IronSource
Corporate brand
UnclaimedironSource was an Israeli software company that developed tools for mobile-app monetization, advertising, distribution, analytics, and user acquisition.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
ironSource was an Israeli software company founded in Tel Aviv in 2010 around the growing app economy. Its products connected application developers, publishers, advertisers, and users through software-development kits, advertising technology, distribution tools, mediation services, analytics, and user-acquisition products. The company initially became known for InstallCore, a cross-platform installation and software-distribution platform, before shifting substantial attention toward mobile applications and games. The company's early business model combined software installation with advertising delivery and monetization. It expanded through acquisitions, including AfterDownload, DealPly, and the mobile game studio Upopa, while also establishing offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. In 2015, ironSource merged its mobile business with Supersonic, creating a broader mobile-app and mobile-game operation under the ironSource name. The company subsequently added video-advertising technology through StreamRail, measurement capabilities through Soomla, and creative-management tools through Luna Labs. ironSource's mobile platform helped developers monetize applications through advertising mediation, rewarded video, offerwalls, user acquisition, campaign measurement, and related optimization tools. Its technology was used particularly in mobile games, where developers need to balance advertising revenue, in-app purchases, retention, and the cost of acquiring new players. The company also operated Supersonic Studios, a mobile-game publishing and development unit launched in 2020. That unit tested and published games using rapid market feedback and advertising-led discovery; ironSource said several of its games reached high positions in mobile-download charts during its first year. The company attracted international venture and growth investment and was recognized in the mid-2010s by business and technology organizations as a high-growth Israeli startup. It raised approximately $85 million in 2014, accepted a minority investment from CVC Capital Partners in 2019, and became a publicly traded company on June 29, 2021, through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company sponsored by Thoma Bravo Advantage. ironSource also faced sustained criticism over software-distribution practices associated with InstallCore and related installer products. Security researchers and antivirus vendors classified parts of the installation ecosystem as potentially unwanted software or bundlers, citing unwanted application installation, stealth techniques, and disputed certificate practices. InstallCore was discontinued in 2020. These earlier controversies remained relevant when Unity announced its acquisition of ironSource, prompting criticism from some game developers concerned about the companies' association with adware and malware-related distribution histories. In July 2022, Unity Technologies agreed to acquire ironSource in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.4 billion. Unity completed the acquisition in November 2022. Following completion, ironSource ceased to operate as an independent publicly traded company, and its technologies became part of Unity's platform for game development, advertising, monetization, and user growth.
History
ironSource was established in Tel Aviv in 2010 to build software for application distribution, monetization, analytics, conversion, acquisition, and optimization. Its first major product, InstallCore, was released in February 2011 as an open-source software-development kit for creating cross-platform installers and delivering advertising. This placed the company in the software-download market, where installer platforms could distribute applications while generating advertising and installation revenue. InstallCore later became controversial. Security researchers and antivirus companies reported that some versions or components used stealth-oriented installation behavior, bundled additional programs, and attempted to evade security inspection. Sophos classified it as a potentially unwanted application in 2014, Microsoft identified related software in 2015, and Malwarebytes described the broader program family as bundlers capable of installing multiple applications. ironSource discontinued InstallCore in 2020 and no longer supported it. During its early expansion, ironSource acquired AfterDownload in the first quarter of 2013. The transaction broadened the company's advertising-technology and distribution capabilities. In the same year, it discussed a possible merger with Babylon, although those talks ended after Babylon lost valuable contracts with Google and Yahoo. ironSource also purchased browser-add-on startup DealPly and began expanding outside Israel, opening a San Francisco office in 2013, a Beijing office in 2014, and a United Kingdom office in 2015. The company raised approximately $85 million in 2014 and acquired mobile-game studio Upopa. This period marked a more visible move into mobile applications and games. In September 2015, ironSource merged Supersonic into its mobile operation in a transaction estimated at approximately $200 million. The combined business used the ironSource brand and developed a broader platform for mobile-app