Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Software Development

Introduction

Across all countries, Software Development app install costs ran well below the global benchmark in 2025, with a pronounced midyear whipsaw and a softer back half of the year. Cost per app install began elevated in January, spiked sharply in June, then reset to the year’s low in July before stabilizing into a tighter band through Q4 with a modest December lift. In contrast, the global, all‑industry benchmark stayed higher throughout and climbed into the second half.

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 Software Development across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Software Development CPI opened 2025 at $3.97 and ended at $1.99, a 50% decline across the year. The annual average landed at $2.39, with a high at $6.02 in June and a low at $1.15 in July. Month to month, movements told a vivid story: a steady Q1 cooldown ($3.97 in January → $2.83 in February → $2.26 in March), a Q2 trough in April ($1.43), then a surge into June (+$3.76 from May, up 167%). That spike snapped back immediately, falling $4.87 from June to July (−81%)—the sharpest monthly swing of the year. From there, CPI hovered in a narrower range: August–September rebounded to $1.67–$2.33, October–November eased to $1.40–$1.33, and December finished higher at $1.99.

Volatility averaged $1.35 per month. In absolute dollars, this was milder than the global benchmark’s $4.46 average monthly swing, yet relative to its own level, Software Development was more choppy (volatility equaled 56% of its average vs. 33% globally).

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The first half averaged $3.13, driven by the January start and the June peak. The second half averaged $1.65—about 47% lower—signaling a sustained reset after July’s low. The rhythm was distinct: Q1 steady softening, Q2 dip-then-spike, and H2 marked by contained fluctuations with brief lifts in September and December. While performance typically tightens into Q4 as competition rises, Software Development CPI stayed subdued in October–November before a late‑year uptick.

Country vs. Global

Against the global, all‑industry benchmark (2025 average: $13.43), Software Development across all countries averaged 82% lower CPI at $2.39. The gap was narrowest in January (44% below) when Software Development costs were relatively elevated and widest in October (92% below) during the industry’s Q4 softness. The global trend rose 47% from January to December and remained elevated through H2, whereas Software Development fell 50% across the same span. Both series peaked in June, but the subsequent reset was far more pronounced for Software Development, underscoring a more dramatic midyear cycle in proportional terms.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑app‑install benchmarks for Software Development across all countries highlights how industry ad performance can diverge from global patterns—lower levels on average, sharper proportional swings, and a distinct midyear inflection. These Facebook Ads benchmarks help contextualize country‑agnostic, industry‑specific ad costs and CPI trends relative to the broader market.