CandyAds · 01 · Main finding

Competitors vs. Claude Code: where’s the real moat?

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Platforms sell a full system around the code.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Claude Code already writes working HTML5 playables.

mraid.open(url);

endCard.show();

Compliance

Editor

Testing

Integrations

Art

Network compliance

Weak moat · 1/3

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Export to each network’s rules: file-size limits, MRAID, end card.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Build an exporter and checks from public rules in days; keep it updated.

EXPORT CHECKS

File-size limits

MRAID

End card

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No-code editor

Weak moat · 1/3

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Visual editor, brand guardrails, version history, approvals.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Plain-language edits already work; add a live-preview interface.

“Make the play button bigger and pink.”

Plain-language edit

PLAY

Live preview

CANDYADS · WHERE’S THE REAL MOAT?

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Variant testing

Strong moat · 3/3

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Many versions; results tracked per version; winners guide the next round.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Generate variants automatically; pull results from the networks and AppsFlyer/Adjust.

GENERATE

RUN

MEASURE

LEARN

A · B · C

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Network integrations

Medium moat · 2/3

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Upload straight to AppLovin, Unity and Meta; real-device testing.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Upload through network APIs ⚠; automated tests on BrowserStack/AWS with Appium.

playable.html

AppLovin

Unity

Art assets

Strongest moat · 3/3

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Polished, consistent characters and animation.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Crop, pull frames, remove backgrounds, call image models; polish is still hard.

Plain brand photo

Neon game character

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Competitors’ art tools

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Playable Factory uses Layer.ai; AdLiven built its own; Playbox charges $400 per playable, 1–3 days.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

The same base models are available through APIs.

Playable Factory

Art: Layer.ai

AdLiven

Art: built its own

Playbox

$400 / playable

1–3 days

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Copying the art stack

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

Layer.ai trains style LoRAs on a client’s art.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Train a LoRA on 10–30 images through fal.ai or Replicate. Commercial use OK: SDXL, FLUX schnell, Qwen-Image. Paid: FLUX dev, BRIA ⚠.

LoRA

Commercial use OK

SDXL

FLUX schnell

Qwen-Image

Paid

FLUX dev

BRIA ⚠

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Open-source shortcut

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

OpenMontage: open-source, video only.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Reuse its image models and HTML animation ⚠ AGPL license risk.

calesthio/OpenMontage

Open-source · video only

⚠ AGPL LICENSE RISK

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Takeaway

A · EXISTING PLATFORMS

The platforms’ edge: data loop and art quality.

B · VIA CLAUDE CODE

Claude Code covers code, compliance and the editor.

DATA

ART

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Glossary

LoRA

Small add-on that teaches an image model a specific style.

IPM

Installs per 1,000 impressions.

MRAID

The standard that lets an HTML5 ad talk to its host app.

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Sources

01  help.layer.ai (Playable Factory case study, custom models)
02  layer.ai/features/style-training
03  pocketgamer.biz (AdLiven)
04  xsolla.partnerpage.io (Playbox)
05  github.com/calesthio/OpenMontage
06  segwise.ai (playable tools)

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