How to Choose an AppLovin Agency: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Sign

To choose an AppLovin agency, ask for proof on four things first: verified partner status, the AppLovin spend they manage today, published AppLovin case studies with CPA and ROAS, and the creative volume they can ship every week. Then check tracking, reporting, pricing, fee caps, contract terms and who actually runs your account.

Below are the 10 questions to ask before you hire an AppLovin agency, the red flags that should end the call, and a scorecard to compare agencies side by side. Use it whether or not you ever talk to us.

Why choosing the right AppLovin agency matters in 2026

AppLovin Ads opened to any business on June 22, 2026. Before that it was invite only for years, then referral code only from October 2025 to June 2026 (AppLovin). Any agency can now open an account, so "we run AppLovin" is no longer a filter.

The upside is real. Triple Whale looked at 755 ecommerce shops over 12 months and found AppLovin ROAS of 2.90 against 2.08 for other platforms, even though AppLovin was only 7.7% of combined ad spend (Triple Whale). But only 61% of qualifying shops saw higher ROAS from AppLovin than from their other channels. A large minority did not.

Haus saw the same spread in its incrementality tests. AppLovin beat the typical test in 63% to 85% of quarters in 2025, but in 2026 it was about a coin flip, 53% in Q1 and 50% in Q2 (Haus). As more brands pile in, execution decides who lands on the right side of those numbers. If you are new to the channel, start with what AppLovin advertising is.

10 questions to ask when you choose an AppLovin agency

1. Are you an AppLovin partner, and how can I verify it?

AppLovin runs a program for agencies that includes dedicated agency support (AppLovin for agencies). Ask for proof, then confirm it with AppLovin or its partner directory. Treat partner status as the entry ticket, not evidence of skill. We cover what it does and does not mean in what an AppLovin partner agency is.

2. How much AppLovin spend do you manage right now?

Ask for monthly AppLovin spend specifically, not total spend across Meta, Google and TikTok. Then ask how many accounts are spending at your target level. An agency that has only run $300 a day tests will learn on your budget.

3. Can I see AppLovin case studies with CPA and ROAS?

A useful case study names the vertical, monthly spend, timeframe, CPA and ROAS. Anonymous is fine, since many brands will not allow their name to be used. Missing numbers are not fine. Also ask how ROAS was measured: in platform, blended, or confirmed by a holdout or post-purchase survey.

4. What is your creative capacity?

Creative is the main lever on AppLovin. AppLovin's own guidance is to upload as many 9x16 portrait videos as possible, regularly, and to test all lengths with a focus on videos longer than 30 seconds. Of the top-spending videos it studied, 95% had prominent captions and 85% used voiceover (AppLovin).

Ask how many new videos they ship per week, who makes them, the turnaround time and the cost per asset. Our AppLovin creative best practices guide shows what to expect.

5. How will you set up and check tracking?

The Axon Pixel is compatible with the GA4 event format. For ecommerce, the minimum events are page_view, view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout and purchase, and Shopify stores should use the AppLovin Shopify app instead of Google Tag Manager (AppLovin Support). A good agency will explain how it verifies every event before a dollar is spent. See our AppLovin launch checklist.

6. What does reporting look like, and how often?

Ask for a sample report. You want a weekly written summary, a live dashboard and a regular call, with results shown against blended numbers like MER and new customer revenue, not just platform ROAS. Ask how they test incrementality, for example with geo holdouts or post-purchase surveys.

7. Exactly how do you charge?

Get every fee in writing: retainer, percentage of spend, creative, setup and add-ons. Ask for the total monthly cost at your current spend and at the spend you plan to reach in a year, and whether any fee changes when you add a channel or increase creative volume. Our AppLovin agency pricing breakdown compares the common models.

8. Is there a cap on the spend fee?

A percentage of spend fee grows in a straight line with your budget. At $1M a month, a 10% fee is $100,000 a month. A cap keeps the agency focused on profitable growth rather than spend for its own sake.

9. What are the contract terms?

Check the minimum term, the notice period and what happens if targets are missed. Confirm in writing that you own the ad account, the pixel, the data and every creative you paid for.

10. Who will actually work on my account?

Ask for names, roles and how many accounts each media buyer handles. Ask who writes the creative briefs, what the response time is, and whether the person on the sales call will be in your weekly meetings.

Red flags when you hire an AppLovin agency

• Guaranteed ROAS. No one controls the auction. A guarantee usually means a narrow definition of ROAS or a quiet exit clause.
• No AppLovin specific numbers. Meta case studies do not prove AppLovin skill.
• The ad account sits in their name. If you leave, you lose your history and data.
• Uncapped percentage fees at high spend. Fees that climb forever reward spend, not profit.
• No creative plan. "Send us your Meta ads" is not a creative strategy.
• Vague answers on tracking. If they cannot name the events they will check, they will not check them.
• No raw data access. You should always see the platform numbers yourself.
• Long lock-in with no performance exit. Confident agencies do not need a 12 month trap.

AppLovin agency scoring checklist

Score each agency 0, 1 or 2 on every line. Add up the total out of 20.

A score of 16 or more is a strong candidate. 12 to 15 is worth a second call with pointed follow-ups. Under 12, keep looking. If a single line scores 0 on account ownership or tracking, walk away regardless of the total.

How Apt answers these questions

For transparency, here is how we answer the list at Apt. We are an official AppLovin Partner Agency, listed in AppLovin's partner directory, and we manage $5M+ a month in AppLovin ad spend across DTC brands. Our anonymous case studies are on our results page, for example a DTC skincare brand that reached $20k a day within 30 days at $1M+ a month in spend and a 1.68x ROAS.

Our pricing is published on the pricing page: $750 a month per channel plus 2.5% of ad spend, with the spend fee capped at $25,000 a month. The first creative batch is free, then static ads are $30 and AI video ads are $75 each. The founder has 12+ years of US DTC growth experience. Score us the same way you score everyone else.

FAQ

How do I choose an AppLovin agency?

Start with proof: verified partner status, current monthly AppLovin spend managed, and case studies that show spend, CPA and ROAS. Then compare creative capacity, tracking setup, reporting, pricing, fee caps, contract terms and the named team. Score each agency on the same checklist so you compare like for like.

How much does an AppLovin agency cost?

Common models are a flat retainer, a percentage of ad spend, a hybrid of both, or performance based fees. Creative is often billed separately. Always calculate the total monthly fee at your current spend and at the spend you plan to reach, and check whether the percentage fee is capped.

Do I need an agency to run AppLovin ads?

No. AppLovin Ads opened to any business on June 22, 2026, so you can run it yourself. An agency makes sense when you lack the creative volume, tracking skills or daily optimization time the channel needs, or when you want to scale faster than an internal learning curve allows.

What is an AppLovin partner agency?

It is an agency enrolled in AppLovin's program for agencies, which includes dedicated agency support. Partner status confirms a relationship with AppLovin. It does not guarantee results, so still ask for AppLovin specific case studies and spend figures.

How long does it take an AppLovin agency to show results?

Plan for a first read on CPA and ROAS within two to four weeks of stable spend with working tracking and enough creative. For context, the median AppLovin incrementality test in Haus's analysis ran 20 days. Scaling timelines depend on budget, offer and creative volume.