Native Ads

Native ads let you monetize your app in a way that’s consistent with its existing design. The AppLovin MAX SDK gives you access to an ad’s individual assets. This way, you can design the ad layout to be consistent with the look and feel of your app. The SDK automatically caches images and tracks metrics. So you can focus on how, when, and where to display ads.

Templates

The easiest way to integrate native ads into your app is via the templates API. The AppLovin MAX SDK allows you to load an android.view.View with the assets of the native ads pre-populated for you. To use the templates API, select either a “Small” (360×120 dp) or “Medium” (300×250 dp) size template in the Create New Ad Unit screen. The media view for “Small” templates fills one third of the template’s width, and spans the template’s height. The media view for “Medium” templates spans the media content’s width and height, and preserves the content’s aspect ratio. Select the size that best suits your needs. Set a height for the native ad’s container view so that the media content can render properly. The SDK automatically handles the view layouts for you.

Loading a Native Ad

To load a native ad, instantiate a MaxNativeAdLoader corresponding to your ad unit. Then call its loadAd() method. Implement MaxNativeAdLoadListener so that you are notified when your native ad is ready. Implement MaxAdListener to be notified of other ad-related events.

Clean up any unused instances of native ads by calling the destroy() method.

Note

Native ads are expected to be shown within the ad expiration window of four hours. Impressions associated with ads that show outside of this window are invalidated.

Java

public class ExampleActivity extends Activity
{
  private MaxNativeAdLoader nativeAdLoader;
  private MaxAd             nativeAd;

  void createNativeAd()
  {
    FrameLayout nativeAdContainer = findViewById( R.id.native_ad_layout );

    nativeAdLoader = new MaxNativeAdLoader( "«ad-unit-ID»", this );
    nativeAdLoader.setNativeAdListener( new MaxNativeAdListener()
    {
      @Override
      public void onNativeAdLoaded(final MaxNativeAdView nativeAdView, final MaxAd ad)
      {
        // Clean up any pre-existing native ad to prevent memory leaks.
        if ( nativeAd != null )
        {
          nativeAdLoader.destroy( nativeAd );
        }

        // Save ad for cleanup.
        nativeAd = ad;

        // Add ad view to view.
        nativeAdContainer.removeAllViews();
        nativeAdContainer.addView( nativeAdView );
      }

      @Override
      public void onNativeAdLoadFailed(final String adUnitId, final MaxError error)
      {
        // AppLovin recommends that you retry with exponentially higher delays up to a maximum delay
      }

      @Override
      public void onNativeAdClicked(final MaxAd ad)
      {
        // Optional click callback
      }
    } );

    nativeAdLoader.loadAd();
  }

  @Override
  protected void onDestroy()
  {
    // Destroy the native ad and native ad loader to prevent memory leaks.
    if ( nativeAd != null )
    {
      nativeAdLoader.destroy( nativeAd );
    }

    nativeAdLoader.destroy();
    super.onDestroy();
  }
}

Kotlin

class ExampleActivity : Activity()
{
  private lateinit var nativeAdLoader: MaxNativeAdLoader
  private var nativeAd: MaxAd? = null

  fun createNativeAd()
  {
    val nativeAdContainer = findViewById(R.id.native_ad_layout)
    nativeAdLoader = MaxNativeAdLoader("«ad-unit-ID»", this)
    nativeAdLoader.setNativeAdListener(object : MaxNativeAdListener() {

      override fun onNativeAdLoaded(nativeAdView: MaxNativeAdView?, ad: MaxAd)
      {
        // Clean up any pre-existing native ad to prevent memory leaks.
        if (nativeAd != null)
        {
          nativeAdLoader.destroy(nativeAd)
        }

