What changed
- First published. AppLovin figures from its Q2 2026 results; Moloco figures from its own published materials.
What is the difference between AppLovin and Moloco?
AppLovin runs its own mediation platform (MAX), its own exchange (ALX) and its own demand engine (Axon). Moloco is a DSP: it bids on inventory it does not own, including as one of the bidders inside AppLovin MAX.
Mobile games sell their ad slots through mediation. AppLovin's mediation platform, MAX, connects to more than 100 DSPs through the AppLovin Exchange. AppLovin's own demand, run by the Axon engine, bids in that same auction. Moloco is listed in AppLovin's mediation matrix as a bidder. So on AppLovin's supply, Moloco is at once a customer and a competitor.
| AppLovin | Moloco | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Ad network with its own mediation, exchange and demand | Independent machine-learning DSP |
| Owns supply? | Yes, through MAX and ALX | No, buys across exchanges |
| AI system | Axon | CARA |
| Advertiser product | AppLovin Ads (formerly Axon Ads Manager) | Moloco Ads |
| How you start | Self-serve sign-up, open to any business since June 22, 2026 | A self-serve product exists; the website routes new advertisers to sales |
| Published minimum | $10 a day | Not published on its homepage |
| Goals | ROAS, cost per purchase, cost per lead, in-app events, installs | App user acquisition, re-engagement, CTV |
| E-commerce web campaigns | Yes, with a pixel and Shopify app | Commerce Media is retail media software for retailers, a different product |
| Company | Public, in the S&P 500 | Private |
AppLovin and Moloco by the numbers
AppLovin reported $1.924 billion in Q2 2026 revenue, up 53% year on year. Moloco is private; it passed $200 million in revenue in 2022 and was valued at more than $2 billion in 2023.
- AppLovin revenue, Q2 2026
- $1.924B
- AppLovin Q2 2026 results
- AppLovin revenue growth, year on year
- +53%
- AppLovin Q2 2026 results
- Moloco revenue, 2022
- $200M+
- Moloco press release, 2023
- Moloco valuation, 2023 secondary
- $2B+
- Moloco press release, 2023
AppLovin was founded in 2012, went public in April 2021 and joined the S&P 500 in September 2025. It sold its game studios to Tripledot in 2025 and is now purely an advertising business: Q2 2026 revenue was $1.924 billion with $1.614 billion in adjusted EBITDA. AppLovin says its ads reach a billion-plus daily active users (launch post).
Moloco was founded in 2013 by CEO Ikkjin Ahn, who previously worked at Google, and is based in Redwood City (leadership). It reported more than $200 million in 2022 revenue and a valuation above $2 billion after a 2023 secondary with Fidelity and EDBI (press release). Moloco does not publish later revenue. Bloomberg reported in early 2026 that it was weighing an IPO; no filing is public.
What each company sells
AppLovin sells AppLovin Ads to advertisers and MAX, ALX, Adjust and Wurl around it. Moloco sells Moloco Ads for app growth, Moloco Commerce Media for retailers, and streaming monetization.
| Company | Product | For |
|---|---|---|
| AppLovin | AppLovin Ads (Axon engine) | Advertisers: apps, games, e-commerce, lead gen |
| AppLovin | MAX | Publishers: in-app bidding mediation |
| AppLovin | AppLovin Exchange (ALX) | Real-time bidding exchange connecting MAX to DSPs |
| AppLovin | Adjust | Mobile measurement (MMP) |
| AppLovin | Wurl | Connected TV |
| Moloco | Moloco Ads | App user acquisition, re-engagement and CTV |
| Moloco | Moloco Commerce Media | Retailers and marketplaces running their own ad business |
| Moloco | Streaming monetization | Streaming publishers |
Moloco's own figures (moloco.com): 2 billion-plus daily active users reached, 2.9 million apps, 230 countries. It names Chewy, Costco, EA, King, Playrix, Revolut, TikTok and Wayfair as clients. AppLovin names Gymshark, Fashion Nova, Prose, Wayfair, Ashley, HelloFresh, Bombas and Quince on its consumer-brands page. Wayfair appears on both.
