Low-quality apps list for Google Ads
Updated: August 13, 2026
Mobile apps with inflated installs, bot activity, ad click fraud, children's and pro-Russian content — to exclude from App campaigns and the Display network.
This list is indicative and does not guarantee full coverage. We recommend periodically reviewing it and supplementing it with your own observations.
Below is a shortened example of the list. The full list of domains/channels is available in the Google Sheet via the button above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I exclude mobile apps from Google Ads campaigns?
Add the app identifier or an available app category to placement exclusions at campaign or account level. The exact path depends on campaign type: Display usually provides more direct control, while App campaigns automate more placement decisions. Check placement reporting and traffic volume after making the change.
How do App campaigns differ from Display in placement control?
App campaigns distribute ads automatically across channels and optimize toward installs or in-app events, so they provide less direct control over individual placements. Display campaigns generally make it easier to inspect and exclude specific apps and categories. Both require reliable conversion signals and regular report reviews.
What are the signs of a low-quality app placement?
Key signs include many clicks or installs without meaningful follow-up actions, excessive ads, hidden banners, rewarded taps, and unnatural traffic spikes. Also review child-directed, pro-Russian, and other content that is unsuitable for the brand. Base a decision on several data points rather than one metric.
Can app categories be excluded automatically?
Google Ads supports available app-category exclusions and content-suitability controls, although the options depend on campaign type. A broad category may remove high-quality apps as well, so assess the effect on reach before applying it. Combine automated rules with manual checks of individual identifiers.
How often should I review the app exclusion list?
Review new or scaling campaigns at least weekly and more often when traffic volume is high. For stable campaigns, every two to four weeks is usually sufficient, along with checks after changes to budget, optimization, or conversion events. Revisit older exclusions because app ownership and content can change.
How to control ad placements in mobile apps
Mobile apps are a distinct placement risk because ad interactions happen inside interfaces where an accidental tap can look like deliberate engagement. Unlike websites on the Display Network and YouTube channels, apps may reward taps, place banners over controls, or interrupt every action with an ad. Without regular reviews, these placements can generate low-quality installs and clicks, distort analytics, and create brand-safety risks.
How App campaigns work in Google Ads
App campaigns automatically choose audiences, creative combinations, bids, and inventory from the selected objective, so direct control over individual placements is more limited than in standard Display campaigns. Quality management starts with accurate conversion events, an appropriate attribution window, and signals that distinguish a valuable user from an incidental install. Where the campaign type allows it, use app and category exclusions, content-suitability controls, and account-level lists. Do not block all mobile inventory without analysis, because doing so can reduce reach sharply and remove valuable sources from the bidding system.
Signs of a low-quality app
A low-quality app often produces unusually high install volume without registrations, purchases, or other meaningful post-install events, along with very short sessions and repetitive click behavior. Other warning signs include excessive ads, hidden banners, automatic redirects, rewards for views or taps, and sudden traffic spikes without corresponding value. Review content aimed at children where advertising may be inappropriate or restricted, as well as pro-Russian apps and content that conflicts with brand requirements. One metric does not prove fraud, so compare the install source, post-install events, retention, and actual user value.
How to review app placement reports
Look for app, placement, or inventory reports in Google Ads; the section name varies by campaign type and the current interface. Compare impressions, clicks, cost, installs, post-install conversions, CPA, and conversion value for each package identifier. Use a long enough period to avoid excluding a source after a few random clicks, while responding separately to clear brand-safety violations. Keep a decision log with the date, reason, and supporting metrics so the shared list remains evidence-based and can be reviewed after campaign changes.
How to use this resource
The shortened sample above shows the “name — identifier” format, while the complete list is available in the Google Sheet via the button above. Before importing entries, validate each one against your geography, audience, policies, and campaign goals, then expand the list with observations from your own reports. Revisit older exclusions because an app's owner, content, and monetization model may change. For Search campaigns, use the basic negative keyword list for Google Ads separately; it filters queries but does not replace mobile-placement controls.