Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for E-commerce in India

See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform

Cost Per App Install for E-commerce in India

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-app-install trends for industry E-commerce and target country India compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • No selected segment data is available for India E-commerce in the period provided, so comparisons to the market baseline cannot be quantified.
  • Globally, median cost-per-app-install averaged 12.67 over the last 12 months, with a low of 6.20 (Oct) and a high of 26.21 (Jun). The last month (Sep) finished at 22.99, up 271% from Oct.
  • Volatility was high: average absolute month-to-month movement was about 61%. Notable spikes occurred in November, June, and September.

What this analysis covers

  • Metric: cost-per-app-install
  • Selected segment: E-commerce in India
  • Baseline: global all-industries, all-countries
  • Goal: place the selected segment against a global benchmark. Because the selected series is empty, only the global benchmark is quantified; relative positioning (above market, below average, or in line) cannot be determined.

Global benchmark overview

  • Average (12 months): 12.67
  • Median: 11.44
  • High: 26.21 (June 2025)
  • Low: 6.20 (October 2024)
  • First-to-last change: from 6.20 (Oct 2024) to 22.99 (Sep 2025), a +271% increase
  • Range: 20.02

Quarterly perspective (global):

  • Q4 (Oct–Dec 2024): average 9.67, with a sharp rise in November (14.28) and a pullback in December (8.52).
  • Q1 (Jan–Mar 2025): average 8.20, marked by a February uptick (11.36) amid lower January (6.36) and March (6.87).
  • Q2 (Apr–Jun 2025): average 16.05, driven by the June spike (26.21).
  • Q3 (Jul–Sep 2025): average 16.78, with steady July–August levels and a strong September (22.99).

Seasonality and volatility

  • Seasonal patterns are evident:
  • A holiday-period surge in November (+130% vs October) followed by normalization in December.
  • A pronounced spike in June (+151% vs May), the single highest month in the period.
  • Rising costs toward late Q3, with September up 53% vs August.
  • Month-over-month volatility was substantial:
  • Biggest jump: June vs May (+151%).
  • Largest drop: July vs June (−53%).
  • Typical month-to-month absolute change hovered around 61%.

Comparison to the selected segment

  • For E-commerce in India, no month-level values were provided in the selected data. As a result:
  • We cannot state whether the segment is above market, below average, or in line with overall trends.
  • The global figures above serve as the current directional benchmark for cost-per-app-install.

Summary

The global baseline indicates that cost-per-app-install has been volatile, with clear seasonal surges (notably November and June) and an upward finish into September. While the India E-commerce series is unavailable for this window, the global average of 12.67, median of 11.44, and peaks at 26.21 offer a practical reference for Facebook Ads benchmarks. Understanding cost-per-app-install benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry E-commerce and India helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

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 E-commerce industry, Facebook ad costs can be varied, with peaks during holiday seasons and competitive product categories. For campaigns targeting India, 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.

Why we use median instead of average

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.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

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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The data behind the benchmarks

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.

India Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 26Republic Day
Mar 14Holi
Apr 18Good Friday
May 1Labour Day
Aug 15Independence Day
Oct 2Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
Oct 21Diwali
Dec 25Christmas Day

Key Shopping Season

October (Diwali), Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas), July–August (Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPMs might spike significantly during Diwali, especially in electronics, apparel, jewellery, and gifts. Black Friday/Cyber Monday and December could drive elevated ad competition. State-specific festivals might see regional campaign spikes. Bank closures during holidays may push online shopping to cluster in end-of-week periods.

What's a good CPI for iOS vs Android in 2025?

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.

Why is my app install cost higher in some countries?

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.

What creatives drive the lowest CPI on Facebook?

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.

Should I optimize for installs or in-app actions?

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.

How do I lower CPI without tanking app retention or quality?

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.