See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
February 2025 - February 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Canada’s app install costs ran high and swung hard in 2025. Across all industries, the median Facebook Ads cost per app install (CPI) in Canada averaged about $32, more than double the global benchmark near $13. The year featured a dramatic mid-year spike, a sharp July correction, and an October trough that briefly dipped below global levels before rebounding in November. 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 in Canada compared to the global benchmark.
Canada started 2025 with a median CPI of $11.10 in January and closed at $15.89 in December—up 43% from the start, but well below its highs. The standout moment came in June, when CPI surged to $88.76, the annual peak and nearly 9x the October low of $9.87. The full-year average landed at $32.44.
Month-to-month movements told a volatile story:
On average, Canada’s month-to-month absolute change was about $29.8—far more volatile than the global baseline’s $4.5. Globally, the 2025 median CPI averaged $13.43, peaking at $23.76 in June and staying comparatively steady through Q3 and Q4.
Canada’s seasonality was pronounced:
Globally, CPI typically rose through mid-year, with June as the high point, then eased into Q4. Canada followed the mid-year peak, but its Q3/Q4 rhythm was choppier and less consistent with the smoother global curve.
Canada outpaced the global benchmark in 11 of 12 months. The only exception was October, when Canada’s CPI sat 40% below global levels ($9.87 vs. $16.39). Elsewhere, the premium was persistent and often steep:
While the global trend rose steadily from January to December (+47%), Canada’s path was notably more volatile, ending the year higher than it began (+43%) but defined by outsized swings.
Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install across all industries in Canada highlights a market that is materially more expensive and more volatile than the global average. These country-specific ad costs and CPI trends provide a clear view of industry ad performance in Canada relative 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. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. For campaigns targeting Canada, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. 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.
Late November (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), December (holiday shopping, Boxing Day), Back-to-school (August-September), Mother's Day (May)
CPM might increase during Canada Day, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving. Black Friday and Cyber Monday see heightened e‑commerce bidding. December holiday period may spike ad costs. Back-to-school and Mother's Day drive retail competition. Provincial holidays might alter weekday inventory availability.
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:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
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