Rewarded UA in 2026

Rewarded user acquisition has shifted from a niche experiment to a mainstream channel, with 93 % of surveyed developers already investing in it and 61 % planning to raise budgets. The survey, conducted by Atomik Research between December 2025 and January 2026, sampled 912 developers across ten tier‑1 markets, all of whom were familiar with rewarded UA. The data reveal that 76 % of studios use rewarded acquisition as part of their marketing mix, and 43 % allocate 11‑24 % of total UA spend to the channel; an additional 22 % devote 25‑50 %, while roughly the same proportion spend only 5‑10 %. Most studios (74 %) work with four or more rewarded channels, and a minimum daily spend of $3,000 is identified as necessary for efficient operation.

Timing of adoption varies: 46 % launch rewarded UA within the first three months, 30 % between three and twelve months, and only 7 % wait a year or more. A minority (17 %) introduce the channel at soft launch, indicating early‑stage engagement is a priority. Common trigger events include level completion (45 %), daily streaks (42 %), in‑app purchases (41 %), loyalty progression (37 %), sessions (32 %) and re‑engagement (28 %). Almedia recommends a multi‑tiered reward structure that balances short‑term engagement with long‑term retention, citing a case study where extending rewards from 50 to 90 days improved ROAS for a mobile title.

Key concerns among developers include churn once rewards expire, data volatility, fraud risk, limited scalability and lack of transparency. The findings underscore rewarded UA’s growing importance in global mobile acquisition strategies, especially within tier‑1 economies, and highlight the need for robust budgeting and reward design to sustain long‑term player value.