See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Across all industries in the United States, cost per app install (CPI) on Facebook Ads sat well above the global benchmark in 2025, with two clear surges and a late‑year reset. The year opened modestly, spiked dramatically in April, rose again into November, and cooled in December. Movements were choppy rather than linear, and volatility was notably higher than the worldwide pattern. 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.
United States CPI averaged $19.90 for the year, versus a $13.37 global average—about a 49% premium. The range was wide: a low of $12.28 in March and a high of $27.92 in April, with November close behind at $26.76. The year started at $13.65 in January and ended at $15.29 in December, a modest +12% lift from start to finish despite large midyear swings.
Monthly movements tell the story. A soft Q1 saw February rise to $16.85 before March dipped to the annual low ($12.28). April then surged to $27.92—up 127% from March—marking the sharpest single-month escalation of the year. CPI cooled in May ($18.47), rebounded in June ($23.23), and stayed elevated through Q3, hovering between $18.24 and $23.28. October held at $22.64 before November climbed to $26.76; December then reset to $15.29, the largest month-over-month drop (−$11.47).
Volatility averaged $5.81 in absolute month-to-month movement, meaning the United States swung about 27% more than the global benchmark, which moved by $4.57 on average.
Seasonally, the United States displayed a clear Q2 spike and a Q4 swell before a December pullback:
Globally, CPI also rose into midyear, peaking in June ($23.76) before easing into a December low ($9.32). The worldwide cadence showed a midyear crest and steadier comedown, while the United States exhibited a sharper April spike, a sustained high plateau through fall, and a pronounced year-end retreat.
The United States stayed above market most of the year. The premium ranged from +26% to +106%, with one brief exception in June when U.S. CPI aligned closely with, and slightly undercut, the global level (−2%). April marked the widest gap—$27.92 in the United States versus $13.51 worldwide (+106%). November also stood far above (+84%), as did January (+93%). The tightest positive gaps appeared in August (+26%) and October (+38%), hinting at periods where country-specific ad costs converged somewhat with global pricing. Overall, U.S. CPI was higher and more volatile than the global pattern across all industries.
These Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install highlight how all-industry app acquisition costs in the United States ran above the global average, with a sharp April spike, strong November, and a December reset. Understanding country-specific ad costs and industry ad performance helps contextualize CPI trends in the United States against worldwide 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 States, advertisers often face higher costs due to high competition and purchasing power. 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.
Late November (Thanksgiving & Black Friday weekend), December (Christmas), Back-to-school (July–September), Summer travel season (Memorial Day onwards)
CPM and CPC might rise around major holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, especially in travel and entertainment. Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend triggers massive spikes in retail ad competition. December ad demand typically peaks—retail campaigns require significantly higher budgets. Back-to-school promotions drive increased competition. Juneteenth may see regional engagement rise.
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