distribution, advertising, monetization, and user growth. ironSource subsequently added video-advertising technology through its 2016 acquisition of StreamRail. By the middle of the 2010s, ironSource had become one of the more prominent Israeli app-economy companies. It was recognized by startup and technology publications and was named a Global Growth Company by the World Economic Forum in 2015. The company maintained a large international workforce and offices in Tel Aviv, New York, San Francisco, London, Beijing, Shenzhen, Tokyo, and Seoul. Its products supported developers and publishers across mobile games and other application categories, with tools for ad mediation, advertising measurement, user acquisition, conversion, and optimization. ironSource launched Supersonic Studios in February 2020 as a mobile-game studio and publishing operation. Within its first months, the company reported that three games had reached the top ten of mobile charts and that its games had accumulated more than 35 million downloads. It expanded its technology portfolio in 2021 by acquiring Soomla, a mobile-advertising quality-measurement company, and Luna Labs, a creative-management business associated with tools including Luna Playable and Luna Replay. These acquisitions strengthened ironSource's ability to connect campaign creation, measurement, monetization, and game publishing. On June 29, 2021, ironSource became publicly traded through a merger with a SPAC sponsored by Thoma Bravo Advantage. The public listing gave the company access to public equity markets during a period of strong investor interest in mobile software, gaming, and digital advertising. In July 2022, Unity Technologies agreed to acquire ironSource in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.4 billion. The proposed combination was intended to join Unity's game-development platform with ironSource's monetization and user-growth technology. Some developers objected because of ironSource's historical association with potentially unwanted software and malware-related criticism. Unity completed the transaction in November 2022, after which ironSource ceased to be an independent public company and its operations became part of Unity.
- 2022
Unity acquisition is completed
[1]Unity completes its approximately $4.4 billion all-stock acquisition of ironSource in November.
- 2021
Soomla and Luna Labs are acquired
[1]The acquisitions add mobile-ad quality measurement and advertising-creative management capabilities.
- 2021
Public listing through SPAC merger
[1]ironSource becomes publicly traded through a merger with a Thoma Bravo Advantage-backed SPAC.
- 2020
Supersonic Studios launches
[1]ironSource establishes a mobile-game studio and publishing operation under the Supersonic Studios name.
- 2016
StreamRail is acquired
[1]ironSource acquires StreamRail to add video-advertising technology.
- 2015
Supersonic mobile merger
[1]Supersonic is merged into ironSource's mobile business, creating a larger mobile advertising and monetization operation.
- 2014
Funding and Upopa acquisition
[1]The company raises approximately $85 million and acquires mobile-game studio Upopa.
- 2013
AfterDownload and DealPly expand the distribution business
[1]ironSource acquires AfterDownload and DealPly while expanding its international office network.
- 2011
InstallCore is released
[1]ironSource releases InstallCore, an installer-development and advertising-delivery platform for cross-platform software distribution.
- 2010
ironSource is founded in Tel Aviv
[1]The company is established in Israel to develop software for application distribution, monetization, analytics, and user acquisition.
Products and positioning
A developer-focused app-economy platform combining mobile monetization, advertising mediation, user acquisition, measurement, creative tools, and game publishing.
Software installation and distribution · 2011
InstallCore
InstallCore was ironSource's early cross-platform installer SDK and advertising-delivery platform. It enabled software publishers to package and distribute applications while supporting advertising and monetization. Security vendors and researchers criticized versions of the product family for bundling additional applications, using stealth-oriented techniques, and presenting potentially unwanted software. ironSource discontinued the product in 2020.
Mobile advertising technology
Mobile monetization and mediation platform
ironSource's mobile platform provided developers and publishers with tools to monetize applications through advertising, mediation, rewarded video, offer-based formats, analytics, and optimization. The technology was especially relevant to mobile games, where publishers use multiple advertising networks and need to manage yield, user experience, retention, and in-app purchasing together.
Mobile games · 2020
Supersonic Studios
Supersonic Studios was ironSource's mobile-game studio and publishing operation, launched in 2020. It used rapid testing, performance data, and advertising-led user acquisition to identify and scale mobile games. The company reported that several early Supersonic titles reached top-ten mobile-chart positions and collectively generated more than 35 million downloads during the studio's first months.
Advertising measurement
Soomla
Soomla was a mobile-advertising quality-measurement company acquired by ironSource in 2021. Its capabilities complemented ironSource's monetization and user-acquisition products by helping mobile developers evaluate traffic quality and advertising performance.
