AdMob eCPM and match rate: how to read and improve them

Updated 24 October 2026 · 7 min read

The AdMob revenue chain

Every AdMob dollar passes through the same steps: your app asks for an ad, AdMob finds one (or doesn’t), the ad is shown (or isn’t), and you’re paid at some price. In numbers:

Earnings ≈ ad requests × match rate × show rate × eCPM ÷ 1,000

Metric	Formula	What it tells you
Ad requests	Count of requests your app sent	How much inventory you offer (users × sessions × placements)
Match rate	Matched requests ÷ ad requests	How often demand was found for a request
Show rate	Impressions ÷ matched requests	How often a loaded ad was actually shown
eCPM	Earnings ÷ impressions × 1,000	The price you’re getting per 1,000 impressions

Reading a drop

• Requests down: fewer users or sessions, a placement removed in a new release, or an SDK integration problem.
• Match rate down: less demand for your inventory — often in particular countries or formats, after a policy issue, or when consent signals limit personalised ads in some regions.
• Show rate down: ads are loading but not being shown — for example interstitials loaded too early and expiring, or placements users rarely reach.
• eCPM down: lower prices — seasonal budget resets, a shift towards lower-paying countries, or a change in format mix. See why ad revenue varies by country.

Ways to improve match rate

1. Add demand. AdMob mediation and bidding let more ad sources compete for each request.
2. Publish an app-ads.txt file on your developer website so buyers can verify your inventory.
3. Handle consent properly in regions that require it, using a certified consent management platform, so eligible requests aren’t left unfilled.
4. Keep your SDK up to date and check the AdMob policy centre for issues that limit ad serving.

Ways to improve eCPM

1. Choose formats users value. Rewarded and full-screen formats usually earn far higher eCPMs than small banners — used where they fit the experience.
2. Place ads at natural breaks rather than squeezing more banners onto a screen; accidental clicks get discounted and hurt advertiser trust.
3. Use floors carefully. Higher price floors can raise eCPM but lower match rate; judge them by total earnings, not eCPM alone.
4. Grow high-value markets through localised store listings and features.

Watch the chain, not one number

eCPM going up while match rate falls can still mean less money. Looking at requests, match rate, impressions, eCPM and earnings together is the only way to know. Monetrix puts them side by side for every app, ad unit and format, on iPhone and Android.

Related guides

• How to check your AdSense, AdMob and YouTube earnings on your phone
• RPM, CPM, eCPM, CTR and CPC explained
• AdSense vs AdMob: what’s the difference?