Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks in United States

Introduction

Cost per app install (CPI) for all industries in the United States has run consistently above the global benchmark, with a sharp November spike, a Q1 cooldown, and a measured climb through late Q3 into October. Volatility was also slightly higher than the global pattern, with bigger month-to-month swings and a wider range between highs and lows. 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 States compared to the global benchmark.

Section 1: The story in the data

Across the 12-month window, United States CPI averaged $22.59, versus a $15.10 global average—about a 50% premium. The U.S. series started at $39.03 in November 2024 and ended at $27.22 in October 2025, a 30% decline from the initial spike but still elevated relative to global levels. The year’s high came in November ($39.03), while the low arrived in March ($12.46). The median U.S. CPI was $22.12, compared with a $12.64 global median.

Monthly movement told a choppy but readable narrative. After the November peak, CPI fell 56% into December ($17.21), softened again into January ($14.94), briefly rose in February ($22.13), then hit the trough in March ($12.46). April nearly doubled month-over-month to $25.02, and June pushed higher ($26.73) before a July dip ($19.35). The back half built steadily: August ($22.11), September ($27.01), and a flat October close ($27.22). Month-to-month absolute volatility averaged $7.70 in the United States, sharper than the global benchmark’s $6.23.

Globally, CPI ranged from a low of $7.13 (January) to a high of $27.90 (June), with an overall rise from November 2024 ($15.83) to October 2025 ($19.14), up about 21%. The global series also featured a pronounced mid-year whiplash—a 137% jump from May to June followed by a 54% reset in July.

Section 2: Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The U.S. curve reflects classic seasonal pressure: elevated costs entering Q4, a Q1 trough, and renewed intensity from late Q2 through early Q4. November was the standout high, December eased markedly, and March marked the low. April re-accelerated, and while July pulled back, CPI steadied through late summer. September and October held near the upper end of the yearly range, signaling firmer pricing conditions heading into Q4, a period when competition typically tightens and country-specific ad costs often rise. This rhythm aligns with broader Facebook Ads benchmarks, even as the magnitude of U.S. CPI swings remained larger than the global pattern.

Section 3: United States vs. Global

Relative to the global benchmark, the United States stayed above market most months. The U.S. premium ranged from +147% in November 2024 to a brief -4% discount in June 2025 (the only month the U.S. dipped below the global line). Through the year, the average gap was roughly +50%. Momentum also diverged: the global trend rose from November to October (+21%), while the U.S. trend descended from its November peak to October (-30%) but stabilized at a higher plateau in the second half. The U.S. range ($12.46–$39.03) was broader than the global span ($7.13–$27.90), underscoring more volatile industry ad performance in the U.S. market.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install highlights how CPI trends in all industries in the United States compare to global patterns—higher on average, more volatile, and marked by Q4 peaks and a mid-year rebuild. This country-specific ad costs view complements broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance discussions by focusing squarely on install efficiency in the U.S. market.