Advertising creative management
Luna Playable and Luna Replay
Luna Labs developed creative-management and mobile-advertising production tools, including Luna Playable and Luna Replay. ironSource acquired Luna Labs in 2021 to strengthen the creation, management, and optimization of interactive advertising formats for mobile applications and games.
Controversies
2022
Developer criticism of Unity's ironSource acquisition
Some game developers criticized Unity's proposed acquisition of ironSource because of ironSource's historical association with potentially unwanted software and malware-related distribution concerns.
2015
Further antivirus criticism of InstallCore
Microsoft security products identified related InstallCore software in 2015, while Malwarebytes described the program family as bundlers capable of installing more than one application. The controversy became part of ironSource's public reputation even after the product was later discontinued.
2014
InstallCore classified as potentially unwanted software
Sophos classified InstallCore as a potentially unwanted application in 2014. Reports focused on installer behavior, bundled applications, and concerns that users could receive software they did not clearly intend to install.
Brand decisions
2022
Accept Unity's acquisition offerM&ABackground
Unity and ironSource sought to combine game-development technology with mobile monetization, advertising, and user-growth tools.
Action taken
Unity agreed to acquire ironSource in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.4 billion and completed the deal in November 2022.
Aftermath
ironSource ceased to be an independent public company and its business became part of Unity.
Transaction value. Approximately US$4.4 billion (Announced July 2022; completed November 2022)
2021
Release an advertising revenue measurement toolOtherBackground
Mobile developers needed to compare advertising-campaign performance and evaluate return on advertising spend.
Action taken
ironSource released a tool designed to measure advertising revenue and campaign effectiveness alongside other industry measurement solutions.
Aftermath
The product broadened ironSource's measurement offering for developers and advertisers.
2020
Launch Supersonic StudiosStrategyBackground
ironSource aimed to extend its position in mobile games from advertising and monetization into game creation and publishing.
Action taken
The company launched Supersonic Studios as a mobile-game studio and publishing unit.
Aftermath
ironSource reported that three games reached the top ten of mobile charts within months and that its games exceeded 35 million downloads.
2015
Merge Supersonic into the mobile businessM&ABackground
ironSource sought to build a larger mobile-app and mobile-game platform beyond its earlier software-installation business.
Action taken
The company merged Supersonic into its mobile operation in a transaction estimated at approximately $200 million and continued under the ironSource name.
Aftermath
The combination became a foundation for ironSource's later mobile monetization, advertising, and game-publishing activities.
Estimated transaction value. Approximately US$200 million (2015)
Recent events
Reported
ironSource launches two iOS user-growth tools[2]
ironSource launched Universal SKAN Reporting and CV Manager, products intended to support app developers with reporting and conversion-value management.
Reported
ironSource completes business combination with Thoma Bravo Advantage[3]
ironSource announced that it completed its previously announced business combination with special purpose acquisition company Thoma Bravo Advantage.
Reported
ironSource lists on the New York Stock Exchange[3]
ironSource listed on the New York Stock Exchange on June 29, 2021, under the ticker symbol IS.
Reported
ironSource launches LiveGames[4]
ironSource announced the launch of LiveGames, a tool available to developers publishing mobile games with its Supersonic publishing solution that provides self-service game management and access to game performance metrics.
Reported
ironSource announces acquisition of Luna Labs[5]
ironSource announced its acquisition of Luna Labs, a startup with a platform for creating and managing video and playable ads. The financial terms were not disclosed.
Reported
ironSource announces acquisition of SOOMLA[6]
ironSource announced its acquisition of SOOMLA, an ad quality measurement platform. SOOMLA's technology will be added to ironSource's solutions, and SOOMLA's team will join ironSource.
Reported
ironSource launches LevelPlay in-app bidding technology[7]
ironSource announced the launch of LevelPlay, its in-app bidding technology for its ad monetization platform.
Sources8 sources
- 1IronSourceen.wikipedia.org
- 2ironSource 推出两款 iOS 用户增长工具mactech.com
- 3ironSource完成与Thoma Bravo Advantage的业务合并finance.sina.com.cn
- 4ironSource推出LiveGamesprweb.com
- 5ironSource宣布收购Luna Labsprweb.com
- 6ironSource宣布收购SOOMLAprweb.com
- 7ironSource推出LevelPlay应用内竞价技术prweb.com
- 8IronSource acquires video and playable ad platform Luna Labs | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
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