See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
February 2025 - February 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
App install costs in the United States ran materially above the global benchmark for most of the year, with two pronounced surges in April and November and a sharp rebound in January 2026. Despite a few cooler pockets, the pattern is clear: higher country-specific ad costs and a choppier rhythm than the global average. 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.
Looking at monthly medians for Facebook Ads cost-per-install (CPI), the United States opened 2025 at $13.65 and finished the year at $17.76 before jumping to $26.55 in January 2026. Across 2025, CPI averaged $20.12, rising to a 13‑month average of $20.61 when including January 2026. The year’s low came in March at $12.28, followed by the high in April at $27.92—a swing of $15.64 month to month. A secondary peak appeared in November at $26.97.
Momentum was uneven. February lifted 23% from January, March then fell 27%, and April surged 127% from March to the annual peak. The market normalized in May (−34%) and steadied through summer, with a gradual climb into early Q4: $23.40 in September and $22.67 in October. November elevated again, then December softened by 34% month over month before a strong January 2026 rebound to $26.55. Average monthly volatility—the absolute change from month to month—was $5.89, indicating sharper swings than the global benchmark.
The first quarter was comparatively moderate before the April spike reset the annual range. May pulled back, June stabilized at $23.23, and July provided brief relief at $18.24. Late Q3 and Q4 re-accelerated, with Q4 in the United States averaging $22.47. December’s pullback was short-lived as January 2026 returned to elevated territory. This rhythm aligns with familiar seasonal pressure points in app acquisition, where Q2 and late Q4 often carry higher auction intensity, while December can show mixed efficiency.
Against the global baseline, the United States remained above market nearly every month. The 2025 U.S. average of $20.12 was roughly 50% higher than the global average of $13.43 (13‑month gap: +52%). The gap ranged from near parity in June—United States at $23.23 versus $23.76 globally (−2%)—to more than double in April, when the United States hit $27.92 against a $13.51 global median (+106%). Q4 underscored the delta: $22.47 in the United States versus $13.80 globally, about 63% higher. Volatility was also steeper in the United States (average monthly swing of $5.89) compared to the global pattern ($4.50). Globally, CPI peaked in June at $23.76 and then decelerated into year-end, finishing December at $10.43 before a partial January rebound to $15.39.
Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-install benchmarks for all industries in the United States—alongside global CPI trends—helps marketers gauge country-specific ad costs and interpret industry ad performance relative to broader patterns. While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance provide additional context, this benchmark view centers on CPI to track install efficiency across the United States compared to the global market.
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