Rewarded ads

Rewarded ads are ads that users have the option of interacting with in exchange for in-app rewards. This guide shows you how to integrate rewarded ads from AdMob into an iOS app. Read some customer success stories: case study 1, case study 2.

Prerequisites

• Google Mobile Ads SDK 8.0.0 or higher.
• Complete the Get started guide.

Always test with test ads

When building and testing your apps, make sure you use test ads rather than live, production ads. Failure to do so can lead to suspension of your account.

The easiest way to load test ads is to use our dedicated test ad unit ID for iOS rewarded ads:

ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313

It's been specially configured to return test ads for every request, and you're free to use it in your own apps while coding, testing, and debugging. Just make sure you replace it with your own ad unit ID before publishing your app.

For more information about how the Mobile Ads SDK's test ads work, see Test Ads.

Implementation

The primary steps to integrate rewarded ads are as follows:

• Load an ad
• [Optional] Validate SSV callbacks
• Register for callbacks
• Display the ad and handle the reward event

Load an ad

Loading an ad is accomplished using the load(adUnitID:request) method on the GADRewardedAd class.

Swift

import GoogleMobileAds
import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

  private var rewardedAd: GADRewardedAd?

  func loadRewardedAd() async {
    do {
      rewardedAd = try await GADRewardedAd.load(
        withAdUnitID: "ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313", request: GADRequest())
    } catch {
      print("Rewarded ad failed to load with error: \(error.localizedDescription)")
    }
  }
}

SwiftUI

import GoogleMobileAds

class RewardedViewModel: NSObject, ObservableObject, GADFullScreenContentDelegate {
  @Published var coins = 0
  private var rewardedAd: GADRewardedAd?

  func loadAd() async {
    do {
      rewardedAd = try await GADRewardedAd.load(
        withAdUnitID: "ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313", request: GADRequest())
      rewardedAd?.fullScreenContentDelegate = self
    } catch {
      print("Failed to load rewarded ad with error: \(error.localizedDescription)")
    }
  }
RewardedViewModel.swift

Objective-C

@import GoogleMobileAds;
@import UIKit;

@interface ViewController ()

@property(nonatomic, strong) GADRewardedAd *rewardedAd;

@end

@implementation ViewController
- (void)loadRewardedAd {
  GADRequest *request = [GADRequest request];
  [GADRewardedAd
      loadWithAdUnitID:@"ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313"
                request:request
      completionHandler:^(GADRewardedAd *ad, NSError *error) {
        if (error) {
          NSLog(@"Rewarded ad failed to load with error: %@", [error localizedDescription]);
          return;
        }
        self.rewardedAd = ad;
        NSLog(@"Rewarded ad loaded.");
      }];
}

Tip: You can use ad load calls to build up a cache of preloaded ads before you intend to show them, so that ads can be shown with zero latency when needed. Since ads expire after an hour, you should clear this cache and reload with new ads every hour.

[Optional] Validate server-side verification (SSV) callbacks

Apps that require extra data in server-side verification callbacks should use the custom data feature of rewarded ads. Any string value set on a rewarded ad object is passed to the custom_data query parameter of the SSV callback. If no custom data value is set, the custom_data query parameter value won't be present in the SSV callback.

The following code sample demonstrates how to set custom data on a rewarded ad object before requesting an ad.

Swift

do {
  rewardedAd = try await GADRewardedAd.load(
    withAdUnitID: "ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313", request: GADRequest())
  let options = GADServerSideVerificationOptions()
  options.customRewardString = "SAMPLE_CUSTOM_DATA_STRING"
  rewardedAd.serverSideVerificationOptions = options
} catch {
  print("Rewarded ad failed to load with error: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}

Objective-C

[GADRewardedAd
     loadWithAdUnitID:@"ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313"
              request:[GADRequest request];
    completionHandler:^(GADRewardedAd *ad, NSError *error) {
      if (error) {
        // Handle Error
        return;
      }
      self.rewardedAd = ad;
      GADServerSideVerificationOptions *options =
          [[GADServerSideVerificationOptions alloc] init];
      options.customRewardString = @"SAMPLE_CUSTOM_DATA_STRING";
      ad.serverSideVerificationOptions = options;
    }];

Important: As of SDK version 7.50.0, you can set the custom reward string at any time.

