Two recent studies by Mobclix and SmartReply contend that each network performs better than AdMob. Because the data are self-serving one must receive them with some caution. However here are the results . . . 

Mobclix ran "The Mobclix Challenge" in December to directly compare itself to AdMob, claiming that its platform/network would provide app developers with greater revenue. Mobclix said it "outperformed AdMob by 83%. Overall, Mobclix was able to ensure higher eCPM, significantly more revenue and 100% fill rates for all participating apps."

The company highlighted two case studies that cast Mobclix in an especially favorable light vs. AdMob: 

• Jokes Free earned 135% more ad revenue and received 2.27x higher eCPM via Mobclix in comparison to AdMob. If they had integrated Mobclix exclusively in December, their app could have earned $5K more in revenue.
• Spazzle Free earned 25% more ad revenue and received as much as 175% higher eCPMs using Mobclix. If they had integrated Mobclix exclusively in December, they could have earned $6K more in revenue.

Independently SmartReply, which works with retailers, conducted a study comparing its own SMS network to AdMob's. The company said that in "multiple comparative tests run between in Q4 2009 and January 2010 across the AdMob and SmartReply networks," the results were as follows:

• For every $100 spent in mobile advertising, the SmartReply network delivered 7.7 new customers while AdMob delivered only 4 new customers.
• SmartReply’s ad network delivered a 2.17% click-through rate while AdMob’s delivered only a 0.13% click-through rate.
• To receive 100 responses, SmartReply circulated 65,000 impressions whereas AdMob needed to circulate 5 Million impressions.
• For every 12 Million impressions served by SmartReply, AdMob needed to serve 1 Billion to achieve the same results.

This is a little bit "apples to oranges" because one would expect an opt-in SMS platform to have better success than a pure display network such as AdMob's. However SmartReply contends that it is both more efficient and offers broader potential reach than AdMob (SMS vs. apps/mobile Web). 

Separately Mobclix just acquired analytics provider Hearbeat to broaden what it can offer developers in terms of tracking app performance. This is similar to the recent acquistion of TapMetrics by Millennial Media, to broaden its analytics capabilities.