Behavioural policies

AdMob allows publishers to generate earnings from their apps using AdMob and Google ads. Publishers who wish to participate in AdMob must comply with our online AdSense programme policies, with the additions and exceptions described below. If you fail to comply with these policies, we reserve the right to disable ad serving to your app and/or disable your AdMob account at any time.

Exceptions to AdSense policies

In principle, all AdMob publishers must follow our online programme policies – however, there are certain policies that differ between AdSense and AdMob. Please see the exceptions below.

View exceptions

Ad behaviour

AdMob has an ad refresh function that can be used by mobile applications that use the Google Mobile Ads SDK. The refresh rate may not be set to a value outside the range specified in the SDK.

Invalid clicks and impressions

Publishers may not click their own ads or use any means to inflate impressions and/or clicks artificially, including manual methods. Testing your own ads by clicking them is not allowed.

Please use test ads (available for Android, iOS) to avoid generating invalid clicks.

Find out more about invalid clicks and impressions

Google treats invalid activity very seriously, analysing all clicks and impressions to determine whether they fit a pattern of use that might artificially drive up an advertiser's costs or a publisher's earnings. If we determine that an AdMob account might pose a risk to our advertisers, then we may disable that account to protect our advertisers' interests.

Publishers disabled for invalid activity or for violating our policies may be barred from any further participation in other Google publisher monetisation solutions. This means, for example, that if a publisher had an AdMob account disabled for invalid activity or policy violations, they would not be able to use AdSense to monetise, and vice versa. For this reason, these publishers may not open new accounts.

If a publisher opens additional accounts, the accounts will be flagged as duplicates and one or both accounts will be disabled.

For additional information about invalid activity, please visit our Ad Traffic Quality Resource Centre.

Ad placement

Publishers are encouraged to experiment with a variety of placements and ad formats, but must comply with the Google Publisher Policies. Please also review our implementation guidance.

Apps that offer compensation programmes

Google ads may not be placed on apps that promise payment or incentives to users who click on ads, surf the web, read emails or perform other similar tasks. Placing Google ads on such apps may result in invalid impressions or clicks and is therefore prohibited. Similarly, Google ads may not be placed on apps that primarily drive traffic to, promote or provide instructional materials on how to implement such services.

Sub-syndication and ad network mediation

Publishers may not enter into sub-syndication relationships (i.e. Google should have a direct relationship with the publisher, rather than through an intermediate party).

Find out more about sub-syndication and ad network mediation

Restricted information sharing

• Metrics: Publishers may not share access to the AdMob reporting console (unless with AdMob’s prior written consent regarding which metrics to share).
• Code: Publishers may not share either source Google SDK code or uncompiled Google SDK code with any third party.

AdMob Mediation

AdMob’s network mediation service is intended to enable access to third party ad networks’ first party advertiser demand (as opposed to demand from exchanges, mediators or optimisers). Reporting in AdMob for ads served through AdMob's network mediation features may differ from reporting by third-party ad networks. AdMob accepts no responsibility for discrepancies in reporting, or for the performance or results of third-party ad networks or software. The following policies apply to publishers using AdMob’s network mediation feature or any other mediation feature:

• Publishers will adhere to the AdSense programme policy for the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA);
• Publishers must adhere to the Platforms programme policies and the Google Publisher Policies;
• Any additional implementation and technical guidelines as may be provided by AdMob;
• Publisher may not use AdMob's mediation service in a manner that would violate the Publisher’s agreement(s) with any third-party ad network;
• AdMob revenue share will be paid only to the publisher;
• AdMob is not obligated to provide support to, guarantee compatibility with, or discuss discrepancy resolution with any third party; and
• For a given impression, publishers may not make repeated ad calls for Google ads in a manner that attempts to interfere with, abuse or gain an unfair advantage in the ad auction.
• For publishers using app platform feature(s), publishers are not permitted to pass the impression opportunity through any intermediary (including publisher’s own system) that dynamically or programmatically allocates ad requests based on actual, estimated or other real-time pricing information. App platform feature(s) include bidding.

Beta features

Some features may be identified as "beta" or otherwise unsupported ("beta features"). Google may cease providing beta feature(s) at any time at its discretion. Google may not, at its discretion, provide any technical support services in relation to beta features. Publishers may not disclose to any third party any information from beta features, the existence of non-public beta features or access to beta features.

Personalised advertising

Google may use the advertising ID from the device on which the ad is serving to generate interests and demographics (for example, 'sports enthusiasts'). Interests, demographics, and other data may be used to serve better targeted ads to the user. Additionally, your app's privacy policy may need to be updated to reflect the use of personalised advertising (formerly known as interest-based advertising) served via the Google Mobile Ads SDK. Please take a moment to review your app's privacy policies and ensure that they are up-to-date. Because publisher pages and laws vary across countries, we're unable to suggest specific privacy policy language.

To complement personalised advertising (formerly known as interest-based advertising), Ads Settings lets users view and edit their interests and demographics. Some users may choose to opt out of personalised ads.

Last updated: 30 September 2021