Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Media in South Africa

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

Cost Per App Install for Media in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Overview and key takeaways

This analysis looks at cost per app install trends for the Media industry in South Africa compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

  • South Africa’s Media costs sit well above market: the Jan–Feb 2025 average is roughly 58x higher than the global baseline for the same period.
  • Directionally, South Africa eased 7.5% from January to February, while the global baseline rose sharply (+78.6%) over the same months.
  • The global series shows pronounced mid-year spikes (June and September) and a lift in November, hinting at seasonal pressure around key demand moments.

Selected data highlights (Media, South Africa)

  • Period covered: January–February 2025
  • Average cost per app install: 516.09
  • High: 536.15 (January 2025)
  • Low: 496.03 (February 2025)
  • Month-over-month change: -7.5% (January to February)
  • Volatility: a single-month decline of 40.12 (about -7.5%) indicates moderate movement within a high-cost range.

Notable movement:

  • January marks the peak in the period.
  • February dips 7.5% from January, narrowing the spread but keeping costs elevated.

Comparison to the global baseline

Direct Jan–Feb comparison:

  • Baseline average (Jan–Feb 2025): 8.86 (High: 11.36 in February; Low: 6.36 in January)
  • Baseline month-over-month change: +78.6% (January to February)
  • Relative positioning:
  • January: South Africa is about 84x above the global median.
  • February: South Africa is about 44x above the global median.
  • Two-month average: roughly 58x above market.

Full baseline context (Oct 2024–Sep 2025):

  • Average: 12.67
  • High: 26.21 (June 2025)
  • Low: 6.20 (October 2024)
  • Notable spikes: June (26.21) and September (22.99)
  • Seasonal signal: uplift in November (14.28) versus October and December, with additional peaks mid-year and late Q3.

Interpretation for marketers:

  • South Africa’s Media cost per app install is consistently above market levels, even as it softened in February, while the global trend accelerated in early Q1.
  • The divergence in direction (local decline vs. global rise) suggests the local market moved against overall trends in early 2025 but remained firmly above average in absolute terms.

Seasonality and volatility signals

  • Selected data window (Jan–Feb) shows a mild early-year easing for South Africa.
  • Baseline indicates:
  • Higher costs in November.
  • Pronounced mid-year pressure (June).
  • Another uptick in September.

These patterns provide useful context when aligning timing and expectations for app install campaigns.

Understanding cost per app install benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Media and South Africa 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 South Africa, 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.

South Africa Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Mar 21Human Rights Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Family Day
Apr 27Freedom Day
May 1Workers' Day
Jun 16Youth Day
Aug 9National Women's Day
Sep 24Heritage Day
Dec 16Day of Reconciliation
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Day of Goodwill

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise during long weekends like Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, and Heritage Day as leisure and travel-related media consumption increases. Retail CPMs may spike in late November–December for holiday shopping. Youth Day and National Women's Day might drive regional campaigns. Weekend extensions across public holidays may benefit weekend campaigns.

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