Interstitial vs rewarded vs native: matching format to the offer, not the eCPM

Interstitial vs rewarded vs native: matching format to the offer, not the eCPM

The highest-eCPM format is often the worst fit. Match to user intent.

Rewarded video
— ✓ Opt-in, highest completion and intent, no churn penalty
— ✗ Needs a reward economy, useless without an in-app currency

Interstitial
— ✓ Big eCPM, no game economy required
— ✗ Interrupts flow, mistimed ones spike D1 churn fast

Native
— ✓ Blends into feeds, best for content and utility apps
— ✗ Lower eCPM, demands real design work to perform

Games with a currency loop should lead with rewarded. Utility apps with natural breakpoints can run interstitials if you gate frequency. Feed-based content apps should go native and accept the lower CPM for retention.

Verdict: rewarded for games with economies, interstitial for utility with breakpoints, native for feeds.
Best for: publishers picking a format before chasing the eCPM leaderboard.