Ads, IAP, or subscriptions: choosing a model you can live with

Monetization is a design decision disguised as a business decision. Rewarded video pushes you toward short, repeatable sessions with clear friction points. In-app purchases push you toward progression and collection. Subscriptions push you toward routine and content freshness.

Hybrid models work, but only when the roles are clear. Ads should serve the low-intent majority, purchases should serve the players who want to go deeper, and neither should make the other feel like a punishment.

Watch the second-order effects. Aggressive interstitials often raise short-term ARPDAU and quietly destroy the retention curve that made the revenue possible. We evaluate every monetization change against day-7 retention before we look at revenue at all.

Whatever you choose, price the experience honestly. Players forgive monetization they can see coming; they do not forgive feeling tricked.