How to monetize a mobile app or game without annoying ads
Short answer: you can monetize an app or game without ads by giving players a real gift — a trial, a discount or a bonus from a digital service — right after a happy moment such as a daily reward, a level-up or a streak. You earn a payout for every confirmed action, the game loop stays untouched, and integration is one link or snippet that takes about an hour.
Key takeaways
- Most players never pay: in many apps only a few percent make in-app purchases.
- Interstitial and video ads earn little per user and are a common reason for bad reviews.
- Gifts after rewards monetize non-paying players without interrupting gameplay.
- You are paid per confirmed action — up to $54 for some offers — not per impression.
- Integration is a link or a snippet, no SDK and no app update with native code.
Why ads are not the only answer
When developers search “how to monetize my app”, the first answers are banners, interstitials and rewarded video. They work at scale, but the revenue per user is small in most markets, and every forced view competes with the game itself. Players remember the app that interrupted them, and store reviews show it.
In-app purchases are the other classic model, but they rely on a small paying minority. The large non-paying majority generates activity and costs — servers, support, acquisition — while bringing little income. That is the gap a gift layer fills.
How the gift model works in an app
- A player claims a daily reward, finishes a level or keeps a 7-day streak.
- Next to the usual reward, a button appears: “A bonus gift for you”.
- The gift page opens in a WebView or browser: the player spins a wheel and picks gifts that match their country.
- If the player activates a gift — a paid plan, a first order — the action is attributed to your app by click ID.
- After the advertiser confirms it, your share appears in the partner cabinet.
The best moments for gifts in apps and games
| Moment | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Daily login reward | Players come every day, the moment is predictable |
| 7- or 30-day streak | A peak of loyalty and positive emotion |
| Level or chapter completed | Achievement makes users open to a bonus |
| Seasonal event | A natural reason for an extra gift |
| Returning player | A welcome-back gift improves retention |
Which offers are live and how much you earn per action
These are offers that are live on getbonus right now. The last column is your share — half of what the advertiser pays for one confirmed action. For offers paid as a percentage of the sale it is a range from the cheapest to the most expensive plan.
| Offer | Gift for the user | Paid for | You earn per action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudways | 40% off for 4 months or $15 credit | Paid hosting plan | $54.15 |
| PureVPN | 20% off any plan | Paid subscription | $2.69–42.30 |
| AdGuard | 30% off the ad blocker | Paid order of a new customer | $5.23–29.75 |
| AdGuard VPN | 80% off the 2-year plan | Paid subscription | $2.70–12.95 |
| Retouch4me | 20% off AI retouching plugins | Paid order | $8.93–54.65 |
| Homestyler | Free 3D home design plan | Paid membership of a new user | $12.24–35.82 |
| Notta | Free AI meeting notes: 120 min a month | Paid subscription | $2.02–30.00 |
| EdrawMax | Free start for diagrams and mind maps | Paid order | $8.27–29.38 |
| AOMEI | Free PC backup software | Paid license | $5.99–10.49 |
| italki | $5 bonus credit on the first top-up | First paid lesson order | $9.00 |
| Parallels | 14 days of Parallels Desktop free | Paid license | $2.68–7.31 |
| WPS Office | Free office suite, Pro discount | Paid Pro subscription | $0.57–6.91 |
More programs are being connected — VPN and security tools, AI services, online courses, games with new-player bonuses — so the gift set grows every week. Gifts are always filtered by the user’s country.
How much you can earn: a worked example
Formula: reward moments per month × share of users who open the gifts × share who complete a confirmed action × your average payout per action. With the current offer mix the average payout to a partner is about $8 per confirmed action.
Illustrative example for 150,000 reward moments a month. It is a planning model, not a forecast: real rates depend on your audience, countries and placement.
| Scenario | Open the gifts | Confirmed action | Actions per month | Your income per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 3.6% | 1.5% | 81 | $648 |
| Base | 6% | 2.5% | 225 | $1,800 |
| Strong | 9% | 3.5% | 472 | $3,776 |
Does it conflict with ads or in-app purchases?
No. Gifts are third-party digital services, not in-game currency, so they do not compete with your store. They also do not replace ad networks: many apps keep rewarded video and add gifts for the players who never watch ads or buy anything. Store rules are respected because the app does not sell digital goods — the user opens an optional external offer.
How to launch in about an hour
- Leave a request on the contact page. We create your partner account and send access to the partner cabinet.
- Choose the moment: a success screen, a confirmation email, a reward screen or a bot message.
- Paste one widget snippet, or add a link or an inline button with your partner ID — usually 10–15 minutes of work.
- In the cabinet, preview your widget and switch off offers that do not suit your audience.
- Make a test click — it appears in the cabinet right away — and go live.
No SDK, no backend changes and no personal data: the link carries only your partner ID and a technical click ID. Most partners go live within about an hour of getting access, and the first clicks are visible the same day.
Become a getbonus partner
If your product has a moment when users complete something — a payment, a booking, a reward — you already have the place for gifts. See how it works for apps and games and leave a request: we will suggest the best moment and connect you within a day.
See how gifts work in a live demo
Open the demo →Frequently asked questions
How can I monetize my app without ads?
Add an optional gift after a reward moment. Users pick trials and discounts from digital services, and you earn a payout for every confirmed action. It works alongside or instead of ads.
Do I need an SDK?
No. Open the gift page in a WebView or the system browser with your partner ID. No native code or app update is needed.
Which players earn me money?
Any player who activates a partner service — including the majority who never buy in-app. That is the main point of the model.
Is it suitable for kids’ apps?
Only after an individual review: many offers require adult users, and children’s apps follow stricter store and privacy rules.
How quickly can we start earning?
Integration takes about an hour after you get access to the partner cabinet. Clicks show up immediately; confirmed actions and payouts follow after the advertiser’s validation period, usually from a few days to several weeks.
What does it cost?
Nothing. There is no setup fee or subscription. getbonus shares the advertiser’s payout with you — by default you receive half of it for every confirmed action.
Continue reading
Have a specific integration in mind? Talk to us.