Get Started

Release Version	Release Date
3.1.3	04.09.2023

Follow this guide to get the best out of Appodeal.

The Appodeal SDK gives you access to 70+ Ad Demand Sources and makes them compete against each other in a real-time auction, maximizing your ad revenues. The Appodeal SDK also provides In-app Bidding, Automatic UA Optimization, User Segmentation & A/B Testing, Cross-Promotion and Direct Deals, Instant Payouts, and much more.

info

Appodeal SDK provides two ways of integration. From the options below, choose the one that fits your needs better:

Appodeal SDK Full Package

The Appodeal SDK Full Package - The Appodeal SDK provides you with tools to grow your mobile apps and games. In addition to the monetization services, you can benefit from UA (User Acquisition) and in-app analytics services. Here is the list of services Appodeal SDK Full Package includes:

• Get started with Appodeal to gain access to Monetization and Analytics.

• Connect with Adjust or AppsFlyer to unlock Attribution features.

• Connect with Meta (formerly known as facebook-core) for User Acquisition.

• Connect with Firebase for Analytics + remote config for product A/B tests and settings.

If you plan to run UA campaigns, want to analyze your metrics in our Appodeal's business intelligence tool without using MMP, or want to use remote config for tests and settings, your option is - The Appodeal SDK Full Package.

Appodeal SDK Mediation Only

The Appodeal SDK Mediation only - If you do not plan to run (UA) User Acquisition campaigns, nor want to use Appodeal advanced analytics, we have created a lite version of our SDK, only with mediation. During the integration, you will not be required to install any additional services apart from mediation. This may speed up your integration process, and you can always upgrade to the Full Package whenever you're ready.

---

tip

Please follow this integration guide step by step and choose your integration option when needed.

The following document shows how to integrate Appodeal in your Android project with your desired networks via gradle build setup, and configure all your ad formats.

Minimum requirements:

Android API level 21 (Android OS 5.0) or higher.

You can use our demo app as a reference project.

Demo App

Step 1. Import SDK

Configure Build.gradle

Appodeal SDK Full Package

Please select the ad types that are used in your application and the ad networks that you want to include.

Disabling ad networks

As you have selected Appodeal SDK Full Package option, make sure you have not excluded services from the build.

We recommend using the standard configuration, as disabling some of the recommended adapters can negatively affect revenue.

Appodeal SDK Mediation Only

If you want to use Appodeal as a mediation only, you need to exclude services from the build.

Please select the ad types that are used in your application and the ad networks that you want to include, make sure services are excluded.

Disabling ad networks

We recommend using the standard configuration, as disabling some of the recommended adapters can negatively affect revenue.

Banner

Traditional ad format that neatly places a small ad at the top or bottom of the screen.

Interstitial

Attention-grabbing full-screen ad with a static ad display.

Rewarded Ad

User-initiated ads where users can earn in-app rewards in exchange for viewing a video ad.

MREC

Medium-rectangule ads (300x250px) that appear within in-app content.

Native Ad

Ad format that seamlessly fits within the context of an app’s content.

Ad Networks

Services

Generated code

1. Insert following code into your settings.gradle at the root of project

settings.gradle

// Example project-level settings.gradle
dependencyResolutionManagement {
    repositoriesMode.set(RepositoriesMode.FAIL_ON_PROJECT_REPOS)
    repositories {
        // ... other project repositories
        
    }
}

2. Insert following code into your app-level build.gradle

build.gradle

// Example app-level build.gradle (excerpt)
android {
    // ... other options
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
        targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
    }
}

Once that's done, save the file and perform the Gradle sync.

Step 2. Set Up The Project

Network Security Configuration

Android 9.0 (API 28) blocks cleartext (non-HTTPS) traffic by default, which can prevent ads from serving correctly. Read more on this here.

