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Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Media in United Kingdom

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Cost Per App Install for Media in United Kingdom

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads benchmarks: cost per app install — monthly trends and comparison

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

Key takeaways

  • Great Britain Media CPI ran substantially above market during the period, averaging about 58x the global baseline across overlapping months.
  • The series is highly volatile: a singular spike in September 2024 was followed by a sharp trough in October, then elevated costs through November–January before cooling into March.
  • Baseline seasonality is visible with higher costs in Q4 (Oct–Nov) and a reset in January. The selected series shows a different shape, with a September spike and a late-Q4/early-Q1 peak.
  • Month-to-month swings were extreme in the selected data (average absolute change ~511%) versus the baseline (~103%).

Selected trend overview (Media, Great Britain)

  • Coverage: Sep 2024 to Mar 2025 (6 months).
  • Average: 451.12
  • Median: 316.60
  • High: 1,604.20 (Sep 2024)
  • Low: 11.97 (Oct 2024)
  • Range: 1,592.24
  • Change from first to last month: -96.38% (from 1,604.20 in Sep 2024 to 58.11 in Mar 2025)

Notable moves:

  • Sep → Oct: -99.25% (from 1,604.20 to 11.97), a sharp correction after the September spike.
  • Oct → Nov: +2,322% (to 289.75), the largest upward swing in the series.
  • Nov → Jan: +37.8% (to 399.26), sustaining elevated costs through early Q1.
  • Jan → Feb: -14.0%; Feb → Mar: -83.1%, indicating a pronounced cooldown by March.

Interpretation:

  • The series is dominated by a September spike and subsequent sharp reversals. Excluding the September outlier, costs remained elevated in late Q4 and early Q1 before easing into March.

Comparison against the global baseline

For a clean comparison, we align the overlapping months: Sep 2024–Mar 2025.

  • Selected average vs baseline average: 451.12 vs 7.84 (selected ~57.6x higher).
  • Baseline high/low: 14.28 (Nov 2024) / 1.98 (Sep 2024).
  • Baseline change from first to last month: +246.97% (1.98 → 6.87).
  • Selected vs baseline by month:
  • Sep 2024: 810x above market
  • Oct 2024: 1.9x above market
  • Nov 2024: 20.3x above market
  • Jan 2025: 62.8x above market
  • Feb 2025: 30.2x above market
  • Mar 2025: 8.5x above market
  • Volatility (average absolute month-over-month percent change):
  • Selected: ~511%
  • Baseline: ~103%

Seasonality context:

  • The baseline shows typical Q4 pressure (Oct–Nov rise, then resetting lower in January).
  • The selected series diverges: a unique September spike, a brief October trough, then elevated levels into January, and a marked cooldown by March. Despite this divergence, levels remain consistently above the global baseline in every matched month.

What this means for marketers

Across Sep 2024–Mar 2025, cost per app install for Media in Great Britain was consistently above market—ranging from 1.9x to 810x the global baseline—with pronounced month-to-month swings and a distinct late-Q4/early-Q1 elevation. In contrast, the global trend exhibited clearer Q4 seasonality and lower volatility.

Understanding COST_PER_APP_INSTALL benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Media and Great Britain 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 United Kingdom, advertisers experience moderate to high costs with strong performance in urban areas. 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.

United Kingdom Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 22nd January (Scotland)
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday
May 5Early May Bank Holiday
May 26Spring Bank Holiday
Aug 25Summer Bank Holiday
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday surge), Late December (Christmas & Boxing Day promotions), Early May holiday weekend promotions

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might increase around early May and late August bank holidays as people engage in leisure travel or retail browsing. During Black Friday/Cyber Monday, retail CPMs could spike sharply in fashion, electronics, and online shopping. Late December typically sees peak CPMs, with e‑commerce budgets needing early ramp-up.

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.