See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Across all industries and all countries, Facebook Ads cost per app install (CPI) moved through a year of pronounced swings, peaking mid-year before settling into a tighter band and then rebounding to start 2026. The global median CPI began at $7.10 in January 2025, surged to a high of $23.76 in June, and closed at $15.39 in January 2026 — a 117% lift from the prior January. Volatility was real but rhythmic: sharp moves in Q2 gave way to steadier pricing in late Q3 and Q4, with a December dip and a strong January rebound.
This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for all industries across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
From January 2025 to January 2026, global CPI averaged $13.58, with a wide range from a $7.10 low (January 2025) to a $23.76 high (June 2025) — a 3.35x spread. The steepest one-month surge came in May to June (+93%), followed by the sharpest correction from June to July (−55%). After the mid-year spike, prices normalized: August ($15.61), September ($16.17), and October ($16.39) moved within a narrow $0.78 band. November eased to $14.57, December dipped to $10.43, and January 2026 climbed back to $15.39 (+48% month over month).
Looking across 2025 alone, the annual average was $13.43. H1 averaged $12.87, while H2 rose to $13.99 — about 9% higher, reflecting the mid-year peak and steadier late-year levels. On a monthly basis, CPI shifted by roughly $4.50 on average, underscoring higher-than-usual mid-year volatility that later compressed into smaller moves through early Q4.
The pattern followed a classic arc: softer in Q1 (average $9.22), a pronounced run-up in Q2 (average $16.53) driven by June’s high, and normalization in Q3 (average $14.18). Q4 moderated further (average $13.80), with a notable December trough ($10.43) before a January rebound to $15.39. The August–October stretch was the most stable of the year, with sub-dollar month-to-month shifts, contrasting sharply with the Q2 spikes. Relative to the 2025 average, months above trend clustered around June and early Q4, while January and March were the only months below $10.
Because the view here aggregates all industries across all countries, the selected series is the global benchmark. As a result, gaps between “country” and “global” are effectively zero across every month. Trend and volatility match the market: a steady Q1, a steep Q2 ascent (+79% from Q1 to Q2 averages), then a gradual cool-down (Q4 ~17% below Q2) and a late-year dip followed by a January lift.
Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install across all industries and all countries highlights how acquisition costs evolved through 2025: a Q2 spike, late-year stabilization, and a January rebound. For teams tracking CPI alongside CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance, these global, country-agnostic app-install benchmarks provide a clear reference point for industry ad performance and country-specific ad costs relative to broader market patterns.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.
We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.
Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.
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All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.
This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.
iOS CPIs often range from $2 to $5 or more. Android is usually cheaper, between $1 and $3. Your CPI will depend on geo, creative, and optimization goal.
Some regions like the US, UK, and Canada have higher competition and stricter privacy regulations, which drive up costs. Countries with lower purchasing power typically have cheaper CPIs.
Short videos showing app benefits, UGC-style content, and localized messaging tend to perform best. Clear CTAs and fast-paced visuals help lower your CPI.
Optimizing for installs gets volume, but optimizing for actions like signups or purchases brings higher quality users. It depends on your goals and how much post-install behavior matters.
Align your creative with the app experience, avoid misleading ads, and exclude users who already installed. You can also test lookalike audiences based on high-quality users, not just all installers.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
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Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
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Cost per lead across different markets
Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries
See how much it costs to get users to install an app