- Before you begin
- Add Chartboost repository and dependencies to your Gradle file
- Adding the Google Play Services library
- Supporting orientation changes
- Importing Chartboost SDK
- Initializing Chartboost SDK
- Adding your app ID and app signature
- Showing a static or video interstitial ad
- Showing a rewarded video ad
- Showing a banner ad
- Testing your integration
- Checking the SDK icon in the dashboard
- More SDK features
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Before you begin: |
- Have you signed up for a Chartboost account?
- Did you add an app to your dashboard?
- Amazon integration uses the same SDK as Android. These integration instructions apply to games for Google Play or the Amazon App Store.
- Chartboost Sample App is available here.
Publishers should call the
addDataUseConsent
API from the Chartboost SDK and pass in the appropriate value for whether consent exists, does not exist, or is unknown. Publishers are required as part of Terms of Service to obtain the consent from their users before Chartboost will process any personal data and pass it to the Chartboost SDK via the above method. This method should be called before startWithAppId
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Requirements and Optional Permissions |
- The Chartboost SDK requires API level 21 (Android OS 5) or higher.
- The Chartboost Android SDK requires the use of AndroidX.
- Required permission:
android.permission.INTERNET
- Required permission:
android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
- Optional (but recommended) permission:
android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
Allows the SDK to handle calls that interrupt video playback.
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Add Chartboost repository and dependencies to your Gradle file. |
- To integrate Chartboost, add this code to your Android Gradle file:
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Add the Google Play Services Library as a dependency of your project. When you use our latest SDK, you will need “play-services-base” and “play-services-ads-identifier”. |
- The Google Play Services library has its own set of integration instructions, including additions to your Android Manifest and ProGuard configuration.
- Follow these setup instructions from Google.
- After following Google’s instructions to integrate the Play Services Library you should find something similar to the following two lines in your build.gradle file:
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If you display Chartboost ads in any activity that supports different orientations, add the following attribute to those activities in AndroidManifest.xml. |
This helps smoothen video playback during orientation changes.
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Add CBImpressionActivity to AndroidManifest.xml. |
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Import the Chartboost SDK into any activity that uses Chartboost. |
- If you’re using additional SDK features, you’ll want to import these activities:
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Initialize Chartboost SDK |
startWithAppId
doesn’t require Activity anymore. From version 8.0.1+ context should be passed instead.
startWithAppId
must always be called during hard and soft bootups within the first few seconds of your app launching, regardless of any other actions or user interaction within your app.Publishers should call the
addDataUseConsent
API from the Chartboost SDK and pass in the appropriate value for whether consent exists, does not exist, or is unknown. Publishers are required as part of Terms of Service to obtain the consent from their users before Chartboost will process any personal data and pass it to the Chartboost SDK via the above method. This method should be called before startWithAppId
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Add your app ID and app signature. |
- Replace
appID
andappSignature
with your app ID and app signature. - Where can I find my app ID and app signature?
Chartboost App ID is a unique App identifier in our systems, therefore it is required to use a different Chartboost App ID per each app.
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To show a static or video interstitial ad: |
Create interstitial with mediation object:
Cache interstitial:
- For customized control over how ads behave in your game, the Chartboost SDK also offers more features such as delegate methods, and named locations.
- Learn more about Chartboost video ads ▶
Do not call
showInterstitial
directly after cacheInterstitial
for the same location, or the SDK will fail silently.Prefetched videos (in total) only take up 30-50MB, even when you are using mediation.
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To show a rewarded video ad: |
Create rewarded with mediation object:
Cache rewarded:
- For customized control over how ads behave in your game, the Chartboost SDK also offers more features such as delegate methods, and named locations.
- Learn more about Chartboost video ads ▶
We strongly recommend that you cache your interstitials before showing them. Learn more about caching ▶
Prefetched videos (in total) only take up 30-50MB, even when you are using mediation.
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To show a banner ad: |
Create banner object with mediation :
Cache banner:
Banner ads are not supported for Amazon integrations.
To make the banner ad show, first create it (detailed here), and then call the delegate method.
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Test your integration. |
- Run your project on an Android device.
- Use Test Mode to see if test ads show up.
- Why can’t I see ads in my game?
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Check the SDK icon in the Chartboost dashboard. |
- Go to your app’s App Settings > Basic Settings in your dashboard.
- When our servers successfully receive a bootup call from our SDK using your app ID, the SDK icon underneath your app’s icon will turn from gray to green.

w00t! You just integrated the Chartboost SDK into your app!
Now you can start a campaign ▶
Check out more Chartboost SDK features
- Chartboost Video: Add beautiful, high-quality video ads to give players the best in-game experience.
- Named locations: Fine-tune your campaign targeting and ad frequency from the dashboard.
- Delegate methods: Gain more control over how your game behaves around ads.
- SDK configuration methods: Access Chartboost SDK functionality and settings.
- Mediation: Show your ads along a waterfall of other top-quality networks.
You might also like…
- Error codes: Common problems and their solutions when integrating the SDK for Android.
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Last Updated on February 23, 2023