glossary
Banner Ads
Banner ads are small rectangular display ads that sit on-screen while players use your app. They’re the smallest, least intrusive ad format you can run. Lowest CPMs in the stack, but highest fill rates.
Quick Definition
Banner ads are small rectangular display ads that sit on-screen while players use your app, available in a handful of standard banner ad sizes. They’re the smallest, least intrusive ad format you can run. Lowest CPMs in the stack, but highest fill rates.
What are Banner Ads?
Banner ads are always-on display ads that appear at the top or bottom of your app screen during gameplay. Unlike interstitials or rewarded video, they don’t interrupt the user experience. They just sit there.
They can be static images or animated. Standard sizes are 320×50 pixels (mobile banner), 300×250 (medium rectangle), and 728×90 (leaderboard for tablets).
Banner ads work best for generating steady, low-effort revenue. You won’t make bank on them, but they fill consistently and require zero user engagement.
The tradeoff is simple. You get reliable revenue at the cost of permanent screen real estate. Players learn to ignore them fast. Banner blindness is real.
Standard Sizes
| Size (pixels) | Name | Best For | |—————|——|———-| | 320×50 | Standard Banner | Mobile phones, bottom of screen | | 300×250 | Medium Rectangle | Mid-screen placements, tablets | | 728×90 | Leaderboard | Tablets, top of screen |
Most mobile games use 320×50 at the bottom of the screen. Medium rectangles (300×250) work better for tablets or when you have dedicated ad space in your UI.
Leaderboards (728×90) are rare in mobile gaming. They’re more common in tablet apps with horizontal layouts.
Key Metrics
eCPM (Effective Cost Per Mille) How much you earn per 1,000 banner impressions. Banner eCPMs are low compared to video or interstitials. Expect $0.50 to $5 depending on geography and ad network.
Fill Rate Percentage of ad requests that return an ad. Banners have the highest fill rates of any format, often 95%+. There’s always a banner ad to show.
CTR (Click-Through Rate) Percentage of users who click the banner. CTRs are terrible, usually 0.1% to 1%. Players ignore banners. That’s the format.
Viewability Percentage of banner impressions where the ad was actually visible on screen for a minimum duration. Matters for advertisers, affects your eCPMs.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Steady revenue stream. Banners generate passive income without disrupting gameplay.
- High fill rates. Ad networks almost always have banners to serve.
- Non-intrusive. Players can ignore them and keep playing.
- Easy to implement. Drop a banner view in your UI, done.
Cons
- Lowest CPMs. Banner ads earn the least of any format.
- Banner blindness. Players learn to ignore them completely.
- Screen real estate. You lose valuable UI space permanently.
- Low engagement. Click-through rates are abysmal.
Best Practices
Place banners where they won’t block gameplay. Bottom of screen is standard. Top works if your game UI has space. Never cover core game elements.
Use banners in mediation with other formats. Banners alone won’t monetize your game. Combine them with interstitials and rewarded video for a balanced ad mediation stack.
Refresh banners every 30-60 seconds. Increases impressions and revenue. Most ad networks handle this automatically.
Test banner visibility in your UI. Make sure the banner is actually visible when it loads. Viewability matters for eCPMs.
Don’t rely on banners for primary monetization. They’re supplemental revenue. If banners are your main income source, you’re leaving money on the table.
When to Use Banners
Casual games where full-screen ads feel disruptive. Match-3, puzzle games, word games. Players want continuous sessions without interruptions.
Apps with long session times. The longer players stay in your app, the more banner impressions you generate. Fitness apps, productivity tools, music players.
When you need passive revenue. Banners earn money without requiring user action. Good for apps where interrupting the experience would hurt retention.
As part of a hybrid monetization strategy. Use banners alongside interstitials and rewarded video. They fill gaps between higher-value ad placements.
Common Mistakes
Treating banners as primary monetization. Banners are supplemental. Relying on them alone caps your revenue potential.
Blocking gameplay with banner placement. Bottom or top only. Never cover buttons, game elements, or critical UI.
Not testing banner viewability. If your banner loads off-screen or behind other UI elements, you’re losing impressions and revenue.
Ignoring banner blindness. Players will ignore banners. Accept it. Don’t expect high engagement or CTRs.
Using too many banners. One banner per screen. More looks desperate and hurts user experience without meaningful revenue gains.
Related Terms
- Interstitial Ads – Full-screen ads that appear between game sessions
- Rewarded Video – Video ads that offer in-game rewards for watching
- eCPM – Effective cost per thousand impressions
- Fill Rate – Percentage of ad requests that return an ad
- Ad Mediation – Platform that optimizes between multiple ad networks
External Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a banner ad?
A banner ad is a small, always-on display ad that sits at the top or bottom of your app screen during gameplay. Unlike interstitials or rewarded video, banners don’t interrupt the user experience. They can be static images or animated, in standard sizes like 320×50, 300×250, and 728×90.
How much do banner ads pay?
Banner eCPMs typically run $0.50 to $5 depending on geography, genre, and ad network. That’s the lowest eCPM of any ad format, but banners make up for it with fill rates often above 95%.
What’s the difference between a banner ad and a pop-up ad?
A banner ad is a persistent, non-intrusive placement that sits in a fixed spot on screen without interrupting what the user is doing. A pop-up or interstitial ad takes over the full screen and forces the user to interact with or dismiss it before continuing.
Do banner ads still work?
Yes, as supplemental revenue. Banners generate steady, passive income with high fill rates and low development effort, but their CPMs and click-through rates are the weakest in the ad stack. They work best combined with interstitials and rewarded video, not as your primary monetization source.
Should I use banners in my game?
If you have long session times and want passive revenue, yes. If you’re focused on maximizing ARPDAU, prioritize interstitials and rewarded video first and treat banners as a supplemental layer.
