<b>Rewarded video vs interstitial: the install-quality gap nobody priced in</b>

<b>Rewarded video vs interstitial: the install-quality gap nobody priced in</b>

Rewarded gets praised for opt-in intent. But the install-quality delta against interstitial is smaller than the pitch decks claim — and it inverts by vertical.

Rewarded video
✓ Higher D1 retention on gaming (user chose to watch for a reward)
✗ Heavy 'reward-seeker' overlap — same users hit dozens of offers, low LTV on non-gaming

Interstitial
✓ Surprisingly strong for utility and finance apps — interruption forces a deliberate tap
✗ Higher misclick rate inflates installs that never open

The real tell is your open-rate-to-install ratio. Rewarded sources below 70% open are reward-farms; interstitial below 55% is fat-finger traffic. Cut both at those thresholds regardless of CPI.

Verdict: rewarded for gaming retention, interstitial for high-intent utility — judge by open-rate, not by format reputation.
Best for: media buyers allocating across in-app ad formats.