To prevent the android system from blocking http traffic, follow these steps:

1. Add the Network Security Configuration file to your AndroidManifest.xml :

AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest>
    <application
        ...
        android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config">
    </application>
</manifest>

2. In your network_security_config.xml file, add base-config that sets cleartextTrafficPermitted to true :

network_security_config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<network-security-config>
    <base-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">
        <trust-anchors>
            <certificates src="system" />
        </trust-anchors>
    </base-config>
    <domain-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">
        <domain includeSubdomains="true">127.0.0.1</domain>
    </domain-config>
</network-security-config>

Configure Admob Meta-data

note

Only if you use AdMob adapter.

Add your AdMob app id to meta-data tag:

XML

<manifest>
    <application>
        <!-- Add your AdMob App ID -->
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
            android:value="ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~yyyyyyyyyy"/>
    </application>
</manifest>

You may find the AdMob app id in your personal account on the AdMob page:

For more information about Admob sync check out our Admob guide.

Step 3. Initialize SDK

We recommended to call initialization method in your MainActivity - onCreate method only once in your whole app:

Kotlin

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    Appodeal.initialize(activity, "APP_KEY", adTypes, object : ApdInitializationCallback {
        override fun onInitializationFinished(errors: List<ApdInitializationError>?) {
            // Appodeal initialization finished
        }
    })
}

Java

@Override
protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    Appodeal.initialize(activity, "APP_KEY", adTypes, new ApdInitializationCallback() {
        @Override
        public void onInitializationFinished(@Nullable List<ApdInitializationError> errors) {
            // Appodeal initialization finished
        }
    });
}

• activity - Activity of your application.

• Replace APP_KEY with the actual app key. You can find it in the list of applications in your personal account.

• adTypes - Ad formats. Initialize only those ad types you want to use in your app to avoid getting ad requests to unused ones. Use the type codes below to set the preferred ad format:

  • Appodeal.INTERSTITIAL for interstitial;
  • Appodeal.REWARDED_VIDEO for rewarded videos;
  • Appodeal.NATIVE for native ads;
  • Appodeal.BANNER for banners;
  • Appodeal.MREC for 300*250 banners.

Ad types can be combined using or operator.

For example, Appodeal.INTERSTITIAL or Appodeal.REWARDED_VIDEO.

• callback - Appodeal initialization callback. The initialization callback is used to determine the result of the Appodeal SDK initialization and is called when the initialization process is completed. If initialization succeeds, list of errors is null. Otherwise, it contains a list of errors.

Step 4. Configure Ad Types

Appodeal SDK is now imported and you're ready to implement an ad. Appodeal offers a number of different ad formats, so you can choose the one that best fits your app's user experience.

Attention-grabbing full-screen ad with a static ad display.

Implement Interstitial

User-initiated ads where users can earn in-app rewards in exchange for viewing a video ad.

Implement Rewarded Ad

Traditional ad format that neatly places a small ad at the top or bottom of the screen.

Implement Banner

Medium-rectangule ads (300x250px) that appear within in-app content.

Implement MREC

Ad format that seamlessly fits within the context of an app’s content.

Implement Native Ad

Step 5. What's next

Add Privacy Policy

Make sure to add Privacy Policy to your app on Google Play that links to Appodeal's Privacy Policy Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement

danger

Google policy, location permissions may only be requested to provide features beneficial to the user and relevant to the core functionality of the app. You cannot request access to location data for the sole purpose of advertising or analytics. If you are not using location for the main functions of your app

• Remove location permission in your app by adding the following code to AndroidManifest.xml and under the tag.

AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    package="com.example.app">
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"
    tools:node="remove" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION"
    tools:node="remove" />
</manifest>

• Update the app on Google Play. During the publishing process, make sure there are no location warnings in Google Play Console.

If you are using location for the main functions of your app

• Fill out the Location permissions declaration form in Google Play Console. You can read more about the declaration form here.

• Update the app on Google Play. During the publishing process, make sure there are no location warnings in Google Play Console.

info

Some networks and 3rd party dependencies (related to network dependencies) can include their own permissions to the manifest. If you want to force remove such permissions you can refer to this guide.

Add App-ads.txt File

The app-ads.txt file is a text file which provides a mechanism for publishers to declare their authorized digital sellers.

You can find detailed information here