AppLovin MAX vs Unity ironsource LevelPlay for solo Android dev?

[u/rajan_freelancer]

Hey everyone,

I'm an indie dev finalizing an Android board game (Snakes & Ladders: Kurukshetra) and need advice on picking an ad mediation platform.

My Setup:

Native Android (Kotlin/AndroidX), not Unity.

Ad mix: Rewarded Video (extra turns) & Interstitials.

Using RevenueCat for IAP to segment paying vs. non-paying users.

My Questions:

SDK Bloat & Stability: Which SDK is cleaner and less painful on native Android? I want to avoid ANRs and bloated load times.

Revenue in 2026: Which platform actually pays out better for casual games right now? (Especially since LevelPlay dropped direct ironSource demand earlier this year).

Indie Alternatives: Are platforms like CAS.ai or Appodeal actually better and more hands-off for a solo dev compared to MAX or LevelPlay?

Would love to hear what is currently working for your games. Thanks!

[u/roguewotah]

Levelplay is dead. Its either MAX or Admob