The short answer
- An interstitial ad is a full-screen ad that appears between pieces of content, such as between app screens, game levels or web pages, and has to be closed or finished before the user moves on.
- Formats include static image, video, playable and rewarded interstitials. They sit at natural breaks, not mid-task.
- Google AdMob bans interstitials on app load and exit, and allows no more than one interstitial after every two user actions.
- On the web, Google Search Central says intrusive full-page interstitials can hurt search performance and recommends small banners instead.
What an interstitial ad is
The word comes from Latin for "standing between". An interstitial ad stands between two moments of content. A player finishes a level, and a full-screen ad appears before level two. A reader taps from one article to the next, and a full-page offer loads first. The ad takes over the screen, and the user must dismiss it or watch it through to continue.
That takeover is the whole point and the whole problem. Interstitials get high attention because nothing else is competing for the screen. They also interrupt, so the same format that earns a strong view can earn an accidental tap or an uninstall when it is placed badly.
Do not confuse an interstitial with a banner. A banner sits in a fixed slot beside content. An interstitial replaces the content for a moment. See banner ad sizes for the slot-based side of display, and types of advertising for where both sit in the wider picture.
Interstitial ad formats
Most interstitials fall into five formats. The differences are what the user sees and what the user has to do.
| Format | What the user sees | Typical home |
|---|---|---|
| Static image | A single full-screen creative with a close button and a call to action | Apps and mobile web |
| Video | A short full-screen video, skippable after a delay or run to the end | Apps, streaming, games |
| Playable | A mini interactive demo of an app or game that the user can try | Mobile games, app install campaigns |
| Rewarded | An ad the user chooses to watch in return for an in-app reward such as an extra life | Mobile games |
| Web overlay | A full-page promotion, sign-up or offer shown before a page loads or over it | Publisher and ecommerce sites |
Google AdMob notes one detail worth planning around. Some interstitial ads can have up to a 5-second delay before a close option appears. With high-engagement ads on, interstitial video ads can have up to 12 seconds, and some video interstitials from third-party bidding sources up to 30 seconds. Design for the full wait, not the first second.
Interstitial ad examples
Five patterns cover nearly everything you will see.
- Between game levels. A puzzle or casual game shows a 15 to 30 second video after a level ends and before the next begins. This is the textbook placement because the player is already at a stopping point.
- Between article pages in a news app. The reader finishes a story, taps the next one, and a full-screen ad loads in the gap.
- Rewarded in-game offer. The player taps "watch to continue" and chooses the ad. Because it is opt-in, complaints are rarer than with forced interstitials.
- Retail promotion on mobile web. A fashion store opens with a full-page "10% off your first order" email capture. It converts sign-ups for some stores and drives bounces for others.
- App install prompt. A mobile site covers its content with a full-page "open in our app" screen. This is the pattern Google Search Central names as a problem.
The creative rule is the same in every case. The ad has a full screen, so it needs one message, one image or clip, and one button. A cluttered interstitial wastes the best real estate in mobile advertising. Look at real ad examples to see how single-message creative reads when it is the only thing on screen.
Google AdMob interstitial rules
For apps, the rules come from Google AdMob's Help Center pages "Interstitial ad guidance" and "Disallowed interstitial implementations", both checked on November 9, 2026. Breaking them can mean invalid activity flags and Google disabling ad serving to your app.
| Rule | What AdMob says |
|---|---|
| App load or exit | Do not place interstitials on app load or when exiting. AdMob recommends an app open ad for load or return instead. |
| Frequency | No more than one interstitial after every two user actions, including taps on Back. Never show one immediately after another was closed. |
| Navigation | Ads must not stop users viewing or using the core content of the app. |
| Surprise timing | Do not show an interstitial while the user is mid-task, such as playing, filling in a form or reading. Use logical breaks: pages, stages or levels. |
| Preloading | Preload the ad, so it does not appear late and land on top of a page the user has already started. |
| Fit | Best for apps with a linear flow and clear start and stop points. For utility apps, AdMob suggests a banner. |
The preloading rule is the one most teams miss. If the ad loads slowly on a weak connection, it can pop up after the next page has rendered. The user is now mid-read and taps by reflex. That is the accidental click AdMob is trying to prevent.
Google Search rules for web interstitials
On the web, the source is Google Search Central's page "Avoid intrusive interstitials and dialogs", checked on November 9, 2026. It defines interstitials as overlays on the whole page and dialogs as overlays on part of it. It says intrusive ones obstruct the user's view of content, usually for promotional purposes, and can make it hard for Google to understand your content, which may lead to poor search performance.
The page's fix is simple. Use banners that take up only a small fraction of the screen instead of full-page interstitials, so users and search engines reach the content on landing. That covers app install prompts too. A browser-supported banner such as Smart App Banners for Safari is the example it gives, and it says the same small container can carry newsletter sign-up prompts.
Note the scope. The Search rule is about pages that people land on from search. It is not about ads you buy. Publishers who sell interstitial ad slots on their own pages still need to keep those slots from blocking the content people arrived for.
When an interstitial earns its place
Use one when the user has just finished something and is about to start something else. Skip it when the user is in the middle of a task, or when your app is a utility they open for ten seconds.
- Pick the break. Level complete, article finished, checkout confirmed. Never mid-flow.
- Cap frequency below the AdMob ceiling. One per two actions is the maximum, not a target.
- Make the close button easy to find once it appears. A hidden or tiny close icon drives the accidental clicks that put you in violation.
- Match the ad to the screen. Portrait creative for phones, one message, large text.
- Measure what happens next. Compare session length and next-screen drop-off with and without the placement before you scale it.
If you are the advertiser, not the publisher, you rarely choose the placement. You choose the creative and the network, and the network decides where it runs. In that case, judge interstitial inventory by results after the click, not by views. The CTR calculator helps, but remember that full-screen formats can inflate click-through from mis-taps. Check conversion rate and cost per acquisition, and read the metrics in hook rate if the interstitial is a video.
Where Sprites fits
Interstitials are a placement decision made by networks and publishers, so they are not something to buy blind. Sprites runs your Google and Meta ad accounts, shows you where each campaign is serving, and holds every change for your approval before it goes live. When a placement is burning budget without conversions, you see it and you decide. For full-screen video creative, Director takes a brief and returns finished video ads.
Frequently asked questions
What is an interstitial ad?
An interstitial ad is a full-screen ad that appears between pieces of content, such as between game levels, app screens or web pages. The user has to close it or watch it through before continuing. It takes over the whole screen, which makes it high attention and high risk.
What are examples of interstitial ads?
A video ad between two game levels, a full-screen ad between news app articles, a rewarded ad a player chooses to watch for an extra life, and a full-page email sign-up offer on a mobile shop. A full-page app install prompt over a mobile site is also an interstitial.
How often can I show interstitial ads in my app?
Google AdMob says no more than one interstitial after every two user actions, including taps on the Back button. It also says not to show an interstitial immediately after another one was shown and closed. Treat that as a ceiling, not a target.
Do interstitial ads hurt SEO?
Intrusive full-page interstitials on a landing page can. Google Search Central says they obstruct content and can lead to poor search performance. It recommends small banners that take up only a fraction of the screen instead.
What is the difference between an interstitial and a banner ad?
A banner sits in a fixed slot next to content and stays on screen while the user reads. An interstitial replaces the content for a moment and covers the whole screen. Banners are lower attention and lower friction.
Can I show an interstitial when my app opens?
AdMob says no. Interstitials should only sit between pages of app content, not on app load or exit. For launch or return, AdMob recommends an app open ad instead.