Key Point: The custom reward string is percent escaped and might require decoding when parsed from the SSV callback.

Register for callbacks

In order to receive notifications for presentation events, you must implement the GADFullScreenContentDelegate protocol and assign it to the fullScreenContentDelegate property of the returned ad. The GADFullScreenContentDelegate protocol handles callbacks for when the ad presents successfully or unsuccessfully, and when it is dismissed. The following code shows how to implement the protocol and assign it to the ad:

Swift

import GoogleMobileAds
import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController, GADFullScreenContentDelegate {

  private var rewardedAd: GADRewardedAd?

  func loadRewardedAd() async {
    do {
      rewardedAd = try await GADRewardedAd.load(
        withAdUnitID: "ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1712485313", request: GADRequest())
      rewardedAd?.fullScreenContentDelegate = self
    } catch {
      print("Rewarded ad failed to load with error: \(error.localizedDescription)")
    }
  }

  /// Tells the delegate that the ad failed to present full screen content.
  func ad(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd, didFailToPresentFullScreenContentWithError error: Error) {
    print("Ad did fail to present full screen content.")
  }

  /// Tells the delegate that the ad will present full screen content.
  func adWillPresentFullScreenContent(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
    print("Ad will present full screen content.")
  }

  /// Tells the delegate that the ad dismissed full screen content.
  func adDidDismissFullScreenContent(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
    print("Ad did dismiss full screen content.")
  }
}

SwiftUI

Assign the fullScreenContentDelegate property to the returned ad:

rewardedAd?.fullScreenContentDelegate = self
RewardedViewModel.swift

Implement the protocol:

func adDidRecordImpression(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
  print("\(#function) called")
}

func adDidRecordClick(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
  print("\(#function) called")
}

func ad(
  _ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd,
  didFailToPresentFullScreenContentWithError error: Error
) {
  print("\(#function) called")
}

func adWillPresentFullScreenContent(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
  print("\(#function) called")
}

func adWillDismissFullScreenContent(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
  print("\(#function) called")
}

func adDidDismissFullScreenContent(_ ad: GADFullScreenPresentingAd) {
  print("\(#function) called")
  // Clear the rewarded ad.
  rewardedAd = nil
}
RewardedViewModel.swift

Objective-C

@interface ViewController () <GADFullScreenContentDelegate>

@property(nonatomic, strong) GADRewardedAd *rewardedAd;

@end

@implementation ViewController
- (void)loadRewardedAd {
  GADRequest *request = [GADRequest request];
  [GADRewardedAd
      loadWithAdUnitID:@"ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/4806952744"
                request:request
      completionHandler:^(GADRewardedAd *ad, NSError *error) {
        if (error) {
          NSLog(@"Rewarded ad failed to load with error: %@", [error localizedDescription]);
          return;
        }
        self.rewardedAd = ad;
        NSLog(@"Rewarded ad loaded.");
        self.rewardedAd.fullScreenContentDelegate = self;
      }];
}

/// Tells the delegate that the ad failed to present full screen content.
- (void)ad:(nonnull id<GADFullScreenPresentingAd>)ad
    didFailToPresentFullScreenContentWithError:(nonnull NSError *)error {
    NSLog(@"Ad did fail to present full screen content.");
}

/// Tells the delegate that the ad will present full screen content.
- (void)adWillPresentFullScreenContent:(nonnull id<GADFullScreenPresentingAd>)ad {
    NSLog(@"Ad will present full screen content.");
}

/// Tells the delegate that the ad dismissed full screen content.
- (void)adDidDismissFullScreenContent:(nonnull id<GADFullScreenPresentingAd>)ad {
    NSLog(@"Ad did dismiss full screen content.");
}

GADRewardedAd is a one-time-use object. This means that once a rewarded ad is shown, it cannot be shown again. A best practice is to load another rewarded ad in the adDidDismissFullScreenContent: method on GADFullScreenContentDelegate so that the next rewarded ad starts loading as soon as the previous one is dismissed.

