See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
July 2025 - July 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
The headline: cost-per-app-install for Marketing & Advertising across All countries available finished the 12‑month window far above where it started, driven by two sharp spikes that dominate the year’s story. 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 Marketing & Advertising in All countries available compared to the global benchmark.
The period opens in July 2025 at roughly $9.95 per install and closes in July 2026 at about $96.91 — an absolute lift near $86.95 and a year‑over‑start increase of roughly +875%. Across the 13 monthly medians, the mean Cost per App Install was about $21.84 while the median sat lower at $14.86, indicating a right‑skewed distribution driven by outliers. The dataset’s low point occurred in December 2025 at $9.36; the next most notable local high was February 2026 at $30.13, but the clear maximum was July 2026 at $96.91.
Monthly rhythm shows both abrupt surges and quick retreats. The jump from January ($12.83) to February ($30.13) was roughly +135%, followed by a steep correction into March ($16.61), a -45% move. Later, June ($14.77) into July ($96.91) recorded the largest swing — about +556%. Standard deviation across the series is approximately $22.2, producing a coefficient of variation near 102%, a sign of extreme volatility driven largely by the mid‑ and end‑period spikes.
The series shows a modest build from mid‑2025 into October (peaking near $16.43), a softening into December (the year’s trough), and a Q1 rebound that turns episodic in February. After a relatively stable spring and early summer (mid‑teens), the July 2026 anomaly dwarfs prior seasonality. In plain terms: a summer spike and a February surge punctuate an otherwise mid‑range cost environment across the year, changing the overall seasonal shape from a simple Q4 dip / Q1 rebound pattern to one punctuated by outliers.
Because the selected series represents Marketing & Advertising across All countries available, its profile mirrors the global benchmark provided here. That parity means the same median, mean and volatility metrics apply at both the selected and global levels: periods of below‑average costs (Dec and Jul‑2025), mid‑teens stability, and episodic above‑market spikes (Feb and Jul‑2026). Relative phrasing: cost per install in this aggregated market tracked the global baseline almost identically, yet displayed moments of far greater volatility during two standout months.
Understanding Cost per App Install benchmarks for Marketing & Advertising across All countries available — and how those months of extreme movement reshape averages — adds clarity when referencing Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPC trends, CPM analysis, CTR performance, country-specific ad costs, and overall industry ad performance.
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 Marketing & Advertising 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.
Improve your Facebook ad performance
• Instant performance insights – See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.
• Data-driven creative decisions – Spot patterns to improve ROAS.
• Effortless reporting – No spreadsheets, just clear insights.
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