Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Arts

Introduction

The main story: global Cost Per App Install (CPI) moved from a mid‑teens level in mid‑2025 to a lower point by June 2026, punctuated by a dramatic February 2026 spike. 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 (global aggregate) compared to the global benchmark. Note: industry-country specific monthly series for Arts × All countries was not provided separately; the baseline series below therefore represents the observable global CPI trend for the period.

The story in the data

Across the 13 months measured (June 2025–June 2026), the baseline Cost Per App Install averaged about $15.6, with a median of roughly $14.9. The series began at $18.36 in June 2025 and finished at $11.85 in June 2026 — a decline of roughly 35% from start to finish. The year’s high was pronounced: $30.13 in February 2026, and the low was $9.34 in December 2025. Monthly movement was sharp at times: the single largest month‑over‑month increase came in January→February (+~135%), and the steepest drops were June→July (−~46%) and February→March (−~45%). Measured volatility (standard deviation) sits near $5.1 — approximately 33% of the mean — signaling meaningful swings in CPI rather than a flat trend.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Rhythm across the period shows softer CPIs in mid‑summer and again in late Q4, with December reaching the year’s trough near $9.34. A rebound began in early Q1 (January at ~$12.8) before a sharp peak in February, followed by a quick normalization through spring. Q4 (October–December) moved from $16.43 down to $9.34, creating a late‑year easing, while the Q1-to‑Q2 window included the largest intra‑year spike and correction. In plain terms, the series reads like a sequence of declines and rebounds rather than a single steady trend: softening into December, rebound into January, a February spike, then a choppy descent into summer.

Country vs. Global

Because the provided selected series for Arts × All countries was not separate from the baseline, no discrete gap between a country‑level Arts series and the global benchmark can be calculated here. Interpreting the baseline as the global CPI pattern, the Arts‑related benchmark shows periods of both below‑average and above‑average pressure relative to its own mean: December’s CPI (~$9.3) was about 40% below the annual average, while February’s peak (~$30.1) was roughly 94% above the average. Relative volatility and the February spike make this metric notably more erratic than steady CPC trends or typical CPM analysis would imply, and it stands out from calmer CTR performance patterns often seen in other channels.

Closing

This data narrative frames Cost Per App Install behavior across the Arts industry in All countries as a mix of late‑year easing, an early‑year spike, and elevated month‑to‑month volatility. For anyone referencing Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPC trends, CPM analysis, CTR performance, country‑specific ad costs, and broader industry ad performance, these figures clarify how CPI moved across the measured months for Arts in All countries.