Rewarded UA Benchmarks for 2026: What Good Performance Actually Looks Like
- Fátima Castro Franco
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
In 2026, rewarded user acquisition (RUA) has moved from experimental to essential. But as more studios adopt rewarded UA, one question keeps coming up: What does “good” actually look like?
Is your D7 retention strong? Is your ROAS healthy? Is your CPI competitive — or just cheap?
This guide breaks down realistic rewarded UA benchmarks for 2026, so you can evaluate performance properly — and scale with confidence.
Why Benchmarks Matter More Than Ever
UA teams are under pressure. Leadership wants:
Clear ROAS timelines
Stable cohort performance
Predictable scaling
Profitability, not just installs
Benchmarks give context. Without them, you don’t know whether your campaign is underperforming — or just normal.
CPI Benchmarks for Rewarded UA (2026)
CPI varies heavily by:
Genre
GEO
Game maturity
Reward type
But here are general 2026 ranges for mobile games:
Genre | Tier 1 CPI (USD) | Tier 2 CPI (USD) |
Casual | $1.50 – $3.00 | $0.70 – $1.50 |
Hybrid Casual | $2.00 – $4.00 | $1.00 – $2.00 |
Midcore | $3.00 – $6.00 | $1.50 – $3.50 |
Strategy / RPG | $4.00 – $8.00 | $2.00 – $4.50 |
⚠️ Important: A low CPI does NOT equal strong performance. Rewarded UA should be evaluated based on retention and LTV — not install cost alone.
Retention Benchmarks (The Real Differentiator)
This is where rewarded UA typically shines.
Strong 2026 Benchmarks:
Metric | Good | Excellent |
D1 Retention | 40–50% | 50%+ |
D7 Retention | 15–25% | 25%+ |
D30 Retention | 5–10% | 10%+ |
Rewarded cohorts often outperform interruptive paid social installs because:
Users opt in
Onboarding friction is lower
Early engagement is incentivized
If your D7 retention is under 15%, the issue is likely product onboarding — not the rewarded channel.
ROAS Benchmarks for Rewarded UA
ROAS expectations vary by monetization model.
IAP-Heavy Games
D7 ROAS: 20–35%
D30 ROAS: 60–90%
Break-even: 60–120 days
Ad-Monetized Games
D7 ROAS: 30–50%
D30 ROAS: 70–100%
Break-even: 30–90 days
Rewarded UA campaigns typically show:
More stable early ROAS curves
Less volatility vs traditional CPI buys
Stronger long-term LTV predictability
The key metric to watch in 2026: Cost per retained user, not just cost per install.
LTV Benchmarks: What Sustainable Growth Looks Like
For Tier 1 markets in 2026:
Casual LTV (180-day): $4–$8
Hybrid: $6–$12
Midcore: $10–$25+
Rewarded UA performs well when:
LTV ≥ 1.5–2x CPI
D30 retention exceeds 7%
Early monetization signals appear within 72 hours
If LTV isn’t trending upward after D7, scaling aggressively is risky.
Stability Benchmarks (The Overlooked Metric)
In 2026, performance stability is as important as performance peaks. Healthy rewarded UA campaigns show:
<15% CPI fluctuation week-over-week
Consistent retention across cohorts
Predictable ROAS progression
If performance swings wildly, scaling becomes dangerous. Stability = scalability.
What “Bad” Performance Looks Like
Rewarded UA underperforms when:
Rewards are too aggressive and distort engagement
Targeting is too broad
Onboarding fails to convert early interest
Creative messaging mismatches gameplay
Warning signs:
D1 < 35%
D7 < 12%
ROAS plateauing before D14
High install volume but flat LTV
The channel isn’t the problem — execution usually is.
How to Beat Benchmarks in 2026
To outperform average rewarded UA campaigns:
Optimize onboarding specifically for incentivized users
Balance reward value carefully
Segment by genre and user intent
Track deep post-install events
Prioritize transparency from your UA platform
Platforms like Gamelight enable granular tracking and predictable scaling, helping marketers compare real cohort performance against industry benchmarks — not vanity metrics.
Final Thoughts
Benchmarks aren’t about chasing perfection. They’re about knowing:
When to scale
When to optimize
When to pause
In 2026, rewarded UA isn’t just about installs. It’s about:
Retention quality
LTV sustainability
ROAS stability
Cohort consistency
If your campaigns meet or exceed these benchmarks, you’re not just acquiring users. You’re building profitable growth.
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