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
Across all countries, Cost per App Install (CPI) for the Recreation and Travel industry ran cheaper than the global all‑industry benchmark on average, but with far sharper swings. Median CPI moved from $9.91 in December 2024 to $15.31 by November 2025, a 55% lift over the period. The year’s defining moments were an abrupt April surge, a June trough to the lowest point, and a September spike to the cycle high before settling into the mid‑teens in Q4.
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 Recreation and Travel across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
Recreation and Travel CPI averaged $11.83 across the observed months, ranging from a low of $2.66 in June 2025 to a high of $26.13 in September 2025. It began at $9.91 in December 2024 and ended at $15.31 in November 2025.
The monthly path was choppy:
Volatility averaged a $7.03 absolute month‑to‑month shift—meaningfully more turbulent than the global all‑industry series.
The pattern showed soft demand/efficiency in early Q1 (January–March dip), a whipsaw in Q2 (April surge followed by a June low), and a late‑Q3 spike (September peak) before moderating in Q4. Q2 averaged roughly $9.95, while Q3 averaged about $15.77, signaling a stronger but less stable summer into early fall. Performance typically tightens in Q4 across the broader market as competition rises; here, October cooled sharply from September’s peak, with November stabilizing in the mid‑teens.
Notably, June formed an outlier for Recreation and Travel with the cycle low of $2.66—opposite the broader market’s mid‑year pressure.
Against the global all‑industry benchmark (average $13.85, low $7.07 in January, high $23.76 in June), Recreation and Travel was 15% lower on average, but more volatile (average monthly swing of $7.03 vs. the global $4.10). The global trend climbed steadily over the period (+60% from December 2024 to December 2025), while Recreation and Travel advanced a similar magnitude through November (+55%) but via larger spikes and dips.
By month, Recreation and Travel CPI was below the global benchmark in roughly two‑thirds of observed months. The narrowest gap came in November (−2% vs. global). The widest underperformance occurred in June (−89% vs. global’s $23.76). The largest premium surfaced in September, when Recreation and Travel ran 62% above the global median. In short, while typically below market, the category posted outsized peaks and troughs.
These Facebook Ads benchmarks highlight cost per app install dynamics for the Recreation and Travel industry across all countries—cheaper than the global all‑industry average overall, yet more volatile, with pronounced mid‑year swings. Understanding CPI alongside CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance provides a fuller view of country‑specific ad costs and industry ad performance for Recreation and Travel across all countries.
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 Recreation and Travel industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. 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.
This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.
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:
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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