See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
Software Development app-install costs ran materially below the global benchmark throughout the period, with brief surges punctuating an otherwise low-cost year. Median Cost per App Install (CPI) across all countries averaged about $2.95 for Software Development versus a $15.81 global median across all industries—a discount of roughly 81%. Momentum skewed downward from a high in November 2024, interrupted by a sharp June 2025 spike and an even sharper July reset, before settling near the floor by October. 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 period opened high at $8.26 CPI in November 2024 and closed at $1.43 in October 2025, an 83% decline end-to-end. The category’s median CPI averaged $2.95, ranging from a low of $1.11 in July to a secondary floor near $1.43 in April and October. Two peaks stand out: November 2024 ($8.26) and June 2025 ($6.02).
Monthly momentum was choppy on a low base. CPI fell -78% from November to December ($1.83), rebounded in January ($3.97), then softened through March–April (down to $1.43). From this April trough, CPI surged +320% into June’s $6.02 high, before collapsing -82% to the July low ($1.11). A mild rebuild followed—August (+51% to $1.67) and September (+41% to $2.36)—then eased again in October (-39% to $1.43). Month-to-month absolute volatility averaged $2.07, indicating meaningful swings despite low overall costs.
Seasonally, the category diverged from the classic Q4-to-Q1 pattern. While many Facebook Ads benchmarks show elevated Q4 costs, Software Development saw a steep drop from November to December. Q1 stabilized at modest levels (average ~$3.03), Q2 lifted primarily on June’s surge (average ~$3.24), and Q3 formed the clear cost trough (average ~$1.71), led by July’s annual low. The brief mid-year run-up (April to June) was the standout anomaly; otherwise, the rhythm favored low and steady acquisition costs, with late Q3 into October reverting toward the April floor.
Against the global benchmark, Software Development’s CPI stayed consistently below market—typically 70–90% lower. The gap was narrowest in January (about 45% below global; $3.97 vs. $7.22) and November 2024 (53% below; $8.26 vs. $17.55). It widened materially in late summer and early Q4: August was ~92% below ($1.67 vs. $19.88), September ~90% below ($2.36 vs. $22.72), and October ~93% below ($1.43 vs. $20.72).
Global CPI exhibited larger absolute swings, with an average month-to-month change of $6.54 versus $2.07 for Software Development. In relative terms, however, Software Development was the choppier series: monthly changes equaled about 70% of its mean CPI, compared with roughly 41% for the global benchmark. Both series spiked in June (global +131% from May; Software Development +166%), but only Software Development snapped back immediately in July.
For performance marketers tracking Facebook Ads benchmarks, the CPI story is clear: Software Development across all countries delivered consistently lower acquisition costs than the global average, with notable mid-year volatility and a pronounced Q3 trough. Understanding Cost per App Install trends for the Software Development industry across all countries helps quantify country-specific ad costs, interpret CPI benchmarks alongside CPC trends and CPM analysis, and compare CTR performance contextually against global patterns.
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 Software Development industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. 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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries
See how much it costs to get users to install an app