        // Save ad for cleanup.
        nativeAd = ad

        // Add ad view to view.
        nativeAdContainer.removeAllViews()
        nativeAdContainer.addView( nativeAdView )
      }

      override fun onNativeAdLoadFailed(adUnitId: String, error: MaxError)
      {
        // AppLovin recommends that you retry with exponentially higher delays up to a maximum delay
      }

      override fun onNativeAdClicked(ad: MaxAd)
      {
        // Optional click callback
      }
    })
    nativeAdLoader.loadAd()
  }

  override fun onDestroy()
  {
    // Destroy the native ad and native ad loader to prevent memory leaks.
    if (nativeAd != null)
    {
      nativeAdLoader.destroy(nativeAd)
    }

    nativeAdLoader.destroy()
    super.onDestroy()
  }
}

Asset Sizes

For AppLovin Exchange demand, the maximum numbers of characters allowed for Title, Description, and CTA are as follows:

Asset	Maximum Character Count
Title	50 characters
Description	150 characters. You can add an ellipsis (…) after 149 characters, as the 150th character.
CTA	15 characters

For SDK-mediated networks, the network sets the maximum character counts.

How to Get the Media Content Aspect Ratio

The following code snippet shows how you get the media content aspect ratio of your native ad:

Java

@Override
public void onNativeAdLoaded(final MaxNativeAdView adView, final MaxAd ad)
{
  MaxNativeAd nativeAd = ad.getNativeAd();
  if ( nativeAd != null )
  {
    float aspectRatio = nativeAd.getMediaContentAspectRatio();
  }
}

Kotlin

override fun onNativeAdLoaded(nativeAdView: MaxNativeAdView?, ad: MaxAd) {
  val nativeAd = ad.nativeAd
  if (nativeAd != null) {
    val aspectRatio = nativeAd.mediaContentAspectRatio
  }
}

Note

Some networks do not provide media content aspect ratios. For those networks, the value is zero.

Supported Adapter Versions

Ad Network	Adapter Version
BidMachine	1.9.4.1
Google Ad Manager	20.5.0.2
Google Bidding and Google AdMob	20.5.0.2
InMobi	10.0.5.3
LINE	2021.5.11.9
Meta Audience Network	6.8.0.3
Mintegral	15.8.1.1
Pangle	4.1.1.5.2
Smaato	21.6.7.1
VK Ad Network	5.14.4.2
Yandex	5.3.0.1

Manual

Use this API if you have custom views and you want to manually load native ad assets into those views. This integration method involves three high-level steps:

1. Bind UI Components.
2. Load the Native Ad.
3. Destroy the Native Ad.

To use the manual API, select the Manual template in the Create New Ad Unit screen:

Bind UI Components

You can bind custom UI components to the MAX SDK. Then you can render native ad assets into those components. The example below demonstrates this with custom views that you create with the Layout Editor and unique view IDs. However, you could also use this method if you create your views programmatically.

Per AppLovin’s policy, your ad must contain the Privacy Information icon. This icon links to an important privacy notice. You can bind to it via MaxNativeAdViewBinder.Builder#setOptionsContentViewGroupId(…).

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="https://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
  android:layout_width="match_parent"
  android:layout_height="wrap_content">

  <ImageView
    android:id="@+id/icon_image_view"
  … />
  <LinearLayout
    android:id="@+id/ad_options_view"
  … />
  <TextView
    android:id="@+id/title_text_view"
  … />
  <FrameLayout
    android:id="@+id/star_rating_view"
  … />
  <TextView
    android:id="@+id/advertiser_textView"
  … />
  <TextView
    android:id="@+id/body_text_view"
  … />
  <FrameLayout
    android:id="@+id/media_view_container"
  … />
  <Button
    android:id="@+id/cta_button"
  … />
</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

Next, bind the subviews using unique view IDs with an instance of MaxNativeAdViewBinder. AppLovin does not guarantee a network will return certain assets.

