Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks

Introduction

Global cost per app install moved through a pronounced boom‑bust‑boom cycle this year. Costs compressed to a January low, surged into a mid‑year spike, reset sharply in July, and then climbed to a new high in November—classic seasonal pressure with an extra jolt in Q2 and late Q4. Volatility was elevated, with several double‑digit swings month over month and a 3.75x spread between the trough and the peak. 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.

The story in the data

Across all industries and countries, Facebook Ads cost per app install averaged $16.46 over the period, starting at $12.30 in December 2024 and ending at $27.18 in November 2025. The low came in January at $7.25; the high landed in November at $27.18, narrowly topping June’s earlier spike ($27.13). From January’s trough to November’s peak, CPI rose roughly 275%, underscoring the year’s steep price gradient.

Median CPI sat lower than the mean at $14.14, signaling that a handful of expensive months pulled the average up. Monthly moves were choppy: average absolute month‑over‑month change was $6.46. The biggest swings clustered mid‑year and in Q4—May to June jumped +101% (to $27.13), June to July fell −52% (to $12.96), and October to November leapt +48% (to $27.18). The calmest move was April to May (−$1.23). Five of twelve months cleared the annual average (June, August, September, October, November), concentrating the pricier periods in the back half of the year.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality showed clearly. Post‑holiday deflation set in for January ($7.25), followed by a February rebound ($13.12) before a March softness ($9.38). Q2 tightened quickly: April ($14.75) and May ($13.52) set the stage for a June surge to $27.13, likely reflecting mid‑year competition that lifted auction prices. Q3 reset hard in July ($12.96) but rebuilt through August ($19.37) and September ($22.23), a steady climb into early Q4. October cooled to $18.33 before November spiked to the yearly high ($27.18), consistent with late‑Q4 intensity. December 2024, by contrast, sat at a comparatively moderate $12.30, highlighting how the end‑of‑year upswing peaked later this cycle.

Country vs. Global

Because this view aggregates all industries across all countries, the selected trend mirrors the global benchmark exactly. In every month, the gap to global CPI is 0%, and volatility profiles are identical. The broader story remains a global one: a subdued Q1, an aggressive Q2 lift, a July reset, and an escalator pattern into late Q4.

Closing

In sum, Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install across all industries and all countries show a year defined by sharp seasonal swings: a Q1 trough, mid‑year spike, July reset, and a new high in November. This global view provides a clear frame for CPI trends, CPM analysis context, and how industry ad performance dynamics shape country‑specific ad costs when rolled up into the worldwide aggregate. Understanding cost per app install benchmarks for all industries across all countries helps teams gauge CPI and compare performance to global patterns.