Rewarded vs skippable vs non-skippable video ads
Five video formats, the one question that separates them — did the viewer choose this? — and when each is the right buy.
By The Generated Worlds editors · Published
Choose by what you need the viewer to do. Skippable in-stream ads are cheap reach but most viewers leave after five seconds. Non-skippable and bumper ads force a short watch on viewers who did not ask for it. In-feed ads compete with a thumb. Rewarded ads are the only format the viewer opts into and watches to the end for a reward — best when the whole ad has to be seen.
Generated Worlds sells one of these formats — rewarded — and publishes this comparison, so weigh our row accordingly. The descriptions of the other formats are how their platforms document them.
How to choose in one question
- You want the most people to see your brand for a moment, at the lowest price — Skippable in-stream or In-feed video.
- You have a six-second message and want it seen whole — Bumper ads.
- Your ad only works if it is watched to the end, by someone paying attention — Rewarded video on Generated Worlds.
- You want app installs across thousands of games — Rewarded video through a mobile ad network.
The formats side by side
| Format | Did the viewer choose it? | Can it be skipped? | Typical length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewarded video | Yes — they press play for a reward | No; closing forfeits the reward | 15–30 seconds |
| Skippable in-stream (e.g. YouTube) | No — plays before or during a video | Yes, after 5 seconds | Any; short performs better |
| Non-skippable in-stream | No | No | Usually 15 seconds or less |
| Bumper | No | No | 6 seconds |
| In-feed video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) | No — appears while scrolling | Scrolled past at will | Any; first seconds decide |
How each format works, as documented by the platforms that run it.
What "completed view" means in each
- Skippable in-stream: YouTube counts a view when someone watches 30 seconds (or the whole ad, if shorter) or interacts with it. Everyone who skipped at five seconds still saw the first five.
- Non-skippable and bumper: every impression is a full watch by definition — of a viewer who could not leave.
- In-feed: platforms report watch-time percentiles; most views are a second or two.
- Rewarded: a completion is a viewer who chose the ad and stayed to the end for the reward. On Generated Worlds it is measured on the video's own clock in a visible tab, and checked on the server.
When rewarded is the wrong buy
If you need millions of impressions this week, no single rewarded placement will supply them — mobile ad networks or YouTube will. If your message is a logo and a line, a bumper does it cheaper. Rewarded earns its price when the watch itself is the point: a product demo, a trailer, a before-and-after that only lands at the end.
Common questions
Are rewarded ads more effective than skippable ads?
For full-attention watching, yes by design: the viewer chose the ad and is rewarded only at the end, so far more of them see the whole thing. For cheap reach, skippable and in-feed ads cover more people per dollar. Pick by the outcome you need.
Do rewarded ads annoy viewers?
Less than interruptive formats, because nothing plays unless the viewer asks. The advertiser is associated with the free thing they received, not with the wait.
Where can I buy rewarded video ads without a mobile app?
Generated Worlds sells them self-serve on the web at generatedworlds.com/advertise, from $299 a month. Google Ad Manager also supports rewarded ads on websites, bought through its own auctions.
Keep reading
Advertise here
Rewarded ads on Generated Worlds are self-serve: choose a monthly plan, upload a video or image, and a person approves it before it plays. Viewers opt in, can’t skip, and you see every completed view.