Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Retail

Introduction

Retail app install costs across all countries ran dramatically above the global benchmark and moved with far sharper swings. The period opened at triple‑digit costs, surged into a midsummer peak, then whipsawed through fall—culminating in an unusually low November print that sharply narrowed the gap to the broader market. 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 Retail in all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Cost per app install (CPI) for Retail averaged about $123 across the period, versus a $15.91 global all‑industry average—roughly 7.7x higher. The series started at $111.71 in November 2024 and ended at $20.66 in November 2025, an 82% decline from start to finish. Between those bookends, Retail CPI climbed through winter into a January spike ($160.62, +36% month over month), eased in February–May ($120.16 → $97.44), then vaulted into summer: June rebounded to $129.75, July pushed to $165.98, and August set the high at $174.99. After a sharp September correction ($105.49, −40%), October rebounded to $162.22 (+54%), before an abrupt step‑down in November to $20.66 (−87%).

Across the 13 months, the typical absolute monthly swing for Retail was about $39.6 per install, compared with $6.3 for the global benchmark—showing far greater volatility. Excluding the unusually low November 2025 reading, Retail ranged from $97 to $175; including it, the full range spans $21 to $175. Notable inflection points included the January surge, the July–August peak, the September drop, and the October rebound.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The pattern suggests a winter lift into January, a softer spring (April–May), and a pronounced summer peak—common in app‑led Retail when acquisition pushes intensify midyear. Performance then turned choppy in Q3: a late‑summer high gave way to a September dip, followed by an October rebound that aligns with early Q4 competition. The November downshift stands out as a rare low within an otherwise high‑cost year.

The global benchmark followed a narrower seasonal rhythm: lowest in January ($7.22), peaking midyear in June ($27.90), then holding in the upper‑teens to low‑twenties through early Q4. In other words, the market moved within a tight $7–$28 band while Retail’s all‑country CPI operated an order of magnitude higher.

Country vs. Global

Retail across all countries stayed above market every month. On average it was 7.7x the global benchmark, with gaps ranging from modest to extreme. The widest gap came in January 2025—$160.62 for Retail versus $7.22 globally (22x). Through summer, Retail held 5–14x above global levels; August was $174.99 vs. $19.88 (8.8x). The narrowest gap arrived in November 2025 at $20.66 vs. $17.18, only 20% above market. Month to month, Retail’s CPI was about 6x more volatile in absolute terms than the global benchmark.

Closing

These Facebook Ads benchmarks highlight that cost‑per‑app‑install for Retail across all countries was persistently elevated and notably more volatile than the global average, with a midsummer high and a rare late‑year compression. Understanding cost per app install trends for Retail in all countries helps marketers frame country‑specific ad costs alongside broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance within global benchmark context.