Popunder

A popunder is an advertising format in which, after a user clicks on a page, a new tab containing an advert opens in the background. It does not immediately cover the main website, but remains behind the active browser window and becomes visible later – when the user closes or minimises the current page.

What is a popunder and what does it look like?

A pop-under is an advertising format in which a new tab containing an offer opens in the background after a user clicks on a page. For example, a user visits a free streaming site, a file-sharing site or a content site, clicks on a player, a button or any other element, and the browser opens an advertising tab behind the active window. The user does not see it straight away, so their browsing of the main site is not interrupted. When they close or minimise the current page, the advert comes to the foreground.

From the system’s perspective, everything works via an onclick script: the network registers the click, checks the GEO, device and display frequency, and opens the advert URL. Unlike a pop-up, which immediately appears on top of the page, a pop-under remains in the background and does not obscure the content. This is precisely why the format is considered less intrusive: it does not disrupt the user’s browsing experience within the first 1–2 seconds, although it still constitutes cold traffic for the arbitrage funnel.

Popunder vs Clickunder – what’s the difference?

Pop-unders and click-unders are similar in that they are triggered after the user clicks on a page, but they behave differently. A pop-under opens the advert behind the active browser window, so it doesn’t interrupt browsing straight away. Clickunder works more aggressively: it redirects the current tab to an advert page and effectively takes over the space where the user was already viewing something. Because of this, popunder traffic is more often used for softer funnels within the industry, as well as in nutra, gambling and betting. To make the difference clearer, let’s compare the formats based on key parameters.

Pop-under

How the advert opens: a new tab opens behind the active window.
What the user sees: initially, they continue to view the main website.
Level of intrusiveness: lower, as browsing is not interrupted straight away.
Where it is commonly used: Nutra, gambling, betting, dating.
Main advantage: a gentler approach to a cold audience.

Clickunder

How the advert opens: the active tab is redirected to the advert.
What the user sees: is immediately taken to the advert page.
Level of intrusiveness: higher, as the format "takes over" the current tab.
Where it is commonly used: Nutra, gambling, betting, Smartlink.
Main advantage: quick redirection to the offer.

Where to buy pop-under traffic: the main networks

Popunder traffic is usually purchased from specialised popunder networks or multi-format ad networks. Arbitrageurs often test several platforms at once, as the quality of ad slots, GEOs and CPMs can vary significantly:

PropellerAds. A large network offering the popunder format, smartlinks and a wide selection of GEOs.
PopAds. A classic popunder network, often used for quick tests.
Adsterra. A multi-format platform offering pop-under, push, display and other formats.
ClickAdu. A network specialising in pop-under traffic for nutra, gambling, dating and smartlink funnels.

The set-up process is simple: register, top up your balance, select your GEO and website categories, then set your CPM bid. For the first test, you’d usually budget $50–100, as at $0.5 CPM and a 3% conversion rate, you’ll need 10,000+ impressions to get at least 30 clicks.

Which verticals is the popunder suitable for?

Pop-under works well in verticals where high volumes, a low CPM and a simple user action are required. It is particularly often tested in nutra campaigns, as COD funnels in Tier-3 markets can deliver results even with a cold audience. Most often, the format proves effective where the user does not need to spend long making a decision:

COD nutra in Tier-3, where there are high impression volumes and cheaper traffic;
gambling and betting with simple registration funnels;
adult dating, where the format quickly drives massive traffic;
utilities, VPNs, antivirus software and other simple digital offers;
sweepstakes, quizzes and smartlink campaigns.

This format is less suitable for premium Tier-1 offers, where users need to be nurtured for a long time before converting. Our affiliate network, ENSO, offers proven nutra offers that can be tested with effective pre-landing pages: these quickly explain the pain point, the benefit and the next step, so that an audience not actively searching for the product can quickly recognise their need for it.

How to optimise a popunder campaign

Pop-under traffic needs to be optimised straight away, as cheap impressions do not guarantee leads. You can use our nutra case studies as a guide – these are real examples from the ENSO TRAFFIC team, showing how campaigns are tested and scaled. To avoid wasting your budget, check the key metrics:

Test 3-5 pre-landing pages simultaneously.
Disable publisher IDs with no conversions.
Set a frequency cap of 1-2 impressions per day.
Test morning and daytime slots separately.
Enable auto-stop for zones with no leads.

Popunder doesn’t like chaos: it’s best to switch off underperforming zones quickly. It’s worth shifting your budget to where the first conversions are already happening.

Pros and cons of Popunder traffic

Pros

Low CPM and a low entry cost.
High volume of impressions.
Less strict moderation than on Facebook.
Quick campaign launch.

Cons

Cold audience with a lower conversion rate.
We need a strong pre-launch.
Not all affiliate programmes accept popunders.
It’s harder to scale high-quality traffic.

Key points at a glance

1. What is a pop-under?

A pop-under is an advertising format in which a new tab containing an advert opens in the background after a user clicks on a website. Unlike a pop-up, it does not immediately cover the active page. In affiliate marketing, it is used to generate cheap, high-volume traffic on a CPM basis. The format is suitable for testing, but requires a pre-landing page, tracking and zone filtering.

2. How does a popander differ from a clickander?

The main difference lies in how the tab behaves. A pop-under opens the ad page behind the active browser window. A pop-up redirects the user’s current tab to the offer. As a result, a pop-up appears more intrusive. Both formats are triggered by a click on the page, but a pop-under is less disruptive to the main browsing experience and is more often suitable for a soft conversion funnel via a pre-landing page, without abruptly disrupting the user’s attention.

3. Where can you buy pop-under traffic?

Popunder traffic is purchased from popunder networks and multi-format ad networks. Popular options include PropellerAds, PopAds, Adsterra and ClickAdu. In their dashboard, advertisers select the GEO, device, frequency of display, website categories, CPM bid and tracker URL. For an initial test, a budget of $50–100 is usually set aside to obtain a sufficient number of impressions for an initial assessment of traffic quality.

4. Which verticals is pop-under suitable for?

Pop-under is best suited to verticals with a simple call-to-action: nutra COD, gambling, betting, adult dating, sweepstakes, utilities, VPNs and smartlinks. For premium Tier-1 offers, the format performs less effectively because the audience is cold. The user wasn’t actively searching for the product, so the pre-landing page needs to quickly explain the pain point, the benefit and the next step without putting undue pressure on the user.

5. How much does post-click traffic cost?

From $0.1 to $5 per 1,000 impressions, depending on GEO, device, network, website category and competition. Tier-3 is usually cheaper, Tier-1 more expensive. However, the CPM price does not reflect actual profitability. What matters are the landing page conversion rate (CR), approval rate, payout, EPC and ROI. Cheap pop-under ads can end up being expensive if the ad zones don’t convert, even at a low CPM.

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