Accelerator FAQ
The questions studios ask most, grouped by stage. Step-by-step instructions stay on the step pages; each answer links to the one it needs.
Getting started
What is the full process, from acceptance to campaign launch?
- Submit your game and get accepted.
- Create an Appodeal account, add the app and send its bundle ID through the Accelerator form; we unlock the Accelerator Test section.
- Monetization Setup: integrate the Light SDK or the Appodeal SDK.
- UA Setup: enter your Meta App ID and, on Android, the Decryption Key, click Request UA, authorize the ad account ID it returns in your Meta app, and put the App ID and Client Token in your build (UA Setup).
- In the same step, click MMP Setup or transfer your AppsFlyer app to us.
- Send the build; we review it within 48 hours.
- Publish the build to the production track of the store.
- Creatives: upload at least one video; we recommend 3 to 4 (who makes them).
- Soft Launch UA: click Launch Campaign; the campaigns run 5 to 7 days.
- Results: we review the numbers together.
Does the test cost me anything?
No. We cover the full user acquisition cost of the test. There is no fee, no paid plan and no subscription product required. What we need from you is the integration and a published build.
What kind of games do you accept?
We mostly accept hybrid-casual and midcore games. The game has to be free to play, with a complete and stable core loop and enough content for D1 to D7 retention to be meaningful. You do not need an existing player base, revenue history or previous UA spend; the test is what produces those numbers. Applications are rolling; there is no intake window.
My game is not built in Unity. Is it supported?
Supported out of the box: Unity, native Android, native iOS, Flutter and React Native. Flutter and React Native follow the Android and iOS tabs on the integration pages. Other engines, such as Godot, Unreal or Cocos, integrate through the native Android and iOS SDK. GameMaker Studio is not supported. Details: Platforms.
Do I need an Appodeal account, and where do I get the SDK key?
Yes. Sign up and add your app with its bundle ID and store link; the app key is shown on the app page in the dashboard (Application Key). You use that key when you initialize the SDK. Use your own company account: you keep it, and it is where you see the SDK status and the Accelerator Test section.
Is the Accelerator the same as Appodeal Mediation? Will your mediation earn me more?
They are different products. The Accelerator is a free UA test and, if it works, a publishing track. Appodeal Mediation is the ad monetization product. The test does not require you to switch mediation or replace your current setup, and no eCPM promise is part of the Accelerator.
Integration
Light SDK or Appodeal SDK, which one do I integrate?
Light SDK adds attribution and analytics only: the AppsFlyer and Meta Analytics adapters, without Appodeal ads. Appodeal SDK adds Appodeal ad mediation on top. Older guides and e-mails call them Light Plugin and Full Plugin (or Full SDK). Most Accelerator tests use the Light SDK, especially if you already monetize through another mediation or do not monetize yet. Comparison: Light SDK or Appodeal SDK.
Why do I have to integrate your SDK? Can I take part without it, and does it stay in my app forever?
The SDK and its AppsFlyer and Meta Analytics adapters are how we attribute the installs from our campaign and measure retention and session length, so the SDK is required in both modes; forwarding events to your own AppsFlyer is not enough. If the test does not lead to a deal, you are free to remove it.
Which SDK version should I integrate?
Always the latest stable 4.x release; the wizard's 2. Import SDK panel shows it. The current version for your platform is in the changelog: Unity, Android, iOS.
Can I keep my existing ads and mediation running during the test?
Yes. You can keep your existing ad setup and mediation running; nothing has to be turned off for the test. For cleaner test data we do recommend disabling your own interstitial and banner ads for the duration of the test; rewarded ads can stay on. In Appodeal SDK mode, you still implement the Appodeal ad types as in 3. Ad Types Implementation.
Do I need to connect my AdMob, AppLovin, Unity Ads or ironSource accounts, or swap my ad units?
No, not for the test, and you do not need an AdMob account to take part. In Light SDK mode you create no new ad units and add no networks to a mediation list; in Appodeal SDK mode Appodeal connects the networks automatically (4. Adding Ad Networks), and without an AdMob account you remove the Google networks from the build (AdMob: include it or remove it). Network account linking only comes up later, if the test succeeds and we move on to monetization work.
Which in-game events do I need to send, and do I need Firebase?
Installs, sessions and retention are collected automatically once the SDK is initialized; you do not need to write a session controller, and no other event is required to run the test. For a fuller read of the results, also send the standard progression and monetization events (level_start and level_finish, named as in Optional: log events; tutorial complete, ad impression revenue, purchase) through SDK event tracking: Android, iOS, Unity. Events are defined in code only; nothing has to be registered in the dashboard. Firebase, GameAnalytics or any other analytics SDK is not required, and we do not need access to it; if you already ship one, it can stay.
Do I need to set up or validate in-app purchases for the test?
No. No extra IAP tracking or validation is needed for the Accelerator Test itself.
Do I need ATT, the Android AD_ID permission, a CMP or store-declaration changes for the test?
We confirm this per app — Get help. The SDK's own pages: ATT iOS, ATT Unity, GDPR & CCPA (Android, iOS, Unity), Google CMP and TCF v2, app privacy details (Android, iOS).
My build breaks after adding the SDK. Which Unity, Gradle, AGP and Firebase versions are supported?
Use the latest 4.x plugin; it ships 16 KB page size compliant native libraries, which Google Play requires for Android 15 and above. Keep AGP and Gradle inside the range your Unity version supports rather than forcing one specific Gradle build (Gradle Settings). If you already use Firebase, match the Appodeal Firebase adapter to your Firebase major version instead of mixing majors. If you already embed the Facebook SDK, do not add a second copy: duplicate Meta dependencies are the usual cause of the Meta Audience Network build error (your app already ships its own Meta SDK).
