Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks in South Africa

Introduction

Across all industries in South Africa, cost per app install remained well below the global Facebook Ads benchmarks, but the path was anything but flat. A rock-bottom November gave way to a sharp lift in January, a spike in February, and a clear cooldown by March. The result is a market that looks cost-efficient versus the world average, yet marked by pronounced monthly swings and a standout February surge. 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 all industries in South Africa compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

For South Africa, median cost per app install (CPI) started at 0.18 in November 2024 and ended at 1.26 in March 2025. The period high landed in February at 7.57, with January at 2.55. The four-month average was 2.89, with a wide range from 0.18 to 7.57.

Month-to-month moves were pronounced: from November to January, CPI leapt more than 13x (0.18 to 2.55), followed by another near-tripling into February (+197%) before retreating 83% in March (down to 1.26). Measured as absolute change, South Africa’s month-to-month swing averaged about 4.6, a volatility profile comparable to the global benchmark over the same window (about 4.9).

Globally, CPI moved from 17.55 in November to 9.17 in March, averaging 11.70 across the overlapping months (November–March). That positions South Africa’s average roughly 75% below global levels over the same period.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The rhythm aligns with familiar seasonal dynamics, though with local idiosyncrasies. November is often elevated globally as holiday competition builds; South Africa diverged with an exceptionally low CPI in November. January then brought a clear reset upward, matching the broader pattern of renewed demand. February was the peak month for South Africa, consistent with competitive pressure building into late Q1, before a notable cooldown in March. Over Q1 alone (January–March), South Africa averaged 3.79 versus the global 9.75—cheaper overall, but with a sharper February crest.

Country vs. Global

South Africa consistently sat below market throughout the period. Relative to global CPI medians, the gap was widest in November (about 99% lower than the global 17.55) and narrowest in February (about 41% below the global 12.87). January tracked about 65% under global levels (2.55 vs. 7.22), while March was roughly 86% lower (1.26 vs. 9.17). Trend momentum also differed: the global benchmark declined 48% from November to March, while South Africa finished higher than its ultra-low November base, but only after a choppy rise-and-fall centered on February.

Overall, the picture is of country-specific ad costs for app installs in South Africa staying well below global averages, with volatility comparable to the market and a clear seasonal crest in February.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install across all industries in South Africa highlights a market that remains materially cheaper than the global benchmark, with a pronounced February peak and a March cooldown. These CPI trends provide a clear view into industry ad performance and country-specific ad costs for app-install campaigns in South Africa versus the global pattern.