See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
June 2025 - June 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Gaming app-install costs tracked a choppy year versus the global benchmark, with a dramatic August spike and a steep December trough that set the tone for volatile month-to-month swings. 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 in All countries compared to the global benchmark.
Cost per app install (CPI) for Gaming in All countries opened at $10.40 in June 2025 and closed at $11.65 in June 2026 — a modest rise of about 12%. Across the 13-month window the Gaming CPI averaged roughly $11.21, with a pronounced high of $28.99 in August 2025 and a low of $4.44 in December 2025. By contrast the global baseline averaged about $15.54 over the same period.
The year was defined by big moves rather than a smooth trend. August produced the standout surge (Gaming CPI +176% versus June), while December delivered the deepest trough (down to 40% of the mid-year levels). Other notable points: March 2026 held near the lower end at $4.73, and June 2026 returned to the mid-$11 range.
Volatility was meaningful: Gaming’s average month-to-month absolute change was about $4.85, driven by the August spike and December collapse. The global baseline showed slightly higher month-to-month swings (about $5.56), driven in part by a large baseline peak in February 2026 ($30.13) that Gaming did not mirror.
There is a clear seasonal rhythm: late summer produced elevated CPI pressure for Gaming (August spike), followed by rapid softening into year-end (December trough). Early Q1 (January–March) showed partial rebounds from the December lows, then a quieter spring with intermittent lifts in April–June. The baseline pattern differed in timing — most notably with a substantial market-wide spike in February 2026 — underscoring asynchronous seasonal drivers between Gaming installs and the overall market.
Relative to the global benchmark, Gaming CPI in All countries ran lower on average (about 28% below the baseline mean). However, month-to-month gaps varied widely: Gaming exceeded the baseline in August 2025 (Gaming $28.99 vs baseline $12.51 — roughly +132%), while in February 2026 Gaming sat far below the baseline (Gaming $5.40 vs baseline $30.13 — roughly −82%). Overall, Gaming was somewhat less volatile than the global benchmark across the year but showed sharper, isolated surges and troughs that punctuated the trend.
Understanding COST_PER_APP_INSTALL benchmarks for Gaming in All countries helps frame industry ad performance, Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPC trends, CPM analysis, CTR performance, and broader country-specific ad costs when comparing to global market behavior.
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. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. 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.
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