Java

public class ExampleActivity
        extends Activity
        implements MaxAdRevenueListener
{
  ⋮
  private MaxNativeAdView createNativeAdView()
  {
    MaxNativeAdViewBinder binder = new MaxNativeAdViewBinder.Builder( R.layout.native_custom_ad_view )
            .setTitleTextViewId( R.id.title_text_view )
            .setBodyTextViewId( R.id.body_text_view )
            .setStarRatingContentViewGroupId( R.id.star_rating_view )
            .setAdvertiserTextViewId( R.id.advertiser_textView )
            .setIconImageViewId( R.id.icon_image_view )
            .setMediaContentViewGroupId( R.id.media_view_container )
            .setOptionsContentViewGroupId( R.id.options_view )
            .setCallToActionButtonId( R.id.cta_button )
            .build();

    return new MaxNativeAdView( binder, this );
  }
  ⋮
}

Kotlin

class ExampleActivity : Activity(), MaxAdRevenueListener
{
  ⋮
  private fun createNativeAdView(): MaxNativeAdView
  {
    val binder: MaxNativeAdViewBinder =
        MaxNativeAdViewBinder.Builder(R.layout.native_custom_ad_view)
            .setTitleTextViewId(R.id.title_text_view)
            .setBodyTextViewId(R.id.body_text_view)
            .setStarRatingContentViewGroupId(R.id.star_rating_view )
            .setAdvertiserTextViewId(R.id.advertiser_textView)
            .setIconImageViewId(R.id.icon_image_view)
            .setMediaContentViewGroupId(R.id.media_view_container)
            .setOptionsContentViewGroupId(R.id.options_view)
            .setCallToActionButtonId(R.id.cta_button)
            .build()
      return MaxNativeAdView(binder, this)
  }
  ⋮
}

Note

Follow each network’s guidance and bind their required ad assets. Otherwise, they may invalidate your impressions.

Load the Native Ad

Load a Pre-Rendered Ad

To load a pre-rendered native ad, first instantiate a MaxNativeAdLoader corresponding to your Ad Unit ID. Then call its loadAd(MaxNativeAdView) method. Implement and set the MaxNativeAdLoadListener so that you are notified when your native ad’s load state changes.

Load and Render Ad Separately

To load a native ad, first instantiate a MaxNativeAdLoader corresponding to your Ad Unit ID. Then call its loadAd() method. Implement and set the MaxNativeAdLoadListener so that you are notified when your native ad’s load state changes. Then use the MaxAd returned in onNativeAdLoaded to render the ad view. You can do this by calling MaxNativeAdLoader.render(MaxNativeAdView, MaxAd).

Note

Native ads are expected to be shown within the ad expiration window of four hours. Impressions associated with ads that show outside of this window are invalidated.

Destroy the Native Ad

If you stop using a native ad, clean up its resources by calling the destroy() method. If you do not, the performance of your app will degrade over time. Below is an example of how you load and destroy a native ad. This takes place after you have bound the UI components from the previous step.

Java

public class ExampleActivity
        extends Activity
        implements MaxAdRevenueListener
{
  private ViewGroup         nativeAdContainerView;
  private MaxNativeAdLoader nativeAdLoader;
  private MaxAd             loadedNativeAd;

  ⋮

  private void createNativeAdLoader()
  {
    nativeAdLoader = new MaxNativeAdLoader( "«ad-unit-ID»", this );
    nativeAdLoader.setRevenueListener( this );
    nativeAdLoader.setNativeAdListener( new NativeAdListener() );
  }

  private void loadNativeAd()
  {
    nativeAdLoader.loadAd( createNativeAdView() );
  }

  @Override
  public void onAdRevenuePaid(final MaxAd ad) { }

  private class NativeAdListener
          extends MaxNativeAdListener
  {
    @Override
    public void onNativeAdLoaded(final MaxNativeAdView nativeAdView, final MaxAd nativeAd)
    {
      // Clean up any pre-existing native ad to prevent memory leaks.
      if ( loadedNativeAd != null )
      {
        nativeAdLoader.destroy( loadedNativeAd );
      }

      // Save ad for cleanup.
      loadedNativeAd = nativeAd;

      nativeAdContainerView.removeAllViews();
      nativeAdContainerView.addView( nativeAdView );
    }

    @Override
    public void onNativeAdLoadFailed(final String adUnitId, final MaxError error)
    {
      // Native ad load failed.
      // AppLovin recommends retrying with exponentially higher delays up to a maximum delay.
    }

