How to Launch In-App Campaigns with IronSource

When Meta and Google Ads are killing creatives and throttling delivery, in-app traffic sources become a solid alternative. They allow you to run stable campaigns in any GEO — including Russia — and provide high-quality traffic without fraud or bans.

IronSource is an ad network within the Unity ecosystem, connected to 88% of top mobile games in the US, and reaching up to 2.5 billion users monthly. The platform automatically optimizes ad delivery based on CPA and works well with interactive formats.

Getting access to IronSource isn’t easy — creating an account is nearly impossible. It’s much simpler and faster to get an agency account, for example via RentAcc, allowing you to launch campaigns instantly without any wait.

In this article, we’ll break down how IronSource works, what offers to run, and why it’s worth trying.

How IronSource Works

IronSource is a full ecosystem for monetizing and promoting mobile apps. It’s designed for in-app advertising, with a focus on developers and advertisers looking for scalable revenue and high-quality traffic.

Put simply, IronSource works as a mediation platform between advertisers and app owners — offering solid traffic and profitable terms.

Traffic is bought via an RTB model: you upload creatives, select GEOs and platforms — the algorithm takes care of the rest. The platform automatically optimizes delivery based on your goals: CPI, ROAS, retention, or in-app events.

Key features:

• A powerful engine for automatic optimization — no need for manual micromanagement
• Advanced traffic filtering — helps avoid fraud but may cut performance if misconfigured
• Works alongside Unity Ads, AdMob, Meta Audience Network, and more
• Creative formats are mainly interactive ads: playables, rewarded, interstitials. Banners and static ads are rare.

IronSource decides where and how to deliver your ads. Your job is to set the right goals, upload creatives, and monitor performance.

What Offers Work on IronSource

Although IronSource was originally built for developers, it also works great for affiliate traffic — as long as the offer fits in-app requirements and passes moderation.

Here's what works on IronSource:

Gambling & Betting. In-app traffic is more lenient than web. Avoid direct creatives — use quizzes, decoy apps, or native pre-landers.

Finance. Microloans, crypto, investments — especially offers with SDK integration or white-label apps.

Dating. IronSource doesn’t allow direct adult content, but soft dating offers or psychological quizzes can get through.

Nutra. Mobile subscriptions, trials, diet/wellness apps. Best-performing offers are those with long LTV and trackable in-app purchases.

If you’re unsure what to run, go for offers with long LTV, clear event tracking, and a stable funnel. These have higher chances of passing moderation and scaling. Offers with SDK or white-label apps are usually the easiest to work with.

Why Try IronSource

If you're tired of bans in Meta and unstable TikTok traffic — IronSource can be a solid solution.

Here's what you need to know:

• Stable delivery. Unlike social platforms, there are no random drops caused by policies or ad reviews. Just pass moderation and keep it clean.
• Flexible optimization. The algorithm picks the best placements based on GEO, app category, and time of day.
• High-quality traffic. You reach users inside apps, where engagement is higher and competition is lower than with traditional banners.
• SDK support. With SDK integration, you get maximum analytics for revenue and user behavior.

IronSource is a stable, automation-friendly platform for in-app advertising. Unlike Facebook, there’s no need to warm up accounts or manually manage delivery — everything is optimized automatically. That’s why it’s worth considering as a serious alternative if you’re working with in-app traffic.

Tips for a Successful Launch

To get the most out of IronSource, approach your campaigns like a developer: focus on metrics, user engagement, and traffic quality.

IPM is the #1 metric. Installs per 1000 impressions. The higher your IPM, the better your creative — and the cheaper your traffic. Make creatives bold and attention-grabbing.

Optimize for multiple goals. The platform can optimize for installs, registrations, and deposits. To unlock deposit optimization, you’ll need 5,000 installs and 100 deposits within one GEO over 90 days.

Accelerate approvals. Don’t launch just one campaign — launch 5–6 at once. You’ll get reviewed faster and start scaling quicker.

Use minimum GEO bids for control. Set your bid to around $0.01 at first to prevent early delivery. When you’re ready, raise it.

Creative Language

Target creatives to the GEO’s language, but always include at least one in English — many users have English as their device language, which helps expand reach.

To run successful IronSource campaigns, focus on your IPM and make creatives that truly engage.

Conclusion

IronSource isn’t for everyone. But if you’re skilled with in-app traffic, the platform can deliver stable and scalable results. It’s a great alternative to social ads — especially if you’re tired of bans and manual setups.

If you don’t know where to start — begin with simple install offers and low bids. And to save time, get a ready-to-use IronSource account via RentAcc.