Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Retail

Introduction

Retail’s cost per app install across all countries sits dramatically above the global, all‑industry benchmark—and it moves with a distinct mid‑year rhythm. The year opened with a sharp lift, softened into late spring, then surged to a late‑summer high before a September correction and an October rebound. Volatility was palpable month to month, with several double‑digit swings and a wide gap versus the global baseline that narrowed only briefly in June and September.

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

Retail cost per app install (CPI) averaged about 132 across the 12‑month window, starting at 111.71 in November 2024 and ending at 162.22 in October 2025—up roughly 45% from start to finish. The low point arrived in May at 97.44, followed by a climb to the annual high in August at 174.99. From the spring trough to the August peak, CPI rose about 82%. Monthly volatility averaged 29.6 points, or about 22% of the period average, signaling frequent but somewhat proportionate moves.

Key movements:

• Early lift: 111.71 in November to 118.51 in December, then a January jump to 160.62.
• Spring softening: 129.02 in March to 104.50 in April and 97.44 in May.
• Summer surge: 165.98 in July and 174.99 in August.
• Sharp correction: down to 109.52 in September.
• Rebound: back to 162.22 in October.

For context, the global all‑industry benchmark averaged 15.10 over the same span, ranging from a low of 7.13 in January to a high of 27.90 in June, with average monthly changes of 6.23 points (about 41% of its mean)—smaller in absolute terms but choppier relative to level.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Retail’s CPI showed a Q1 lift, eased through April and May, then accelerated into late summer before a September reset and an October recovery. Q2 (April–June) averaged about 110.6, while Q3 (July–September) stepped up to roughly 150.2—an increase near 36%. The global benchmark followed a different cadence: a deep January trough, a June spike, and a steadier Q3–Q4 plateau.

Performance typically tightens through late summer for Retail in this window, while the global composite pressure peaks earlier in June. September marked the most abrupt single‑month Retail pullback, followed by a quick re‑acceleration into October.

Country vs. Global

Retail across all countries ran well above market throughout—roughly 8–9x the global all‑industry average for the period. The gap was widest in January (about 22.5x the global CPI) and narrowest in June and September (roughly 4.6–4.7x). While Retail’s absolute swings were larger (29.6 vs. 6.23 points), its relative volatility was lower (22% vs. 41%) compared to the global baseline. In trajectory terms, the global trend climbed steadily off a low base (+21% from November to October), while Retail was higher and more momentum‑driven (+45%), with pronounced mid‑year surges and corrections.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install in the Retail industry across all countries highlights a high‑cost, momentum‑driven pattern versus the global baseline. While this review centers on CPI, it complements broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, CTR performance, and country‑specific ad costs to frame industry ad performance in a global context.