    @Override
    public void onNativeAdClicked(final MaxAd nativeAd) { }
  }

  @Override
  protected void onDestroy()
  {
    // Destroy the native ad and native ad loader to prevent memory leaks.
    if ( loadedNativeAd != null )
    {
      nativeAdLoader.destroy( loadedNativeAd );
    }

    nativeAdLoader.destroy();
    super.onDestroy();
  }
}

Kotlin

class ExampleActivity : Activity(), MaxAdRevenueListener
{
  private val nativeAdContainerView: ViewGroup? = null
  private var nativeAdLoader: MaxNativeAdLoader? = null
  private var loadedNativeAd: MaxAd? = null

  ⋮

  private fun createNativeAdLoader()
  {
    nativeAdLoader = MaxNativeAdLoader("«ad-unit-ID»", this)
    nativeAdLoader.setRevenueListener(this)
    nativeAdLoader.setNativeAdListener(NativeAdListener())
  }

  private fun loadNativeAd()
  {
    nativeAdLoader.loadAd(createNativeAdView())
  }

  override fun onAdRevenuePaid(ad: MaxAd) {}

  private inner class NativeAdListener : MaxNativeAdListener()
  {
    override fun onNativeAdLoaded(nativeAdView: MaxNativeAdView?, nativeAd: MaxAd)
    {
      // Clean up any pre-existing native ad to prevent memory leaks.
      if (loadedNativeAd != null)
      {
        nativeAdLoader.destroy(loadedNativeAd)
      }

      // Save ad for cleanup.
      loadedNativeAd = nativeAd
      nativeAdContainerView.removeAllViews()
      nativeAdContainerView.addView(nativeAdView)
    }

    override fun onNativeAdLoadFailed(adUnitId: String, error: MaxError)
    {
      // Native ad load failed.
      // AppLovin recommends retrying with exponentially higher delays up to a maximum delay.
    }

    override fun onNativeAdClicked(nativeAd: MaxAd) {}

    override fun onDestroy()
    {
      // Destroy the native ad and native ad loader to prevent memory leaks.
      if (loadedNativeAd != null)
      {
        nativeAdLoader.destroy(loadedNativeAd)
      }

      nativeAdLoader.destroy()
      super.onDestroy()
    }
  }
}

Asset Sizes

AppLovin recommends that you incorporate as many of the native elements as are appropriate in the context of what the rest of your app looks like. These may include the Title and Media View or Icon. If you give the user more information, this helps them decide whether they want to click on the ad.

For AppLovin Exchange demand, the maximum numbers of characters allowed for Title, Description, and CTA are as follows:

Asset	Maximum Character Count
Title	50 characters
Description	150 characters. You can add an ellipsis (…) after 149 characters, as the 150th character.
CTA	15 characters

For SDK-mediated networks, the network sets the maximum character counts.

How to Get the Media Content Aspect Ratio

The following code snippet demonstratyes how to get the media content aspect ratio of your native ad:

Java

@Override
public void onNativeAdLoaded(final MaxNativeAdView adView, final MaxAd ad)
{
  MaxNativeAd nativeAd = ad.getNativeAd();
  if ( nativeAd != null )
  {
    float aspectRatio = nativeAd.getMediaContentAspectRatio();
  }
}

Kotlin

override fun onNativeAdLoaded(nativeAdView: MaxNativeAdView?, ad: MaxAd) {
  val nativeAd = ad.nativeAd
  if (nativeAd != null) {
    val aspectRatio = nativeAd.mediaContentAspectRatio
  }
}

Note

Some networks do not provide media content aspect ratios. For those networks, the value is zero.

Supported Adapter Versions

Ad Network	Adapter Version
BidMachine	1.9.4.1
Google Ad Manager	20.5.0.2
Google Bidding and Google AdMob	20.5.0.2
InMobi	10.0.5.3
LINE	2021.5.11.9
Meta Audience Network	6.8.0.3
Mintegral	15.8.1.1
Pangle	4.1.1.5.2
Smaato	21.6.7.1
VK Ad Network	5.14.4.2
Yandex	5.3.0.1

Star Rating

Starting with AppLovin MAX SDK v11.7.0, you can access and render the star rating for the advertised app. This value, when available, is a floating point number in the range of [0.0, 5.0].

