A popunder ad is a full-page ad that opens in a new browser window or tab behind the page a user is viewing. The user sees it after closing or minimising the active window. Publishers are paid per thousand impressions, not per click.
How a Popunder Ad Works, Step by Step
- A user clicks anywhere on the page — a link, a button, a piece of content.
- A new browser window or tab opens behind the one currently active. The user’s view doesn’t change.
- The user notices the popunder only after they close or minimise the page they were reading.
- The advertiser pays the publisher per thousand impressions (CPM), not per click, so revenue doesn’t depend on whether the user interacts with the ad.
Popunder vs Pop-Up vs Interstitial
Popunder vs Pop-Up vs Interstitial
Popunder
Ad window hides behind the page
Pop-up
Ad window opens in front, right away
Interstitial
Ad takes over the full screen
Page the user is browsing
Ad
| Format | Where it opens | When the user sees it | Interrupts the session | Typical pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popunder | Behind the active window | Only after closing or minimising the current window | No — loads silently in the background | CPM |
| Pop-up | In front of the active window | Immediately | Yes — blocks the page until closed | CPM |
| Interstitial | Full-screen, over the entire page | Immediately, usually during a page transition | Yes — takes over the whole screen | CPM |
Publishers choosing between full-page and notification-based formats can also compare popunder ads and push ads. For a separate explanation of the push format, see what are push notification ads.
What Popunder Ads Pay
One APK publisher popunder case study reported $29K+ in three months from popunder ads, with an average CPM of $16.46 across roughly 1.8 million impressions between January 12 and April 20, 2026. The traffic came entirely from Google Search, in mobile games and video content, with the audience based in Latin America. (Data from a Monetag APK publisher, January–April 2026.)
CPM varies by geo, device and traffic source. The numbers below are our own platform data for July-August,2026, not the case above.
Popunder / OnClick
Average CPM — Last 30 Days
Jul 28 – Aug 26, 2026.
$3.41
Network-wide average CPM
23.2B
Impressions
$79.2M
Revenue
195+
GEOs covered
Top GEOs by Volume
Highest-traffic markets and their average CPM
| GEO | Impressions | CPM |
|---|---|---|
| 01 India | 4.60B | $0.76 |
| 02 Indonesia | 1.91B | $4.00 |
| 03 United States | 1.40B | $3.92 |
| 04 Brazil | 822M | $5.72 |
| 05 Egypt | 784M | $1.76 |
| 06 Philippines | 659M | $11.40 |
| 07 France | 559M | $2.88 |
| 08 United Kingdom | 484M | $14.16 |
| 09 Pakistan | 401M | $2.36 |
| 10 Germany | 399M | $4.20 |
Top GEOs by CPM
Highest-paying markets (min. 10M impressions)
| GEO | Impressions | CPM |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Mozambique | 27M | $16.44 |
| 02 United Kingdom | 484M | $14.16 |
| 03 Philippines | 659M | $11.40 |
| 04 Kyrgyzstan | 13M | $10.80 |
| 05 Malawi | 21M | $10.20 |
| 06 Benin | 16M | $9.72 |
| 07 Australia | 104M | $9.28 |
| 08 Latvia | 11M | $8.68 |
| 09 Guinea | 12M | $8.52 |
| 10 Nigeria | 296M | $8.24 |
Data from Monetag internal statistics, July-August,2026
Where Popunder Ads Perform Best
The clearest signal so far comes from the same Monetag APK publisher case: results were strongest in mobile games and video content, with all traffic coming from Google Search. That’s one case, not a rule for every niche, but it’s a reasonable starting point for publishers testing the format.
Data from a Monetag APK publisher, January–April 2026.
The Downsides of Popunder Ads
- It interrupts the user’s browsing session, even though the interruption is delayed rather than immediate.
- Some users find popunders intrusive, since the ad appears without a direct action from them.
- Some browsers and ad-blocking extensions block popunders, so a share of the audience never sees them.
How to Add Popunder Ads to a Website
Popunder ads are one of several ways to monetize a website, allowing publishers to earn from impressions rather than depending only on clicks.
- Sign up as a publisher and add the site you want to monetize.
- Grab the Monetag popunder ads code and place it on your pages.
- Set your targeting and traffic preferences, then go live. Check that your privacy notice covers third-party ad scripts and that you meet the consent requirements of the markets your traffic comes from.
Popunder Ads FAQ
Is a popunder the same as a pop-up?
No. A popunder opens in a new window behind the page a user is viewing, so it doesn’t interrupt what they’re doing. A pop-up opens in front of the active page and blocks it immediately. Both are full-page formats and both are usually priced on CPM, but they interrupt the session differently.
Can publishers run popunder ads on their sites?
Popunder is a standard format used across the industry. What needs checking is on your side: the advertising and privacy requirements of the markets your traffic comes from, and the policies of the platforms you work with. Confirm local requirements before running, and keep your site’s privacy notice current.
Do popunder ads slow down a website?
Not by default. A popunder opens in a separate window, so it doesn’t render inside the page your visitor is reading. Actual load impact depends on how the ad script is implemented, where it sits in the page’s code, and how many other scripts run alongside it. Test your pages before and after you add it.
What CPM do popunder ads pay?
Reported CPMs vary widely by geo and traffic source. One Monetag APK publisher averaged $16.46 CPM across roughly 1.8 million impressions between January and April 2026, earning $29K+ in three months. Data from a Monetag APK publisher, January-April 2026, traffic 100% Google Search, mobile games and video content, Latin America. Actual CPM depends on the publisher’s own traffic and niche.
Do ad blockers stop popunder ads?
Some do. Ad blockers and browser extensions that target new-window behaviour can catch popunders, and browsers limit windows that open without a user action. Part of your traffic will never see the ad, so plan fill rate and revenue around that rather than around total pageviews.
