See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
The Netherlands posted a year defined by extremes in Cost per App Install (CPI) across all industries, diverging sharply from the steadier global benchmark. Early months were orderly and close to global levels, but the second half swung from an August trough to a December surge, creating one of the choppier profiles in this dataset. July and December were standout outliers, while August and November marked unusually soft costs.
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 all industries in the Netherlands compared to the global benchmark.
Across the months reported, CPI in the Netherlands averaged about 20.13, starting at 11.09 in January and ending at 47.60 in December. The high was July at 68.72, the low was August at 1.51, producing a wide range of roughly 67 points. From January through June, CPI moved within a narrow band (11–16), rising 41% from 11.09 to 15.66. The narrative then pivoted: July spiked to 68.72, August collapsed to 1.51, November stabilized at 4.35, and December jumped again to 47.60—an end-to-end climb of 329% from January.
Month-to-month volatility averaged 19.6 points in the Netherlands, driven by the July surge (+53 points vs June), the August drop (−67 points vs July), and the December rebound (+43 points vs November). By comparison, the global benchmark’s average monthly move was a smoother 4.6 points.
Seasonally, the first half looked restrained for the Netherlands: a gentle lift from winter into late spring and early summer, with January–June averaging 13.18. The second half delivered a split picture: July and December were markedly elevated, while August and November were among the lowest points of the year. Data for September and October was not available, but the observed rhythm suggests an unusually bimodal second half.
Globally, CPI built from Q1 into a June high (23.76) before easing and stabilizing through early Q4, then falling into December (9.32). That puts the Netherlands’ December spike in clear contrast to the global December low.
On the months reported, the Netherlands averaged 20.13 vs a same-month global average of 12.79, running about 57% above global costs overall. The gap was narrowest in April and May (around 4% above global), and widest in July (+538% above) and August (−91% below). Counted month by month, the Netherlands sat above the global CPI in 6 of 10 observed months and below in 4.
Trend-wise, the global benchmark rose steeply in the first half (+236% from January to June), whereas the Netherlands climbed modestly (+41%) before breaking pattern midyear. In late year, the global series softened, while the Netherlands swung from a low November to a high December, making the local market more volatile than the global average and less seasonally predictable.
These Facebook Ads benchmarks show CPI for all industries in the Netherlands running higher and far more variable than the global norm—characterized by a calm first half and a whipsaw second half. While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance can follow different arcs, understanding country-specific ad costs for Cost per App Install helps frame industry ad performance in context for the Netherlands versus the global benchmark.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. For campaigns targeting Netherlands, 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.
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.
Late November–early December (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas and Boxing Day sales), Spring holidays (April–June tourism)
CPM and CPC might rise during spring holiday cluster when travel and leisure ads see elevated engagement. Liberation Day (May 5) is mandatory national holiday—ad inventory might shrink. Ad competition increases in late December for holiday promotions. Few summer holidays mean more consistent campaign performance through summer.
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