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Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Retail in Canada

See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform

Cost Per App Install for Retail in Canada

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-app-install trends for industry Retail and target country Canada compared to the global trend, based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • Retail in Canada is consistently above market: the 12‑month average is 60.38 vs the global baseline’s 10.92—about 5.5x higher.
  • Highest month in Canada was June 2025 (97.09), and the lowest was September 2024 (29.56). Even the Canadian low sits ~13% above the global high (26.21 in June 2025).
  • From September 2024 to August 2025, Canadian costs rose 174%, while the global baseline rose 658% from a much lower starting point.
  • Volatility is material: average month‑to‑month absolute movement is ~18.13 in Canada vs ~6.16 globally, including a sharp +111% spike from May→June in Canada.

Retail in Canada: benchmark summary (cost‑per‑app‑install)

  • Average: 60.38 across Sep 2024–Aug 2025.
  • High/low: peak in June 2025 at 97.09; trough in September 2024 at 29.56 (range: 67.53).
  • Trend: +174% from September 2024 (29.56) to August 2025 (80.99).
  • Notable swings:
  • Oct 2024 rose +82% vs September.
  • December 2024 climbed to 57.99, followed by a January 2025 high-to-date at 83.27.
  • Biggest spike in the period: May→June 2025 jumped +111% to the cycle peak.
  • June→July 2025 fell −27.8%, with a partial rebound in August (+15.5% vs July).
  • Volatility: average absolute month‑to‑month change ≈ 18.13.

Versus global baseline (all industries, all countries)

  • Level comparison:
  • Average: Canada Retail 60.38 vs global 10.92 → ~5.5x above market.
  • Extremes: Canada high 97.09 vs global high 26.21; Canada low 29.56 vs global low 1.98.
  • Trend and volatility:
  • Baseline trend rose dramatically from September 2024 to August 2025 (+658%), but from a very low base.
  • Baseline volatility averages ~6.16 per month; Canada’s absolute swings are roughly 3x larger.
  • Seasonal markers:
  • Global shows a pronounced June spike (26.21), then a pullback in July and a smaller rise in August.
  • Canada also spikes in June, indicating a shared mid‑year pressure point.
  • Canada shows elevated levels through Q4 (Oct–Dec) and a strong January—consistent with seasonal demand around holidays and early‑year re‑ramping.

Seasonal context and patterns

  • Q4 holiday periods typically pressure costs upward; in Canada Retail, costs rose in October, remained elevated through December, and peaked for that phase in January before normalizing.
  • Both Canada and the global benchmark exhibit a distinct June peak, followed by a correction in July.

Understanding cost-per-app-install benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Retail and Canada helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

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 Retail industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting Canada, 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.

Why we use median instead of average

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.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

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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The data behind the benchmarks

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.

Canada Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Feb (3rd Mon)Family Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday (federal)
May (Victoria Day)Victoria Day
Jul 1Canada Day
Sep (1st Mon)Labour Day
Oct (2nd Mon)Thanksgiving
Nov 11Remembrance Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), December (holiday shopping, Boxing Day), Back-to-school (August-September), Mother's Day (May)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM might increase during Canada Day, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving. Black Friday and Cyber Monday see heightened e‑commerce bidding. December holiday period may spike ad costs. Back-to-school and Mother's Day drive retail competition. Provincial holidays might alter weekday inventory availability.

What's a good CPI for iOS vs Android in 2025?

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.

Why is my app install cost higher in some countries?

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.

What creatives drive the lowest CPI on Facebook?

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.

Should I optimize for installs or in-app actions?

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.

How do I lower CPI without tanking app retention or quality?

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.