Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for SaaS & Cloud Platforms

Introduction

SaaS & Cloud Platforms saw notably efficient Cost per App Install (CPI) across all countries, tracking well below the global Facebook Ads benchmarks throughout the period, but with pronounced mid-year swings and an unusually steep drop at the end. The year opened modestly, climbed into late Q2 and early Q3, and then reset sharply in November 2025. Volatility was present but largely contained to a $3–$7 band until that late-year break.

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 SaaS & Cloud Platforms in all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Median CPI for SaaS & Cloud Platforms averaged $4.92 from November 2024 through November 2025. The period began at $4.11 in November 2024, softened to $3.03 in December, then climbed to $4.90 in January and $6.53 in February. Costs eased to $4.64 in March before stepping up again through spring: $5.50 in April and $4.96 in May. The year’s high arrived in June at $7.12, followed by a quick reset to $3.78 in July and a two-month rebound to $6.33 in August and $7.03 in September. October cooled to $4.69, and November marked the low at $1.27 — a 69% decline versus the prior November’s $4.11.

Across the 12 month-to-month moves, absolute changes averaged $1.86, indicating steady but not erratic swings relative to the level of costs. The sharpest single drop came in October to November (−$3.42, −73%), while the biggest climb followed July to August (+$2.55, +67%). For most of the year, CPI held between roughly $3 and $7, punctuated by the June peak and the November trough.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality tracked familiar app-install patterns with Q1 recovery from December softness, a spring climb, and midsummer turbulence. Q2 (April–June) averaged $5.86, driven by the June high, while Q3 (July–September) averaged $5.71, balancing a July dip with late-quarter strength. Performance typically tightens in Q4 as competition rises; here, October cooled and November fell sharply, creating an atypically low finish for install costs.

Country vs. Global

Relative to the global benchmark across all industries, SaaS & Cloud Platforms remained more efficient every month. The category averaged $4.92 versus the global average of $15.91 — about 69% below market. The narrowest gap appeared in January 2025, when SaaS CPI was 32% below global levels ($4.90 vs. $7.22). The widest gap came in November 2025, with SaaS running 93% lower ($1.27 vs. $17.18). Global volatility was more dramatic in dollar terms, swinging an average of $6.29 month to month, including a June spike to $27.90 and a July reversal to $12.24. On a relative basis, month-to-month variability was comparable: roughly 38–40% for both series. Over the full span, the global trend was essentially flat (−2%), while SaaS & Cloud Platforms declined meaningfully by period end (−69% from November to November).

Closing

Taken together, these Facebook Ads benchmarks show Cost per App Install for SaaS & Cloud Platforms across all countries running consistently below the global average, with mid-year peaks and an unusually low November finish. This CPI perspective complements CPC trends, CPM analysis, and broader CTR performance, grounding industry ad performance in clear, country-agnostic install costs for SaaS & Cloud Platforms worldwide.