See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
August 2025 - August 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
The main story: aggregated Cost Per App Install moved from single-digit medians into a pronounced spike by July 2026, producing a nearly tenfold lift at year‑end. Seasonality is visible (a Q4 trough and a Q1 uptick), but the series ends with an extreme outlier that dominates averages and volatility. 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 Arts in All countries available compared to the global benchmark.
Over 13 months the global median Cost Per App Install averaged about $21.8, with a median month of roughly $14.9. The series started in July 2025 at $9.95 and closed July 2026 at $96.91 — an increase of roughly +875% (nearly tenfold). The low point arrived December 2025 at $9.36; the next notable high was February 2026 at $30.13 before a reversion to mid‑teens for much of spring. The extreme outlier in July 2026 (just under $97) drives the mean well above the median, creating a skewed distribution.
Month‑to‑month moves were large: average absolute monthly change was on the order of ~77% (driven heavily by a +556% jump into July 2026 and a +135% surge into February 2026). Typical mid‑period swings (e.g., +25% Aug→Sep, −45% Feb→Mar) show the baseline alternating between sharp lifts and quick pullbacks.
A clear seasonal rhythm appears: costs softened into Q4 (December low ~ $9.36), followed by a Q1 rebound that produced the February spike (~$30). Spring months settled in the mid‑teens ($14–$20) across March–June, suggesting a quieter period before the abrupt July escalation. Performance typically softens through Q4 as competition rises, with engagement rebounding in early Q1 — here expressed as cost volatility rather than steady directional change. The July 2026 surge is an outlier to the prior seasonal pattern, amplifying overall volatility for the 12‑month window.
Because a separate Arts × All‑countries time series was not supplied, the baseline above serves as the aggregated global benchmark for Cost Per App Install. Relative phrasing: the global benchmark shows periods that would read as “below average” (Dec) and “above market” (Feb and Jul) if compared to a stable industry median. Overall, the baseline is more volatile than conventional CPC trends or CPM analysis often suggest — peaks create a skew that raises mean costs well above the median arts‑industry month.
Understanding Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install benchmarks for the Arts industry in All countries available helps advertisers evaluate engagement trends and compare performance to global patterns.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the Arts industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. 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.
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See how much it costs to get users to install an app