The MAX SDK automatically renders the stars in the container view that you designate as the star rating container. If the network does not provide the star rating, or if the star rating is < 3, the SDK does not fill the star rating container view. You are responsible for adjusting your layout accordingly.

To retrieve the star rating for the current ad:

Java

@Override
public void onNativeAdLoaded(final MaxNativeAdView adView, final MaxAd ad)
{
  MaxNativeAd nativeAd = ad.getNativeAd();
  if ( nativeAd != null )
  {
    Double starRating = nativeAd.getStarRating();
    if ( starRating == null || starRating < 3 )
    {
      // Star rating not available, or < 3 - hide star rating container view
      return;
    }

    // Star rating available and >= 3 - show star rating container view
  }
}

Kotlin

override fun onNativeAdLoaded(nativeAdView: MaxNativeAdView?, ad: MaxAd) {
  val nativeAd = ad.nativeAd
  if (nativeAd != null) {
    val starRating = nativeAd.starRating
    if (starRating == null || starRating < 3) {
      // Star rating not available, or < 3 - hide star rating container view
      return
    }

    // Star rating available and >= 3 - show star rating container view
  }
}

Supported Adapter Versions (Star Rating)

Ad Network	Adapter Version
Google Ad Manager	20.5.0.2
Google Bidding and Google AdMob	20.5.0.2
InMobi	10.1.2.3
Mintegral	16.3.41.1

Ad Placer

Ad Placer automatically inserts native ads into your existing content stream using RecyclerView. To integrate this API, take the following high-level steps:

1. Set up native ad layout.
2. Create ad placer settings.
3. Set up ad placer.
4. Configure ad rendering settings.
5. Optionally, set listener.

These steps are explained in greater detail below.

Per AppLovin’s policy, your ad must contain the Privacy Information icon. This icon links to an important privacy notice. You can bind to it via MaxNativeAdViewBinder.Builder#setOptionsContentViewGroupId(…).

1. Set Up Native Ad Layout

Ad placer supports either template or manual native ad layouts. See the “Tempates” and “Manual” sections of this page to learn how to configure such ad layouts. See Configure Ad Rendering Settings below to learn how to set up the ad placer to support your layout.

Note

Follow each network’s guidance and bind their required ad assets. Otherwise they may invalidate your impressions.

2. Create Ad Placer Settings

Create a MaxAdPlacerSettings object with your ad unit identifier. This object configures your ad placer and provides positioning information for ads in your feed.

Java

MaxAdPlacerSettings settings = new MaxAdPlacerSettings( "«ad-unit-ID»" );

Kotlin

val settings = MaxAdPlacerSettings("«ad-unit-ID»")

Configure Ad Positions

Ad placer positions ads in your feed. It does this based on at least one of the following:

1. a list of fixed index paths that indicate where to place ads
2. a repeating interval at which to regularly insert ads
   • Your ad placer inserts repeating ads after the last fixed position. If you do not set any fixed positions, your ad placer adds repeating ads after the first position in the stream. This interval value must be greater than or equal to 2. An interval value less than 2 disables the ad placer.

Configure ad positions by modifying MaxAdPlacerSettings:

1. To add a new fixed ad position (for example, at row 1):
   Java

   settings.addFixedPosition( 3 );

   Kotlin

   settings.addFixedPosition( 3 )

2. To remove existing fixed positions:
   Java

   settings.resetFixedPositions();

   Kotlin

   settings.resetFixedPositions()

3. To change the repeating interval (for example, to insert ads at every fifth position in the feed):
   Java

   settings.setRepeatingInterval( 5 );

   Kotlin

   settings.repeatingInterval = 5

Additional Settings

You can further configure your ad placer by adjusting these settings in MaxAdPlacerSettings:

maxAdCount

Set this to the maximum number of ads in a stream (default=256). If a stream contains multiple sections, this determines the maximum number of ads per ad section.

maxPreloadedAdCount

Set this to the maximum number of ads to preload for placement in a stream (default=4).

