How to Monetize Apps with Programmatic Advertising in 2025

Polina Smoliar • Programmatic Advertising

With millions of apps competing for attention, developers need a clear plan to turn engagement into revenue.

In-app advertising is the most scalable way to do this. Thanks to programmatic technology — which uses automation and real-time auctions to match ad space with advertisers — most apps today earn their income this way.

The real challenge is balance: how to generate consistent ad income without frustrating users or driving them away. That’s what this guide is all about — practical steps to help you monetize your app with programmatic advertising in a way that works long-term.

Step 1. Define Your Monetization Strategy

Before adding any ads, decide on your overall approach:

Ads only – Your revenue comes entirely from showing ads. Example: a free weather app that shows banners and interstitials.
In-app purchases (IAPs) – Users pay for premium features, content, or subscriptions. Example: a meditation app that charges for additional music packs.
Hybrid – A mix of both. Example: a gaming app where players can either watch rewarded videos for extra lives or pay to remove ads entirely.

Casual games often thrive on rewarded video ads, while productivity or utility apps tend to work better with subtle native formats or a hybrid approach. The key is matching your monetization model to how users naturally interact with your app.

Step 2. Choose the Right SSP

Your supply-side platform (SSP) is the backbone of your ad monetization. It connects your app’s ad inventory with buyers in real time.

When choosing a partner, look for strong demand integrations, transparent reporting, a variety of supported formats (rewarded, native, banner, interstitial, playable), and reliable compliance with privacy regulations. Also, make sure their SDK is lightweight so it doesn’t slow down your app.

What to look for in an SSP:

Strong demand integrations – more advertisers = more competition for your ad space.
Transparent reporting – clear insights on eCPM, fill rate, and revenue.
Format variety – support for rewarded, native, banner, interstitial, playable ads.
Lightweight SDK – doesn’t slow down your app or ruin the user experience.
Privacy compliance – GDPR, CCPA, COPPA, and other global standards.

Blasto SSP can help monetize apps by combining lightweight integration with deep demand access, giving developers more control and scalable results.

Step 3. Integrate the SDK or Prebid

There are two main ways to get programmatic ads into your app:

SDKs – simple, widely supported, and ideal for rewarded video, interstitials, and banners.
Prebid header bidding – an advanced option that lets multiple demand sources compete in real time for maximum yield.

Whichever you choose, always test on staging first and monitor latency closely.

Step 4. Match Ad Formats to User Experience

Every app has a different flow, and the ad formats you choose should respect it:

Rewarded Video – offer coins, lives, or extra content.
Interstitials – place between natural transitions like game levels or app sections.
Native Ads – blend seamlessly into feeds or content.
Banners – low-impact, always-on placements.
Playable Ads – interactive mini-experiences that work especially well in games.

The golden rule: ads should never disrupt core functionality.

Step 5. Set the Right Parameters

Programmatic monetization works best when you stay in control.

Key settings include:

eCPM floors – the minimum price you’ll accept for an ad impression.
Frequency caps – limit how often users see the same ad.
Fill rate optimization – balance between showing ads and keeping quality high.
Geo/device targeting – adjust pricing or formats depending on country or device.

A gaming app might set higher eCPM floors in the U.S. (where advertisers pay more) and lower floors in emerging markets to keep fill rates high.

Done right, these levers protect both your revenue and your user retention.

Step 6. A/B Test Continuously

Every app audience is different. That’s why A/B testing is essential.

Experiment with ad placements, compare formats, test session timing, and track results by geography. Insights that boost one type of app, say, a quiz app, might not translate at all to another, like a meditation app.

Step 7. Protect User Experience

Long-term monetization depends on loyal users. Keep them happy by avoiding ad overload, blocking inappropriate creatives, offering skip or close buttons, and pacing ads so they feel natural.

Better user experience isn’t just about ratings. It also directly improves ad performance.

Step 8. Track the Right Metrics

Revenue is important, but it’s only part of the picture. The apps that succeed in 2025 watch:

ARPDAU – Average revenue per daily active user.
Retention – Are users still opening your app after Day 1, Day 7, Day 30?
Fill rate – Percentage of ad requests that actually get filled.
eCPM by demand source – Compare which partners deliver the most value.
User feedback – Ratings and reviews often tell you if ads feel intrusive.

Retention is what ensures you’ll still be earning tomorrow.

Step 9. Optimize, Scale, Repeat

Monetization is never “done.” Treat it like a living product.

Revisit eCPM floors monthly, add new demand partners, expand into new regions, and gradually introduce new formats. Scaling revenue is an ongoing cycle of optimization.

How Blasto Can Help

If you want to accelerate without trial and error, Blasto’s SSP can help you scale smarter. We provide:

Flexible ad formats designed for engagement
Access to global demand for higher fill rates
Premium support for publishers at every stage

At Blasto, we go beyond an SSP. We’re a complete programmatic ecosystem — SSP, DSP, and Ad Exchange — trusted by publishers worldwide.

Ready to unlock your app’s revenue potential in 2025? Get in touch with Blasto and let’s make your app a true business engine: https://blasto.ai/#contacts