Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Public Safety

Introduction

Cost per app install for Public Safety apps across all countries moved on a pronounced mid‑year arc, tracking the market-wide Facebook Ads benchmarks closely. The year opened soft, accelerated sharply into a June peak, and then cooled through early Q4. Volatility was meaningful, with several double‑digit swings month over month and a clear inflection mid‑year. 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 Public Safety across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Across the 13-month window (Nov ’24–Nov ’25), the global benchmark for cost per app install averaged $15.91, starting at $17.55 in November 2024 and ending slightly lower at $17.18 in November 2025 (−2%). The low point arrived in January 2025 at $7.22, followed by a rebound to $12.87 in February and a softer March at $9.17. Momentum built through spring—$14.74 in April and $12.05 in May—before a striking June spike to $27.90, the period high and nearly 3.9× January’s trough.

Costs normalized quickly: July retraced to $12.24 (−56% from June), then climbed again in late Q3—$19.88 in August and $22.72 in September—holding elevated into October at $20.72 before easing to $17.18 in November. In total, six of the 13 months sat above the $15.91 average (Nov ’24, Jun, Aug–Nov ’25), while seven months were below, underscoring a year defined by mid‑year escalation and late‑year stabilization.

Month‑to‑month volatility averaged $6.29, with the sharpest moves clustered around the June peak (+$15.85 May→June, then −$15.66 June→July). Outside of that crest, swings were more measured, typically within $2–$6.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality showed a classic install-cost rhythm:

• Q1 softness: January–March averaged $9.75, the most affordable quarter for app acquisition in this series.
• Q2 lift: April–June averaged $18.23, driven by the June surge.
• Q3 steadiness at a higher plateau: July–September averaged $18.28, with August–September sustaining elevated costs after the June peak.
• Early Q4 moderation: October held at $20.72 before November cooled to $17.18, still above the annual mean but clearly off the late‑summer highs.

In other words, install costs tended to ease early in the year, push higher into mid‑year, and remain elevated into Q3 and early Q4 before a mild late‑fall pullback. While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance often contribute to these patterns, the CPI line here is defined most visibly by the mid‑year crest and its aftermath.

Country vs. Global

Because this cut aggregates Public Safety across all countries and uses the market-wide benchmark as the comparator, the two series are effectively indistinguishable in this view. The pattern—a Q1 trough, a powerful mid‑year spike, and a controlled glide into Q4—aligns one‑to‑one with the global trajectory, with no persistent gap above or below market.

Closing

In sum, Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install in the Public Safety industry across all countries showed a low in January, a dramatic mid‑year peak in June, and a measured comedown into November, averaging $15.91 with $6.29 average monthly volatility. Understanding cost-per-install dynamics for Public Safety across all countries helps benchmark country-specific ad costs and compare industry ad performance to global Facebook Ads patterns.