3. Set Up Ad Placer

Choose one of these two options when you set up your ad placer:

1. If your feed is based on a RecyclerView, use MaxRecyclerAdapter. The helper class wraps the original adapter. It automatically renders and inserts ads into the feed. You can access the underlying ad placer by calling getAdPlacer().
2. You may prefer either to subclass or to directly use MaxAdPlacer. You may want to do this, for example, if your feed uses some other custom UI component

Using MaxRecyclerAdapter

To set up your ad placer with MaxRecyclerAdapter follow these instructions:

1. Initialize MaxRecyclerAdapter with your settings, original adapter, and activity:
   Java

   adAdapter = new MaxRecyclerAdapter( settings, adapter, this );

   Kotlin

   adAdapter = MaxRecyclerAdapter(settings, adapter, this)

2. Set your recycler view’s adapter to the instantiated MaxRecyclerAdapter:
   Java

   recyclerView.setAdapter( adAdapter );

   Kotlin

   recyclerView.adapter = adAdapter

3. Update your code to implement the following:
   • Whenever you add or delete items from your stream, call the appropriate methods from your adapter. These methods notify the ad placer of updates to your stream:
     • notifyItemInserted()
     • notifyItemRemoved()
     • notifyItemsInserted()
     • notifyItemsRemoved()
   • If you register any data observers on your original adapter, register them on the MaxRecyclerAdapter instead. This way, they receive the adjusted position of content items after ad insertion.
   • If any other parts of your code depend on a content item’s position before ad insertion, convert the position to its original position. Do this by calling adAdapter.getOriginalPosition().
4. Call loadAds() to start loading ads:
   Java

   adAdapter.loadAds();

   Kotlin

   adAdapter.loadAds()

The following code shows how you load ads into a recycler view by using MaxRecyclerAdapter:

Java

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
  super.onCreate( savedInstanceState );
  // Create your own recycler view and original adapter
  ⋮

  // Configure ad adapter
  MaxAdPlacerSettings settings = new MaxAdPlacerSettings( "«ad-unit-ID»" );
  settings.setRepeatingInterval( 5 );
  adAdapter = new MaxRecyclerAdapter( settings, originalAdapter, this );

  // Optionally, register listener
  adAdapter.setListener( this );

  // Configure recycler view and load ads
  recyclerView.setAdapter( adAdapter );
  adAdapter.loadAds();
}

@Override
public void onDestroy()
{
  adAdapter.destroy();
  super.onDestroy();
}

Kotlin

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?)
{
  super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
  // Create your own recycler view and original adapter
  ⋮

  // Configure ad adapter
  val settings = MaxAdPlacerSettings("«ad-unit-ID»")
  settings.repeatingInterval = 5
  adAdapter = MaxRecyclerAdapter(settings, originalAdapter, this)

  // Optionally, register listener
  adAdapter.listener = this

  // Configure recycler view and load ads
  recycler.adapter = adAdapter
  adAdapter.loadAds()
}

override fun onDestroy()
{
  adAdapter.destroy()
  super.onDestroy()
}

4. Configure Ad Rendering Settings

Templates

If you use a default template, the ad view automatically sizes to 360×120 for “Small” and 360×300 for “Medium” templates.

You can customize the rendered ad size by calling setAdSize on the ad placer before you load ads. For example, to set the ad size with a width of 300 and height of 200, make this call:

Java

adAdapter.getAdPlacer().setAdSize( 300, 200 );

Kotlin

adAdapter.adPlacer.setAdSize(300, 200)

You may also pass a value of −1 (MATCH_PARENT) for the width or height. When you do so, the ad view fills the corresponding dimension of its parent view.

Manual

If you use a manual layout, you must call setNativeAdViewBinder on the ad placer before you load ads. Always set the ad size when you use manual templates. This optimizes rendering.

Note

When you use MaxRecyclerAdapter, if the width of the desired ad size exceeds the width of its parent item view, the ad placer resizes so it can fit the width of the item. When this happens, for “Small” templates the height is preserved; for “Medium” templates the aspect ratio is preserved. For manual templates, the dimensions are not resized to fit.

5. Optionally Set Listener

The ad placer supports an optional listener that notifies you of events:

• onAdLoaded()
• onAdRemoved()
• onAdClicked()
• onAdRevenuePaid()