“Somewhere between 80 and 85% of revenue still to this day comes from advertising. What the ads allow us to do is to also be available and support markets that would not traditionally have subscription apps or use in-app purchases — Tier 2, Tier 3 — where most other big brands would not advertise.”

80-85% of Subway Surfers revenue comes from ads — rewarded video lets users pay with attention, opening Tier 2/3 markets subscriptions can't reach

Subway Surfers' massive global download share in lower-GDP markets is enabled by ad monetization — markets where $10/month subscriptions represent real economic friction but watching an ad costs nothing. For subscription apps looking to grow internationally, rewarded video and interstitial ads offer a genuine monetization path in markets where subscription conversion is structurally low, allowing reach without sacrificing the premium tier in high-income markets.