Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Gaming

Introduction

Gaming app acquisition costs ran on a different rhythm than the market this year: inexpensive in Q1, then a sharp mid-year lift to an August spike before easing into Q4. Compared to the global Facebook Ads benchmarks across all industries, Gaming’s cost per app install (CPI) was lower on average yet more dramatic in its swings, peaking later and pulling back faster. 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 Gaming across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Gaming CPI started the year at $1.27 in January and finished at $6.88 in December. Across the year, it averaged $10.77, with a low in January ($1.27) and a pronounced high in August ($28.87). The path wasn’t linear: modest levels in Q1 ($2.30 average) gave way to a step-up in April ($8.45, +223% month over month from March), continued climbs through June ($10.40), and then a surge in Q3—$13.29 in July, $28.87 in August, and $16.38 in September. Q4 cooled but stayed elevated versus the first half: $15.03 in October, $13.82 in November, and $6.88 in December.

Monthly volatility averaged a $4.58 absolute swing, comparable in dollars to the global baseline’s $4.57 but larger in relative terms for Gaming. Month-over-month percentage changes for Gaming averaged about 59%, versus 36% in the global series—evidence of sharper proportional moves, especially around the April and August inflection points.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The pattern shows a clear seasonal rhythm for Gaming across all countries:

• Q1 was the softest period for CPI (January–March averaging $2.30), with February and March holding near $3.
• Q2 lifted steadily (average $9.38), signaling a more competitive install environment.
• Q3 was the clear high point (average $19.51), capped by August’s spike to $28.87 and followed by a September retracement to $16.38.
• Q4 moderated (average $11.91), with December settling at $6.88—well below the Q3 peak yet above early-year levels.

While CPM analysis or CTR performance can shape acquisition economics, this view isolates CPI trends to illuminate install costs specifically.

Country vs. Global

Against the global benchmark (all industries across all countries), Gaming ran lower overall: $10.77 vs. $13.37 on average (about 19% below). The gap, however, shifted markedly over the year:

• H1 underperformance: January to June ranged 25–82% below global levels, with the widest gap in January (−82%).
• Q3 outperformance: July to September turned positive, from +23% in July to a peak premium of +80% in August, then near parity in September (+1%).
• Q4 normalization: October and November dipped 5–9% below global, with December 26% below.

Trendwise, Gaming rose more dramatically from start to finish (+444% January to December) than the global series (+32%). Peaks also diverged: the global CPI topped out earlier in June ($23.76), while Gaming peaked later in August ($28.87). Range comparisons underscore higher Gaming volatility (from $1.27 to $28.87, a 2.6x range-to-mean) versus the global market ($7.07 to $23.76, 1.25x).

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-app-install benchmarks for Gaming across all countries shows a year defined by a low-cost Q1, a steep Q3 surge, and a cooler Q4—consistently below the global average except for a clear mid-year premium. These CPI trends provide a grounded reference point for industry ad performance relative to the broader market.