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Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Gaming in Australia

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Cost Per App Install for Gaming in Australia

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks, this analysis looks at cost-per-app-install trends for industry Gaming and target country Australia compared to the global trend.
  • Gaming in Australia tracked consistently below the global baseline across all overlapping months, averaging about one-third of global costs (−66% vs baseline).
  • Costs generally trended upward from late 2024 into mid-2025, with a notable jump in July 2025; volatility was moderate compared to the global pattern.
  • Seasonal patterns show a mild lift in November locally, while the global market spiked sharply in November and again in June.

Scope

  • Metric: cost-per-app-install (median by month)
  • Market: Gaming, Australia
  • Period with available data: Oct 2024–Jul 2025 (6 months observed)
  • Baseline: global (all industries/countries)

Gaming in Australia: trend overview

  • Average across observed months: 4.57
  • Median across observed months: 4.90
  • High: 7.81 in July 2025
  • Low: 2.11 in October 2024
  • Change from first to last observed month: +269% (Oct 2024 → Jul 2025)
  • Volatility (average absolute month-to-month change across observed intervals): 34.7%
  • Notable movements:
  • Slight Q4 lift: October → November 2024 up 5.1%
  • Largest step-up: November 2024 → February 2025 up 108%
  • Summer rise: June → July 2025 up 43.3%, the highest level in the series

Overall, Australian Gaming cost-per-app-install climbed steadily from early 2025, culminating in a July peak, with no extreme spikes until mid-year.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Overlapping-month average: 4.57 (AU Gaming) vs 13.47 (global) → Australia Gaming ran 66% below market on average.
  • High vs high: 7.81 (AU Gaming, Jul 2025) vs 26.21 (global, Jun 2025) → AU peak was ~70% lower.
  • Low vs low: 2.11 (AU Gaming, Oct 2024) vs 6.20 (global, Oct 2024) → AU trough was ~66% lower.
  • Month-by-month positioning:
  • Oct 2024: −66% vs global
  • Nov 2024: −84%
  • Feb 2025: −59%
  • May 2025: −50%
  • Jun 2025: −79%
  • Jul 2025: −37%
  • Trend vs baseline:
  • AU Gaming rose +269% from Oct 2024 to Jul 2025; global rose +99% over the same anchor months.
  • Volatility: AU Gaming average absolute change 34.7% vs global 72.6% (more stable than the broader market).

Seasonality and pattern highlights

  • Australia Gaming:
  • Mild Q4 uplift (October to November), then a pronounced climb from February through July.
  • Summer build culminating in July suggests higher acquisition costs into Q3.
  • Global baseline:
  • Strong Q4 surge in November, normalization in early Q1, then a sharp spike in June and elevated levels through late Q3.

Summary

For Facebook Ads cost-per-app-install, Gaming in Australia remained below market across all months, with an average about 66% lower than the global baseline. The series showed a steady rise from February, peaking in July, and exhibited moderate volatility compared to the global pattern, which featured sharper Q4 and early-summer spikes. Understanding cost-per-app-install benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Gaming and Australia 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 Gaming industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting Australia, advertisers typically see good engagement rates despite moderate costs. 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.

Australia Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 27Australia Day (observed)
Apr 18‑21Easter weekend
Apr 25Anzac Day
Jun 9King's Birthday
Oct 6Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late December (Christmas and Boxing Day), Early December (Cyber Monday), January (Back-to-school), May (Mother's Day)

Potential Advertising Impact

Ad costs could spike around major holidays, especially Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas. Increased budgets and earlier scheduling may be necessary. Retailers should consider planning promotions around back-to-school and Mother's Day to maximize campaign effectiveness.

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.