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
New Zealand’s all-industry Facebook Ads cost per app install (CPI) told a year of sharp swings: a costly start, a dramatic Q2 reset, then a measured rebound into year-end. Compared to the global benchmark, New Zealand averaged higher CPI overall but with far bigger month-to-month moves. January and February sat well above market, April plunged to the year’s floor, and December closed with a notable uptick even as the global benchmark eased.
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 New Zealand compared to the global benchmark.
New Zealand began 2025 at $44.65 per install in January and finished at $15.16 in December, a 66% decline from start to finish. The year’s high was indeed January ($44.65), while April marked the low at just $2.53 — a 94% drop from the January peak. Across the year, New Zealand’s CPI averaged about $16.4.
The most dramatic movement came early: February slipped 22% from January, and by April CPI had fallen 93% from February. From that trough, costs rebuilt steadily: April to August climbed more than sixfold (to $17.73), then moderated into October ($9.80) before rebounding in November–December, ending the year at $15.16. Volatility was a defining feature: the average month-to-month swing was roughly $7.7, about 47% of the annual mean.
Globally, CPI averaged about $13.4, ranging from $7.07 (January) to $23.76 (June). Month-to-month movement was milder, averaging $4.6 — materially calmer than New Zealand’s cadence.
New Zealand’s pattern ran counter to typical mid-year pressure seen in app install markets. Q1 was elevated (average $29.4) on the back of steep January–February costs. Q2 marked the trough (average $10.6), bottoming in April. Q3 stabilized at mid-teens ($13.5) with a slight August crest, while Q4 held close to Q3 levels ($12.1) with a year-end lift in December.
The global rhythm, by contrast, rose into Q2 (June peak at $23.76), cooled through Q3–Q4, and finished the year at $9.32 — well below its October local high. In short: global CPI built into mid-year and eased into the holidays; New Zealand spiked early, reset in Q2, and rebuilt into year-end.
On average, New Zealand CPI was about 23% above the global benchmark ($16.4 vs. $13.4). The gap, however, swung widely month to month. New Zealand ran more than 6x the global level in January and about 3x in February. It crossed below market in March (−4%) and plunged far below in April (−81%). Through mid-year, New Zealand oscillated around parity: below in May–June, modestly above in July–August, below again in September–November, then back above in December (+63%).
Volatility stood out most: New Zealand’s month-to-month change ($7.7) was about 68% larger than the global benchmark ($4.6). The range told the same story — a 17.7x high-to-low ratio in New Zealand versus 3.4x globally.
These Facebook Ads benchmarks highlight how cost per app install for all industries in New Zealand ran higher and more volatile than the global average, with an early surge, an April reset, and a late-year rebuild. Understanding country-specific ad costs and CPI dynamics — alongside broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance — helps situate New Zealand’s all-industry app install costs within global patterns for 2025.
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 New Zealand, 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.
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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.
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Late November–early December (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), Christmas season (Boxing Day sales), Mid‑year promotions (Matariki in June), Back-to-school (late January/early February)
CPM and CPC might rise around Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day as public events increase media consumption. Matariki is new public holiday with growing awareness—advertising may see elevated competition. Late November–December Black Friday/Cyber Monday could drive ad costs significantly. Regional anniversary holidays may cause local inventory shifts.
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