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February 2025 - February 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
United Arab Emirates app install costs told a two-speed story in 2025: a dramatic early spike followed by an extended period of ultra-low pricing. Cost per app install (CPI) surged to a towering peak in March, then reset rapidly and stayed subdued through year-end, putting the United Arab Emirates far below the global benchmark for most of the year. While the annual average is elevated due to that early surge, the “typical” month looked inexpensive by comparison. 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 the United Arab Emirates compared to the global benchmark.
CPI opened the year at 13.0 in January, climbed to 23.9 in February, and spiked to 170.7 in March—the annual high. April cooled to 31.3 before costs collapsed into single digits in May (6.6) and then low single digits from June onward: 3.5 in June, 1.9 in July, 2.5 in August, and 1.1–0.9 across September to November. The annual low landed in November (0.86), with a slight year-end uptick to 1.1 in December.
The average CPI for the United Arab Emirates across 2025 was 21.5, skewed by March. Excluding March, the average falls to 7.9, and the median month sits near 3.0—closer to what advertisers actually saw for most of the year. Volatility mirrored that pivot: average month-to-month change across the full year was 29.9 points, driven by the March spike and April correction (a +147-point jump followed by a −139-point drop). From May through December, volatility cooled dramatically to roughly 1.0 point per month, reflecting a remarkably steady second half.
Seasonality ran counter to typical Facebook Ads benchmarks. Q1 was outsized—averaging 69.2 on the back of March’s surge—while Q2 marked deceleration (13.8 average) and Q3 settled into a trough (1.84 average). Q4 remained soft, averaging 0.96, with the lowest CPI in November and a modest December rebound.
Globally, CPI tends to strengthen mid-year and stay elevated into Q4 as competition rises. In contrast, the United Arab Emirates shifted from a front-loaded, high-cost Q1 to a prolonged run of low, stable CPIs through the back half of the year.
Against the 2025 global benchmark (13.4 average), the United Arab Emirates looks like two different markets. On paper, the UAE’s annual average (21.5) sits 60% above global, but that headline conceals the underlying reality: excluding March, the UAE averaged 7.9—41% below global.
Month by month, the gap flipped sharply: the UAE ran above global from January to April (+84% to +1,813%), then stayed below May to December (−47% to −94%). While the global trend rose into a mid-year high (23.8 in June) and ended at 10.4 in December (+47% vs. January), the United Arab Emirates fell from 13.0 in January to 1.1 in December (−92%).
Overall, Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install in all industries in the United Arab Emirates show an early-year surge followed by sustained, exceptionally low CPIs through H2—well below global levels for most months. Understanding CPI trends for app installs in the United Arab Emirates versus the global benchmark helps contextualize country-specific ad costs and broader industry ad performance patterns.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. For campaigns targeting United Arab Emirates, 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.
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.
Ramadan + Eid (Mar–Apr), End of November–December (UAE National Day, Christmas, New Year), Dubai Shopping Festival (mid-Dec through Jan)
CPMs may rise sharply during Ramadan and Eid, especially in e‑commerce, gifting, F&B, and beauty sectors. UAE National Day campaigns could lead to high local bidding activity in travel, banking, and luxury retail. Dubai Shopping Festival drives elevated CPMs from mid-December to mid-January. Islamic holidays shift each year, affecting year-over-year comparisons.
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