How do I check my integration is working? The dashboard still shows NO SDK.
Run a release build on a real device, then check the SDK status of the app in the dashboard. It turns green once our servers receive data for your bundle ID, which can take a few hours. If it stays on NO SDK, the SDK is usually not initializing at runtime: capture device logs filtered by the Appodeal tag (Android: adb logcat -s Appodeal; iOS: the Xcode console), add them where you send the build in 3. Prepare the app for testing, and send us your initialization code. The usual causes are init code that never runs, the wrong app key, or a build that was never rolled out to production.
AppsFlyer and Meta
Is AppsFlyer mandatory, and what happens to my AppsFlyer account?
Yes, AppsFlyer is required; it is how the funded campaigns are attributed. If you already have an AppsFlyer app, you transfer it to us for the test and we transfer it back to you when the test is over. If you do not have one, you do not need to create anything yourself: click MMP Setup in UA Setup and we create it for you. Details: AppsFlyer setup.
Do I need a Meta app, a Business Manager, or my own ad account?
You need a Meta app with its App ID and Client Token, plus the 64-character Install Referrer Decryption Key on Android. If you do not have a Meta app yet, we can create one for you (Get help). You do not create the ad account: we create it and give you the ad account ID, and you authorize it in your Meta app under App settings → Advanced → Advertising accounts → Authorized ad account IDs. For the test, Meta is used through the Meta Analytics adapter only; you do not need a Meta Audience Network account. Steps: 1. Meta Integration.
The test
Does the game have to be publicly live on the store? Can I use an internal or closed testing track?
The build with the SDK must be live on the public production track before the campaign starts, because the ads send real users to your store listing. Internal, closed and TestFlight builds are fine for checking your integration but cannot be used for the campaign. Publish it as a normal update to your existing listing, with test mode off, and tell us once it is live. You can ship patches during the test, but do not remove the SDK, and avoid changing early-session gameplay mid-run.
Which countries does the campaign target, and does my app need to be available worldwide?
Two campaigns run in parallel, one Worldwide and one USA only. Your store listing has to be available for download in the countries we target, so check Countries / regions of your production release in Google Play Console. If the app is available only in the USA for now, we can run a USA-only test and repeat Worldwide after you expand availability.
Who sets up the campaign and on which network? Can I run it myself on Google Ads?
Our UA team builds, launches and pays for the campaigns on Meta (Facebook) from Appodeal's own ad account, which is why you authorize that ad account in your Meta app. You do not create campaigns, set budgets or pay for media. A campaign you run yourself somewhere else, on Google Ads or any other network, does not replace the test. The Meta integration block in 3. UA Setup means your Meta app; it has nothing to do with Unity Ads.
Who makes the creatives and what are the specs?
We can produce the creatives for you. If you prefer to supply your own, upload gameplay videos in step 4. Creatives (1 to 6 files, 3 to 4 recommended): around 30 seconds each, vertical 1080x1920 (4:5 at 1080x1350 also works), with the strongest part of the gameplay in the first 10 seconds. All requirements: 4. Creatives.
Why is the Launch Campaign button grey after I finished the integration?
We unlock the campaign by hand, and only once every earlier step is complete, the bundle ID was sent through the Accelerator form, the app is published on the store, and the build review has passed; the review takes up to 48 hours. Hover the button: "You still need to complete: …" names what is still open; the other causes, such as Agree to Terms of Service left clear, are in If a button is grey. If all of that is done and the button is still grey, write to us (Get help).
How long does the test run?
The campaigns run for 5 to 7 days. Before that, the build review takes up to 48 hours.
Do you test Android and iOS at the same time?
We usually test one platform, most often Android. If the metrics look promising, we run the test on iOS as well.
Will I see the campaigns, the spend and the results?
Yes. Step 6. Results shows the campaigns, the spend and the results, including installs and the retention and engagement metrics the test is judged on: 6. Results, benchmarks.
Can I test another game, or re-test this one after improving it?
Yes to both. Each additional game goes through the same acceptance and setup, and needs its own AppsFlyer app and Meta setup; start it with Start with New App in 6. Results. A game that missed the benchmarks can be re-tested after real changes: tell us what changed, ship the new build to the store and click Request Relaunch.
The deal
Do I keep my IP?
You retain 100% ownership of your IP, code and game assets.
Do you need an app transfer, my signing key or Play Console access?
Not for the Accelerator Test — nothing is transferred at that stage. If we move forward with publishing together, an app transfer is required later, after Soft Launch.
What is the revenue share split, and does it cover IAP?
Agreed in the publishing agreement, if the game passes and both sides proceed. Revenue share is the only financial model we offer.
Is there exclusivity or a termination clause?
The Accelerator Test itself carries no publishing commitment. Exclusivity and termination are defined in the publishing agreement.
Can you publish on the App Store?
Yes. What follows a pass: What we measure and what happens next.
Is this message really from Appodeal?
Yes — we invite studios by e-mail. Verify it this way: the test runs only inside your own Appodeal dashboard; we never ask for money; nothing is transferred at the test stage. To check a message, forward it to the addresses under Get help. If our mail lands in your spam folder, we can move the conversation to a private Telegram group.
Get help
Write to [email protected] and [email protected] or [email protected]. Include your bundle ID, the platform (Android, iOS, Unity, Flutter or React Native), whether you chose Light SDK or Appodeal SDK, and what is blocking you: the wizard block and a screenshot, or the exact error or log text.