive traffic and smart optimisation. It delivers over 6 billion daily impressions across 240 GEOs and over 15,000 premium websites.
Powered by advanced tech and a hands-on approach, Clickadu partners with over 7,000 active advertisers in high-performing verticals such as iGaming, FinTech, Utilities, VPN, and eCommerce.
Overview
Clickadu was founded in 2014 and has since grown into a leading global ad network. Headquartered in Prague, the company began with a mission to connect advertisers with high-quality traffic sources and has expanded rapidly over the past decade, becoming a trusted partner for media buyers worldwide.
From its early beginnings, it’s scaled to billions of daily impressions and thousands of advertisers across verticals, solidifying its place as a major player in the industry.
Services
ClickAdu provides its customers with the following services:
- Global traffic solutions with access to 15,000 premium websites and over 6 billion daily impressions
- Optimisation that refines targeting and placements to maximise the performance and ROI of video campaigns
- Diverse ad formats ranging from push and native to in-stream and out-stream video placements
What are the different types of video ads?
Understanding the different types of video ads is key to maximizing your app’s advertising potential. Each format offers unique advantages, allowing publishers to engage users in various ways while driving revenue. By selecting the right video ad type, you can create a more seamless and effective user experience.
Depending on the advertising scope on offer, advertisers have a range of options to consider. In this section, we’ll explore the various video ad formats available, helping you determine which options best align with your app’s goals and audience preferences:
- Instream ads (Linear/Non-Linear): Instream ads show up either before, during or after a video. And while they’re not user-initiated, they can be non-skippable or skippable after a few seconds.
- Outstream ads: Outstream ads sit outside traditional video formats and often ‘autoplay’ when a user lands on a page. You may see them running on journalistic sites or within the text of an article. Users can often stop them or skip them.
- In-feed or in-banner video ads: Also known as Discovery Ads, in-feed video ads run during searches, on the home page, or even in ‘watch next’ feeds on YouTube.
- Shoppable Ads: Since more than 50% of TikTok users say that ads led them to discover new products or brands, TikTok has launched in-app shopping ads. Ads run as catalog listing ads, video shopping ads, and live shopping ads.
- Bumper Ads (Non-Skippable): Bumper ads appear on YouTube as 6-second awareness-raising ads.
- Masthead ads: YouTube Masthead ads appear on homepages and can include elements like video links, image galleries, social sharing buttons, and CTAs.
- Rewarded video ads: As a form of incentivized advertising, rewarded video ads are initiated by users who agree to watch the ads in return for something of value. Often, this is an in-app reward that supports gameplay.
- Gamified ads: Gamified ads are interactive ads that often appear as mini-games. By inviting users to engage with the ad in an active way, they often have higher conversion rates.
- Interstitial video ads: Interstitial video ads are a form of mobile video advertising that take over the full screen.
Why should you use video ad networks?
Video ad networks are essential for app publishers who want to maximize their ad revenue while reaching a broader audience. By connecting you with advertisers and providing access to high-quality video ads, these networks streamline the process of monetizing your app, helping you focus on growth and user engagement.
Beyond revenue generation, video ad networks offer powerful tools and insights, such as advanced targeting, real-time analytics, and creative optimization. These features allow you to deliver relevant ads that resonate with users, improving both retention and overall app performance.
Here are a things to consider:
Ad targeting
One of the best reasons to include mobile video ads in your strategy is the ability to target users and devices. Because, when promoting products locally or at events, for example, advertisers can take advantage of tactics such as geotargeting.
Plus, advertisers who use a mobile video ads network can also get support with contextual targeting. And this allows you to place ads on websites that are most relevant to your products or services.
Positive ROI
According to a report by Wyzowl, 92% of marketers said that video was an important part of their 2022 marketing strategy. Additionally, 87% said that video gave them a positive ROI, which had increased by over 50% since 2015. And this may be due to increasing sophistication when tracking and quantifying video use.
Shareable content
A huge part of TikTok’s success is its shareable short video content. And, with over 3 billion downloads of the app, it’s a large market for sharing video reels or ads.
As an example, one of the most shared ads of all time is Volkswagen’s “The Force”. Shared on YouTube 4 days before it aired at the SuperBowl, the ad got 17 million views before it aired. Plus, it remains one of the most shared SuperBowl video ads of all time.
Video is more popular
86% of businesses use video mobile advertising as part of their strategies – a growth of over 30% since 2016. And as an effective and popular medium, 4 in 10 marketers use mobile video ads in their strategies.
What do video ad networks do?
Video ad networks act as intermediaries between app publishers and advertisers, helping to efficiently distribute video ads within mobile apps. They connect publishers with a wide range of advertisers, ensuring relevant and engaging video content is shown to users while maximizing ad revenue for the app.
In addition to facilitating ad placements, video ad networks provide tools for targeting, optimization, and performance tracking. These features allow publishers to refine their ad strategies, ensuring that the right ads reach the right audience, ultimately improving user engagement and increasing monetization.
Let us take a further look at what video ad networks do:
Generate leads
86% of marketers believe video mobile ads are effective for lead generation. By working with a mobile advertising network, advertisers and publishers can uncover the best approach to target new users.
Increase conversions
When executed well, mobile video advertising has the power to increase conversions. Mobile video adsnetworks that follow Google’s best practice guidelines can increase conversions per dollar by up to 50% with video ads. They can also see conversion rates boosted by up to 40%.
Achieve higher eCPMs
Mobile ads networks have the tools to connect to SSP and access appropriate publishers. By making use of in-app bidding tools or platforms, you can take advantage of Real-Time-Bidding which promotes higher eCPM rates.