Display the ad and handle the reward event

Before displaying a rewarded ad to users, you must present the user with an explicit choice to view rewarded ad content in exchange for a reward. Rewarded ads must always be an opt-in experience.

When presenting your ad, you must provide a GADUserDidEarnRewardHandler object to handle the reward for the user.

The following code presents the best method for displaying a rewarded ad.

Swift

func show() {
  guard let rewardedAd = rewardedAd else {
    return print("Ad wasn't ready.")
  }

  // The UIViewController parameter is an optional.
  ad.present(fromRootViewController: nil) {
    let reward = ad.adReward
    print("Reward received with currency \(reward.amount), amount \(reward.amount.doubleValue)")
    // TODO: Reward the user.
  }
}

SwiftUI

Listen to UI events in the view to determine when to show the ad.

var body: some View {
  VStack(spacing: 20) {
      Button("Watch video for additional 10 coins") {
        viewModel.showAd()
        showWatchVideoButton = false
      }
RewardedContentView.swift

Present the rewarded ad from the view model:

func showAd() {
  guard let rewardedAd = rewardedAd else {
    return print("Ad wasn't ready.")
  }

  rewardedAd.present(fromRootViewController: nil) {
    let reward = rewardedAd.adReward
    print("Reward amount: \(reward.amount)")
    self.addCoins(reward.amount.intValue)
  }
}
RewardedViewModel.swift

Objective-C

- (void)show {
  if (self.rewardedAd) {
    // The UIViewController parameter is nullable.
    [self.rewardedAd presentFromRootViewController:nil
                                  userDidEarnRewardHandler:^{
                                  GADAdReward *reward =
                                      self.rewardedAd.adReward;
                                  // TODO: Reward the user!
                                }];
  } else {
    NSLog(@"Ad wasn't ready");
  }
}

FAQ

Can I get the reward details for the GADRewardedAd?

Yes, if you need the reward amount before the userDidEarnReward callback is fired, GADRewardedAd has an adReward property that you can check to verify the reward amount after the ad has loaded.

Is there a timeout for the initialization call?

After 10 seconds, the Google Mobile Ads SDK invokes the GADInitializationCompletionHandler provided to the startWithCompletionHandler: method, even if a mediation network still hasn't completed initialization.

What if some mediation networks aren't ready when I get the initialization callback?

We recommend loading an ad inside the GADInitializationCompletionHandler. Even if a mediation network is not ready, the Google Mobile Ads SDK still asks that network for an ad. So if a mediation network finishes initializing after the timeout, it can still service future ad requests in that session.

You can continue to poll the initialization status of all adapters throughout your app session by calling GADMobileAds.initializationStatus.

How do I find out why a particular mediation network isn't ready?

The description property of a GADAdapterStatus object describes why an adapter is not ready to service ad requests.

Does the userDidEarnRewardHandler completion handler always get called before the adDidDismissFullScreenContent: delegate method?

For Google ads, all userDidEarnRewardHandler calls occur before adDidDismissFullScreenContent:. For ads served through mediation, the third-party ad network SDK's implementation determines the callback order. For ad network SDKs that provide a single delegate method with reward information, the mediation adapter invokes userDidEarnRewardHandler before adDidDismissFullScreenContent:.

Examples on GitHub

View the full rewarded ads examples in your preferred language:

• Swift
• SwiftUI
• Objective-C

Next steps

Learn more about user privacy.