Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Media in Canada

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

Cost Per App Install for Media in Canada

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-app-install trends for industry Media and target country Canada compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • Media in Canada sits well above market: the average selected cost-per-app-install across the observed months is 467.17, versus a global baseline of 9.01 over the same months—about 52x higher on average (monthly spread ranges from 20x to 133x).
  • The selected trend rises sharply from October to March (+330% from first to last observed month), culminating in a March spike. By contrast, the global baseline shows a classic Q4 lift (peaking in November) and softer levels into Q1.
  • Volatility: selected data shows large absolute month-to-month swings (average change ≈ 176), though percentage volatility (≈46% per interval) is lower than the baseline’s ≈76% over the same intervals.

Selected trend (Media, Canada)

Data available for: 2024-10, 2024-11, 2025-01 to 2025-03.

  • Average: 467.17
  • High: 916.19 (2025-03)
  • Low: 213.08 (2024-10)
  • Change from first to last month: +330% (213.08 to 916.19)

Month-to-month movement (using available consecutive points):

  • Oct → Nov: +36.0%
  • Nov → Jan: +45.2%
  • Jan → Feb: +17.9%
  • Feb → Mar: +84.7%

Volatility snapshot:

  • Average absolute monthly change: ≈ 175.78
  • Average absolute percent change: ≈ 45.9%

Notable spikes/dips:

  • The single largest jump occurs in March (+84.7% vs February), producing the period high of 916.19.

Global baseline over the same months

  • Average: 9.01
  • High: 14.28 (2024-11)
  • Low: 6.20 (2024-10)
  • Change from first to last month: +10.9% (6.20 to 6.87)

Month-to-month movement:

  • Oct → Nov: +130.5%
  • Nov → Jan: −55.5%
  • Jan → Feb: +78.7%
  • Feb → Mar: −39.6%

Volatility snapshot:

  • Average absolute monthly change: ≈ 6.37
  • Average absolute percent change: ≈ 76.1%

How Canada compares to the global trend

  • Level: Far above market. The selected average (467.17) is ~52x the global average (9.01). Monthly ratios span ~20x (November) to ~133x (March).
  • Pattern: The selected series rises steadily into Q1 with a notable March surge, whereas the global trend peaks in November and eases into Q1—consistent with typical Q4 holiday inflation.
  • Seasonal context: The global benchmark reinforces seasonality (costs typically increase in Q4 around holiday periods). Canada’s Media pattern diverges, with pronounced strength continuing through Q1, especially in March.

Bottom line

Across October to March, Media advertisers in Canada experienced cost-per-app-install levels well above average and rising sharply into March, contrasting with a global pattern that peaks in November. Understanding cost-per-app-install benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Media and Canada 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 Media industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting Canada, 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.

Optimize Smarter with Superads

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.

Get Started for free →

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.

Canada Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Feb (3rd Mon)Family Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday (federal)
May (Victoria Day)Victoria Day
Jul 1Canada Day
Sep (1st Mon)Labour Day
Oct (2nd Mon)Thanksgiving
Nov 11Remembrance Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), December (holiday shopping, Boxing Day), Back-to-school (August-September), Mother's Day (May)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM might increase during Canada Day, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving. Black Friday and Cyber Monday see heightened e‑commerce bidding. December holiday period may spike ad costs. Back-to-school and Mother's Day drive retail competition. Provincial holidays might alter weekday inventory availability.

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.

Explore Facebook Ads Metrics

Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:

CPC (Cost Per Click)

Average cost per click benchmarks across industries

CPM (Cost Per Mille)

Cost per thousand impressions across different markets

CTR (Click Through Rate)

Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads

Cost Per Lead

Cost per lead across different markets

Cost Per Purchase

Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries

Cost Per App Install

See how much it costs to get users to install an app