Market (Mobile)·Updated Apr 8, 2026 by ironSource
Rewarded ads and in-app purchases (IAP) do not cannibalize each other, allowing for a hybrid monetization strategy that maximizes revenue without sacrificing user experience.
The percentage of users making occasional IAPs has grown significantly to approximately one-third of the total user base, up from 2-3% five years ago.
Free apps with IAP are the dominant model, accounting for 52% of all gaming app downloads.
Consumer spending on IAPs has increased, with 15-17% of users reporting higher expenditure compared to five years ago.
While preferences are split between IAP and ad-supported models, 24% of Gen Z users are specifically willing to pay a one-time fee to remove advertisements.
Generation X demonstrates a unique preference profile, favoring occasional or frequent IAP while still preferring an overall ad-supported experience.
The 2022 study, conducted between April and May, utilized a sample of 30,457 participants across the ironSource network to validate these monetization trends.
Rewarded ads and in-app purchases (IAP) do not cannibalize each other, allowing for a hybrid monetization strategy that maximizes revenue without sacrificing user experience.
The percentage of users making occasional IAPs has grown significantly to approximately one-third of the total user base, up from 2-3% five years ago.
Free apps with IAP are the dominant model, accounting for 52% of all gaming app downloads.
Consumer spending on IAPs has increased, with 15-17% of users reporting higher expenditure compared to five years ago.
While preferences are split between IAP and ad-supported models, 24% of Gen Z users are specifically willing to pay a one-time fee to remove advertisements.
Generation X demonstrates a unique preference profile, favoring occasional or frequent IAP while still preferring an overall ad-supported experience.
The 2022 study, conducted between April and May, utilized a sample of 30,457 participants across the ironSource network to validate these monetization trends.