MoPub

Was one of the top independent mobile ad servers and programmatic exchanges before being shut down following AppLovin's acquisition in 2022

MoPub was a San Francisco-based mobile advertising technology company founded in 2010 that became one of the most prominent mobile-focused ad servers and programmatic exchanges in the industry. The platform enabled app publishers to manage their ad inventory, run header bidding competitions, and access demand from hundreds of DSPs and ad networks through a unified marketplace. MoPub's hybrid auction model, which combined direct-sold campaigns with real-time programmatic demand, made it a go-to monetization solution for mobile app developers seeking to maximize yield across multiple demand sources. Twitter acquired MoPub in 2013 for approximately $350 million, integrating it into its advertising ecosystem to strengthen its mobile ad capabilities. Under Twitter's ownership, MoPub continued to grow its publisher network and expand its exchange, becoming a significant player in the mobile programmatic landscape alongside competitors like Google AdMob and ironSource. The platform offered a robust SDK, mediation capabilities, and a marketplace that connected thousands of publishers with premium advertisers globally. In 2021, Twitter announced the sale of MoPub to AppLovin for approximately $1.05 billion, a deal that closed in January 2022. Rather than continuing to operate MoPub as a distinct platform, AppLovin integrated select capabilities into its own MAX mediation product and wound down the MoPub brand and platform entirely by the end of March 2022. Publishers were migrated to alternative solutions, and MoPub ceased operations as an independent entity, closing a chapter on one of mobile advertising's most influential platforms.