One of the most common questions we hear from app publishers is whether they should stick with AdMob or upgrade to Google Ad Manager. The answer depends on your app's scale, your monetization goals, and how much control you want over your ad inventory.
AdMob: The Simple Starting Point
Google AdMob is designed for simplicity. It offers a straightforward way to monetize your app with minimal setup. Key advantages include:
- Easy integration: A single SDK handles everything from ad serving to mediation.
- Built-in mediation: AdMob Mediation lets you connect to third-party networks alongside Google demand.
- No minimum requirements: Any publisher can get started regardless of traffic volume.
For new apps or publishers just starting their monetization journey, AdMob provides a solid foundation with minimal complexity.
Google Ad Manager: The Power Tool
Google Ad Manager is built for publishers who need more control and flexibility. It unlocks capabilities that are simply not available in AdMob:
- Direct deal management: Negotiate and serve premium direct-sold campaigns alongside programmatic demand.
- Advanced targeting: Create custom targeting keys and values for granular inventory segmentation.
- Open Bidding: Enable real-time competition between multiple demand partners in a server-to-server environment.
- Custom reporting: Build detailed reports with dimensions and metrics tailored to your business needs.
- Multiple ad networks: Manage a complex waterfall with dozens of demand sources and dynamic allocation.
When to Make the Switch
Consider moving to Google Ad Manager when:
- Your app generates more than 1 million monthly impressions.
- You want to run direct-sold campaigns alongside programmatic ads.
- You need more sophisticated reporting and analytics.
- Your current AdMob eCPMs have plateaued and you want to unlock new demand.
- You want a managed monetization partner to handle optimization on your behalf.
The Best of Both Worlds
Here is the good news: you do not have to choose one or the other. Many successful publishers use both. AdMob can serve as one demand source within a broader GAM-managed waterfall. This hybrid approach lets you keep your existing AdMob revenue while layering on additional demand through GAM.
We have seen publishers increase their revenue by 30-50% simply by adding GAM-managed demand on top of their existing AdMob setup — without changing a single line of code in their app.
Getting Help
The transition from AdMob to GAM can seem daunting, but it does not have to be. A managed monetization partner handles the entire setup process: creating your GAM account, configuring line items, setting up the waterfall, and continuously optimizing for maximum revenue. All you need to do is integrate one SDK and start seeing results.