# Is a dedicated in-app bidding mediation platform worth it for a small app publisher?

<p class="elv-tracking-normal elv-text-default elv-font-figtree elv-text-base elv-leading-base elv-font-normal" elv="true">Been building apps independently for a couple of years and trying to work out whether a proper mediation layer is worth it versus just running AdMob directly. The pitch for mediation is obvious, but I'm not sure the overhead makes sense at my scale. Curious what people in <a class="a a--md" elv="true" href="https://www.g2.com/categories/app-monetization-platforms">app monetization platforms</a> have actually experienced at the smaller end of the market.</p><ul>
<li>
<a class="a a--md" elv="true" href="https://www.g2.com/products/appodeal/reviews"><strong>Appodeal</strong></a>: Most relevant here. Multiple indie developers in the reviews describe switching from AdMob alone specifically because of serving limits, and most say revenue went up after. One SDK, 70+ demand sources, and the ARPDAU and BI tools are called out as useful even for solo developers. One honest review flags that the platform performs better once you're hitting a few thousand daily impressions, so very early-stage apps may not see much yet.</li>
<li>
<a class="a a--md" elv="true" href="https://www.g2.com/products/google-admob/reviews"><strong>Google AdMob</strong></a>: The baseline most indie developers start from. Strong CPC performance, high fill rates in Tier-1 markets, and the best documentation in the category. The main complaint at small publisher scale is account restrictions imposed without clear explanation and with limited support to resolve them.</li>
<li>
<a class="a a--md" elv="true" href="https://www.g2.com/products/unity-ads/reviews"><strong>Unity Ads</strong></a>: Often described as the second network to add after AdMob for game developers. Solid fill rates in the US and Europe. The 60-day minimum payout is a cash flow issue that shows up in almost every review from small developers, and it's worth understanding before committing.</li>
<li>
<a class="a a--md" elv="true" href="https://www.g2.com/products/start-io/reviews"><strong>Start.io</strong></a>: Works better as a second or third network in a mediation stack than as a standalone. Reviewers who've added it describe it filling gaps and smoothing revenue consistency without needing active management.</li>
</ul><p class="elv-tracking-normal elv-text-default elv-font-figtree elv-text-base elv-leading-base elv-font-normal" elv="true">For anyone who made the jump from single-network to mediation under 10k daily active users, was the lift real or mostly theoretical? What threshold did mediation actually start making a difference?</p>

##### Post Metadata
- Posted at: 14 days ago
- Author title: SEO Content Specialist
- Net upvotes: 1


## Comments
### Comment 1

&lt;p&gt;Mediation started feeling worthwhile once there was enough daily volume for networks to compete meaningfully—usually a few thousand impressions rather than immediately after launch. Below that, AdMob alone was simpler; above it, Appodeal’s added demand and reporting made the revenue lift easier to justify.&lt;/p&gt;

##### Comment Metadata
- Posted at: 6 days ago
- Author title: Marketer





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