AppLovin vs Moloco for e-commerce brands
For a Shopify or DTC brand buying its own customers, AppLovin is the direct route: self-serve, a pixel, a Shopify app and a $10 a day floor. Moloco Commerce Media serves retailers selling ads, not brands buying them.
AppLovin opened its advertiser platform to every business on June 22, 2026. A store installs the pixel (native JavaScript, Google Tag Manager or the Shopify app), uploads vertical video and end cards, and bids on ROAS or cost per purchase. Those ads show full screen inside mobile games.
Moloco's commerce product runs the other direction: it is the software a retailer or marketplace uses to sell sponsored listings on its own site. A brand reaches Moloco Commerce Media inventory by buying ads from that retailer.
AppLovin vs Moloco for apps and games
Both buy app installs and in-app events with machine learning. AppLovin bids on supply it runs; Moloco bids across exchanges. Many app studios run both and let incrementality decide.
Game studios are AppLovin's home ground: its network grew on installs, and playables are its signature format. Moloco built its DSP for the same buyers and reaches inventory beyond AppLovin's. Because Moloco also bids inside MAX, the two can meet in the same auction for the same impression.
Which should you choose?
Choose AppLovin to start fast, self-serve, on e-commerce or app goals. Talk to Moloco if you are a large app advertiser who wants a managed DSP across exchanges. Test both only once you can measure incrementality.
| If you are | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A DTC or Shopify brand | AppLovin | Self-serve web campaigns with a pixel and Shopify app |
| A small team testing in-app ads | AppLovin | $10 a day floor and no sales call |
| A large app studio | Both | Different reach; measure which is incremental |
| A retailer selling ads on your site | Moloco Commerce Media | A retail media product, not a buying tool |
| A B2B company | Neither first | Neither offers job-title targeting |
Read the AppLovin Ads review and what AppLovin costs before you commit. And the budget for either test usually comes from the channels you already run. Sprites is an AI ads agent that runs Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok and Reddit campaigns and reads competitors' ads from the Meta, Google and LinkedIn ad libraries. It does not run AppLovin or Moloco campaigns.
Keep going
The rest of the AppLovin guide, and the library of real AppLovin ads behind it.
Every ads library on Sprites
Search any advertiser by name, or open the library for the platform you are buying on.
Frequently asked questions
Is Moloco better than AppLovin?
Neither is better in general. AppLovin owns supply and offers self-serve from $10 a day; Moloco is an independent DSP buying across exchanges. No credible public head-to-head exists, so test with incrementality measurement.
Does Moloco buy ads on AppLovin?
Yes. Moloco is a bidder in AppLovin MAX mediation, so it competes for impressions in apps that use MAX alongside AppLovin's own demand.
Is Moloco a public company?
No. Moloco is private. Bloomberg reported in early 2026 that it was weighing an IPO, but no filing is public as of September 2026.
Can I run Moloco ads for my Shopify store?
Moloco Ads is built for app growth, and Moloco Commerce Media is software for retailers selling ads. For a Shopify store buying customers directly, AppLovin Ads with its Shopify app is the closer fit.
What is the minimum budget on AppLovin vs Moloco?
AppLovin publishes a $10 a day minimum. Moloco does not publish a minimum on its homepage and routes new advertisers to its sales team.
What AI does each platform use?
AppLovin's engine is called Axon. Moloco calls its AI system CARA. Both predict the value of each impression and bid to hit the advertiser's goal.
Who founded Moloco?
Moloco was founded in 2013 by CEO Ikkjin Ahn, who previously worked at Google, and is based in Redwood City, California.
Whichever network you test, the budget starts somewhere else.
Sprites runs your Google, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn and Reddit ads and reads what competitors run, so the channels that fund your in-app tests keep getting better.