Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks in United States

Introduction

The main story: Cost per app install in the United States ran well above the global benchmark across this 13‑month window, showing both a higher baseline and sharper swings — a clear narrative of lift, a dramatic February spike, and a sustained climb into mid‑2026. 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 United States compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

US cost per app install began at about $20.02 in June 2025 and finished at roughly $37.26 in June 2026 — an increase of about 86%. The monthly series hit a low of $16.36 in December 2025 and a high of $55.47 in February 2026. Across the full period the United States averaged approximately $27.55 per install; the global baseline averaged about $15.55. That puts US costs roughly 77% above the global average over this window.

Key moves: a moderate rise through autumn 2025 (peaking near $26.93 in October), a dip into December ($16.36), a rebound into January, and then a pronounced spike to $55.47 in February 2026. After February, costs stepped down but remained elevated, climbing steadily from about $28.84 in March to $37.26 in June.

Volatility was notable: average month‑to‑month absolute change in the United States was about $7.9, compared with roughly $5.5 for the global benchmark — indicating the US market was materially more variable month‑over‑month.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Rhythm in the data shows mixed seasonal behavior. Late Q3 into early Q4 saw rising install costs (August → October), followed by a softening into December — a local trough. The calendar entered Q1 with a rebound in January that culminated in an outsized February spike. From March through June there was a steady upward run, suggesting a period of sustained price pressure after the February event.

These patterns reflect distinct monthly peaks and troughs rather than a flat seasonal curve: October and February stand out as high‑pressure months, while December registered the year’s lowest point.

Country vs. Global

The United States trailed no months below the global benchmark; US costs were above market every month. The gap ranged widely: at its narrowest in June 2025 US installs were about 9% higher than the global level, while at its widest in June 2026 US costs were roughly 215% higher. February 2026 was another extreme, with US costs about 84% above the global February level.

Over the full window the global benchmark declined from about $18.36 to $11.85 (a fall of roughly 36%), while the United States moved in the opposite direction, climbing from about $20.02 to $37.26. That divergence highlights a US market that has been both costlier and more volatile than the worldwide pattern.

Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPC trends, CPM analysis, CTR performance and country‑specific ad costs alongside industry ad performance helps frame this narrative for All industries in the United States.