Ad-Shield now restores ads for adblocking traffic inside mobile apps. The Android beta is live. iOS follows in a few weeks.

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Why now? Adblocking is surging on mobile apps. The cause is network-level and VPN-based adblocking, tools that operate across the entire device rather than just the browser.

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This is a type of adblocking traffic known as dark traffic, because it flies under the radar unmonetized, immune to conventional adblock recovery solutions.

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Combined, they account for 59% of all dark traffic, around 600 million users. Equivalent to 10% of all internet users globally. For publishers investing in mobile app distribution, that's a material chunk of revenue silently disappearing.

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Ad-Shield's in-app ad recovery is our response to that. We are excited to announce this is an industry first. And with app audiences becoming one of the most reliable owned channels publishers have, the timing matters.

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Dark traffic doesn't stop at the browser

Publishers are increasingly focused on building owned audiences. The most valuable users are the ones who keep coming back directly.

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In an era where AI is eroding referral traffic and search-driven discovery is less reliable, a publisher's mobile app is one of the few places they have a direct, durable relationship with their audience.

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But dark traffic follows publishers into apps. It undermines that model.

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Network-level and VPN-based adblocking operate at the device or infrastructure level, blocking ads across browsers and apps alike. IT departments and security conscious consumers are driving their adoption.

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Network-level blocking alone represents 38% of dark traffic. A further 21% comes from VPNs and adblocking apps, the majority of which is VPN usage.

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The result: publishers seeing 10-20% adblock rates inside their apps. Revenue lost from an audience of which 85% expects or accepts ads as part of the experience. The irony is cruel, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

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Restoring ads inside apps isn't just a monetization fix. It's strategically important for audience growth. When dark traffic is accounted for, the ROI math on acquiring and retaining app users improves. Without it, publishers are undervaluing the channel entirely.

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What we’ve built

Ad-Shield's in-app recovery works the same way as our web product: restoring publishers' existing ad relationships.

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During the beta, we are working with publishers to restore ads across all demand sources. This includes:

• AppLovin
• Unity Ads
• AdMob
• IronSource
• Mintegral

(and more!)

Join the beta

Are you an app publisher that wants to add 10%+ net new ad revenue overnight? Applications are now open to join the beta - apply here.

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Please note there are a limited number of spaces available, so applications will be assessed on a first come, first served basis. Put your name down now to beat others in the queue.

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