For those of you using MobClix or are considering it for their Android apps, you are probably concerned about the MobClix payout rules.  I have some updated information on payments, if you were reading my previous posts:  yes, I have received my first payout.  Several, actually.

NOTE: The Mobclix platform is now run by Axonix; review to come.

Note that if you are just starting out and looking to start earning money from an Android app, I recommend starting with MobFox and Admob.  Check out the Android Ad Network Primer now to get all of my ad network recommendations for Android as well as instructions to quickly get set up with those ad solutions.

As I have posted about before, I have been testing MobClix in my Android apps for a while, and the earnings potential is impressive.  However, there are a few things that make me think twice before devoting all of my traffic to MobClix.

Revenue vs. Payouts

Seeing exciting stats about how much your Android app has earned is great, but what you really want is to have the money in your hand.  With MobClix, the payouts work a little differently.  That’s because MobClix needs to collect the money from the actual ad companies before it can give it to you.

What does this mean?  After contacting MobClix support, I got some clarification on how their payouts really work.

Clarification of Terms

From the MobClix FAQ page, it would appear that everything runs like clockwork.  There are a few concerns, though:

• The payout threshold is a bit high ($100)
• The payout timeline is long (net-75)

However, the higher earning potential can make these issues worth waiting for.

According to the FAQ page:

Your first payment comes at approximately 75 days after end of first month. Thereafter, Mobclix pays on a net 60 basis. In the dashboard you will soon be able to view your invoices. Minimum earnings for a payment to be dispersed is USD$100. Until then your account will accrue until you reach USD$100. If you don’t reach USD$100 in balance over a period of 180 days your earnings will convert to advertising credits equal to the dollar amount that has been accrued. This credit will expire 180 days after the conversion date.

Armed with that information, I thought I knew when I would be paid.  I wasn’t quite correct.  It took another week or two for the money to reach my hands, and when it did, the amount was lower than I hoped.

What was going on?  The invoices that MobClix shows in their developer console didn’t make it clear what was going on.  Each invoice was smaller than I would expect, so I wasn’t sure what income it was supposed to be covering.

So, I submitted a help ticket. Their support staff got back to me with details, and now I understand.  They included this clarification of how they pay:

We issue invoices using NET-75 terms, meaning the invoices are issued 75 days after the close of the month in which revenue is earned. Your June invoice, for example, reflects revenue earned primarily back in March. Invoices will always lag current revenue to date as seen in the dashboard in this three month fashion. Any further discrepancies between your invoiced amount and the amount earned in the third month prior is related to late payments from the ad networks. When networks are late in payments, those amounts are captured in later invoices when we are able to collect.

Did you spot the key difference?  If they don’t get paid, then you don’t get paid.

UPDATE – as of August 2011, MobClix changed to a net-90 system, but now promised to pay all back-due amounts regardless of when the ad network pays them.  That’s excellent for planning and knowing when you’ll get your revenue, even if it does mean you have to wait even longer.

Additional information

In addition to the explanation above, MobClix support sent me a spreadsheet showing the specific payments from each ad vendor for each of my Android apps.

Now it’s clear!  A few of the vendors (and one on particular) wasn’t included in the most recent month that was included in the invoice.  They hadn’t paid yet, so my payout was smaller than I expected.

While the money isn’t in my pocket yet, I now know exactly what is missing, and should be able to track it in the next payment.  It’s not random!

Resulting Strategies

I have downloaded the detailed breakdown for each month, and I can sort it by ad vendor.  I’m considering altering my strategy based on what I find at my next payout.  If certain vendors have trouble paying on time, I may disable them to ensure I have income from other vendors.

In addition, I’m seeing very erratic numbers from AdTini.  This isn’t the first time they have had trouble – I saw posts online that in past years AdTini totally screwed up income numbers.  In fact, their inflated numbers caused them to get a larger share of ad impressions because MobClix thought they were paying more for the ads than they really were.  Not cool!  If problems with AdTini continue, I’ll just disable them entirely to save my self the hassle.

Have any other MobClix users had trouble with specific ad companies?

Recommendations

For those who have received some income already (hooray) and are looking to increase their revenue, MobClix is a good way to do it.  You might want to read my previous articles for a MobClix review and some additional information on MobClix before you start.

However, because you don’t get your money like clockwork (as with AdMob and many others), I don’t recommend that new Android developers start with MobClix.  I still recommend starting with MobFox and Admob to start getting your Android income in your pocket sooner.