Match platform protocols
Running comprehensive campaigns across Facebook, Google, TikTok and more requires knowledge of each platform and the resource to match specifications.
Mobile video advertising networks can bring their expertise to this process and help advertisers to meet differing platform requirements.
Target users
Mobile video ads networks can put strategies in place to support you with contextual targeting and geotargeting. At the same time, they can run A/B tests and use analytics tools to ensure your campaigns are hitting the mark.
What are the benefits of working with video ad networks?
Working with video ad networks offers app publishers a powerful way to boost revenue while providing engaging, high-quality ads to users. These networks simplify the ad monetization process by connecting publishers with top advertisers, ensuring relevant ads are displayed seamlessly within your app.
Beyond revenue, video ad networks provide advanced tools such as targeting, optimization, and real-time analytics. These features help publishers improve ad performance, increase user retention, and create a more personalized ad experience, all while staying competitive in the mobile app market.
So, what are some other benefits?
Reduced risks of ad fraud
Global estimates suggest digital advertising fraud will result in a loss of over $80 billion in 2022. And since this figure is set to rise, advertisers and publishers can avoid the risk of fraudulent clicks or fake downloads when engaged with the protection of a mobile ads network.
Cost-effectiveness
If you’re an advertiser thinking about embarking on a mobile video ads campaign, you’ll save considerable cost and resources working with a network. From creative conception to strategic planning, bidding and testing, there’s a huge amount to cover. Using up all your resources will cost you time and money. So, on balance, it’s more cost-effective to pay a third party to do it.
Global reach
Mobile video ads networks give advertisers access to publishers via SSPs. Along with offering access to audiences based around the globe, networks will have the experience to know which publishers will suit you best. Then, they can work with you to tailor the most effective approach.
Convenience
Advertisers and publishers can leverage self-service platforms and one-stop-shop tools on their own terms. Through self-service tools, you’ll find it easy to run your own ad campaigns and review performance using analytics dashboards. You’ll also be better able to test your campaigns and inform the success of your next one.
How much do mobile video ads pay?
Due to their high CTRs, mobile video advertising offers some of the highest eCPM rates around. And since the price of ad impressions changes depending on each market, we’ve compiled a rough guide to the best eCPM (effective Cost-Per-Impressions).
Mobile video ads eCPMs
Mobile video advertising includes a wide range of approaches such as rewarded video ads, mobile banner ads, and interstitial ads. As a result, we’ve listed each style of video with a range based on current knowledge.
Mobile video ads eCPM rates 2021
| iOS Rate Ranges | Android Rate Ranges | Facebook Average |
|---|---|---|
| Rewarded Video eCPM – $1.96 to $14.5 | Rewarded Video eCPM – $1.59 to $11.45 | $14.10 |
| Interstitial eCPM – $2.27 to $9.64 | Interstitial eCPM rates – $3.01 to $10.11 | |
| Banner eCPM – $0.16 to $0.38 | Banner eCPM – $0.16 to $0.5 |
Source: Shyftup
What are the best practices of video ads?
Successful video ads tend to show some of the following attributes during high-performance campaigns:
- Focus on micro-content: YouTube was the first platform to introduce a 6-second ad after it recognized viewers’ dwindling attention spans. So keep your ads light and get to the point as fast as you can.
- Keep it real: Authenticity matters to modern consumers. Salesy or disingenuous ad will put many people off your brand. So, make your content more organic or user-oriented and ensure it blends with it’s surroundings as a natural part of users’ feeds.
- Have captions in mind: WCAG 2.1 guidelines suggest every ad should be accessible to all users. And that includes adding closed captions for people with hearing loss. Many reports also suggest over 90% of viewers will watch captioned videos till the end vs. 66% without captioning.
- Give viewers an incentive: Include a hook or Call-to-Action that encourages viewers to do something after they’ve seen your ad.
- Use the AIDA approach: Structuring your ad using the AIDA formula (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) can put you in a stronger position to increase CTRs.
What should you look out for when choosing the best video ad networks?
When choosing the best video ad networks, it’s important to consider factors like ad quality, targeting options, and revenue potential. Look for networks that offer advanced analytics, a variety of ad formats, and strong support to help optimize performance. Ensuring the network aligns with your app’s audience and goals is crucial for long-term success.
So, there could be some areas to be mindful of as you engage with mobile video ads networks. Here are a few to consider:
Appropriate timing and placement
Choosing the right platform for your ad is critical. But so is choosing the right timing and placement for a mobile video ad. Selecting the right mobile video ads network ensures you receive targeted, well-placed and well-timed ads that get results.
Avoiding viewers’ inclination to skip ads
Viewers who search for videos on Facebook, YouTube or other websites want to watch content, not ads. Clearly, this can make them less likely to want to spend time looking at an ad. But with a well-matched network in tow, you can overcome this with well-designed ads and effective strategies.
Work with top video ad networks
As highlighted in this guide, video ad networks offer a wide range of benefits that create a win-win-win situation for developers, advertisers, and users alike. The interactive and engaging nature of rewarded video ads, supported by the right video ad networks, helps everyone involved, making them a powerful tool for boosting app revenue and user satisfaction.
Whether you’re a publisher looking to increase revenue or an advertiser aiming to reach a larger audience, choosing the right video ad network is crucial.
Video ad networks bring valuable experience in all areas of mobile video ads, ensuring they understand the nuances of rewarded ads. This kind of expertise can help your app grow and expand globally, reaching new users and markets.
With top video ad networks, you can fine-tune your ad campaigns for even greater success. To explore more, check out the full list of top video ad networks and discover how they can support your app’s growth and advertising needs.
