Kickbacks.ai went viral in early June 2026: replace Claude Code's "Discombobulating..." spinner with ads, get ~50% of revenue.
But Kickbacks isn't the only option — and the risks aren't obvious.
I built AIWaitIndex — a free, independent comparison site for this new category.
While an AI coding tool is thinking, you see a spinner or status line. Startups now sell that moment to advertisers and share revenue with you (or the app publisher).
New inventory. Launched ~2 weeks ago. Still early.
| Platform | Rev share | Est. CPM | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickbacks.ai | 50% | $8–15 | Medium |
| IdleAds.dev | 70% | $8–14 | Medium |
| Idlen.io | 70% | $20–42 | Low |
| Sponsoric | 70% | $15–35 | Low |
| picoads | CPC/USDC | — | Low |
Full table + risk notes: https://aiwaitindex.com/compare One HN user reported ~407 impressions in 3 hours → $4.43 (~$11 CPM).
Using typical usage (4 hrs/day, 20 prompts/hr):
Try the calculator (runs 100% in your browser, no tracking):
[https://aiwaitindex.com/calculator](https://aiwaitindex.com/calculator)
Kickbacks patches Claude Code's rendering layer. Not officially supported by Anthropic. Their ToS disclaims affiliation.
Before installing at work:
Safer path: Idlen SDK or Sponsoric API — you integrate in your app, no patching third-party tools.
**Site:** [https://aiwaitindex.com](https://aiwaitindex.com)
**Newsletter:** [https://aiwaitindex.com/newsletter](https://aiwaitindex.com/newsletter)
**Deep-dive guide ($19, PDF + platform data bonus):** [https://aiwaitindex.com/guide](https://aiwaitindex.com/guide)
Independent research. Not affiliated with Kickbacks, Anthropic, OpenAI, or any listed platform. Estimates only — not financial advice.