Push vs. popunder: which one should your budget go to first?

The short answer

If the offer needs one strong hook and a fast decision, start with popunder. If it needs repetition, re-engagement or a softer nudge, start with push. Most buyers eventually run both, but they should not start with both.

What actually differs

Popunder owns the full page. The user finishes an article, closes a tab, and the landing page is already there. Attention is broad and shallow: one screen to make the offer obvious.

Push arrives on the lock screen or in the notification tray. It is smaller, easier to ignore and much cheaper per impression. It works when the message is specific and the audience has shown interest in the category.

• Popunder: sweepstakes, betting, utilities and direct-response offers with an instant promise.
• Push: re-engagement, iGaming, app installs and offers that benefit from repeated exposure.

The mistake we see most

Advertisers judge both formats on click-through rate. That number is almost meaningless alone. A popunder campaign at 0.4% CTR can beat a push campaign at 3% CTR if the downstream event is stronger.

Set the optimisation event before launch — first deposit, funded account, purchase, verified registration — and compare formats on cost per event, not cost per click.

A simple testing plan

Run one format at a time for the first week with the same offer and comparable GEOs. Keep creative constant so the format is the only variable. After seven days, move 70% of budget to the winner and use the remaining 30% to test the second format.

No elaborate matrix, no twelve-way split. Formats are a blunt instrument; creative and source quality decide the outcome.