Written by Krisztián Stark
Key takeaways
- Rewarded ads are ads users choose to engage with in exchange for an in-app reward, which is why platforms treat them differently from forced ads.
- Rewarded video pays per completed view, an offerwall pays per completed offer, and rewarded surveys pay per completed survey.
- Always let users opt in, say exactly what they will get before the ad starts, and deliver the reward every time.
What are rewarded ads?
Rewarded ads are ads that a user chooses to engage with in exchange for a reward inside an app, game, or website, such as coins, an extra life, a hint, or points. The user taps something like “Watch a video for 50 coins”, the ad plays or the task is completed, and the reward is granted. Because the user opts in, rewarded ads tend to annoy people far less than ads that interrupt them.
Platforms treat them differently too. Google Play’s Ads policy, for example, says its rules against disruptive full-screen ads do not apply to rewarded ads that users explicitly opt into, such as an ad offered in exchange for unlocking a game feature.
The three main rewarded formats
| Rewarded video | Offerwall | Rewarded surveys | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the user does | Watches a short video or plays a playable ad | Picks an offer: install and reach a level, sign up, try a service | Answers a market research survey |
| Time per reward | Usually under a minute | Minutes to days | Usually a few minutes to about 20 |
| Publisher is paid | Per completed view, priced as eCPM | Per completed offer, often per step | Per completed survey |
| Reward size | Small | Large | Medium |
| Main risk | Users hit a daily cap and stop | Some results are confirmed later or reversed | Users get screened out, which frustrates them |
A related format is the rewarded interstitial, which appears at a natural break without the user tapping first but offers a reward and a clear way to decline. Many survey walls sit inside an offerwall, as one category among others. Survey wall vs offerwall compares those two.
How much do rewarded ads pay?
Rewarded video is usually the highest-paying format per impression in mobile games, because advertisers know the viewer is watching. Industry reports such as Appodeal’s quarterly eCPM reports have put US rewarded video eCPMs roughly in the $10 to $20 range in recent periods, with iOS usually ahead of Android and most other countries well below the US. Treat any figure like that as a rough guide: eCPM moves with the season, the country mix, and your mediation setup.
Offerwalls and surveys do not pay per impression, so eCPM is a poor way to compare them with video. Compare revenue per 1,000 daily active users instead.
Illustrative day: rewarded video for 1,000 daily users
Out of 1,000 daily active users, 300 watch rewarded videos, three each, so 900 views a day. At a $12 eCPM, that is 900 ÷ 1,000 × $12 = $10.80 a day, or $0.0108 per daily active user. The eCPM and watch rates are assumptions; plug in your own numbers to compare with an offerwall estimate from the offerwall earnings calculator.
For a full side-by-side on revenue, user experience, and fraud, read Offerwall vs rewarded video ads. eCPM vs RPM explains the price metrics.
Rewarded ad UX rules
Google’s AdMob policy for rewarded ads is a useful reference even if you use other networks. Among other things, it requires that:
- rewarded ads, other than rewarded interstitials, are served only after the user clearly opts in, for example by tapping a button;
- the action required and the reward are disclosed clearly before each ad, including when several ads must be watched for one reward;
- users can skip or dismiss the ad, and saying no does not interfere with normal use of the app;
- the promised reward is delivered once the ad is completed;
- rewards are not direct monetary items and cannot be transferred to other users.
That last point matters for rewards apps that pay out cash or gift cards: check each ad network’s rules before placing its rewarded ads there. Beyond the policies, a few practices keep users happy:
- Grant rewards from your server after the network confirms the result, not only from the device, so they cannot be faked.
- Cap frequency. A sensible daily limit protects your in-game economy and keeps the reward meaningful.
- Price rewards fairly. A bigger task should earn a bigger reward. Setting a virtual currency exchange rate covers the math.
- Never gate core progress. Rewards should speed things up or add extras, not block a player who will not watch ads.
- Check age rules. Apps for children face extra limits; see offerwalls in kids apps and COPPA.
Adding a rewarded offerwall with Sharklio
The Sharklio offerwall is a rewarded format you can run next to rewarded video. Users earn your own virtual currency, with your name, icon, exchange rate, and user split, from offers matched to their country and device. Your server receives signed postbacks when a reward is credited or reversed, so you can grant and remove rewards safely. It works in websites, apps, games, Discord servers, and Telegram bots and Mini Apps, with integration guides for Unity and Telegram. Publisher earnings are paid Net‑15 in crypto. Start at Sharklio for publishers.
Frequently asked questions
Can rewarded ads pay out cash or gift cards?
Check each network first. AdMob’s rewarded ads policy, for example, says rewards must not be direct monetary items or transferable to other users, so a rewards app that cashes out should confirm in writing that a network allows it before placing its ads.
What is the difference between rewarded video and an offerwall?
Rewarded video pays a small reward for watching a short ad and pays the publisher per view. An offerwall lists bigger tasks, such as reaching a level in another app, and pays per completed offer.
How many rewarded videos should users be able to watch per day?
There is no fixed rule. Start with a low daily cap, watch whether in-app purchases fall, and raise the cap only while revenue per daily user keeps rising.
Do rewarded ads hurt in-app purchases?
They can if rewards are too generous. Cap how often users can earn and keep rewards smaller than what a purchase gives, so both can coexist.
