See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
Across all industries in the United States, cost per app install (CPI) ran materially above the global benchmark and moved with sharper swings. The year opened at a holiday peak, slid into a Q1 trough, then rebuilt through spring and summer before surging again in October–November. Median CPI in the United States averaged $24.48 from November 2024 to November 2025 versus $15.91 globally—about 54% higher—while monthly volatility was also steeper. Standout moments included a March low, a pronounced April lift, and near-identical spikes in both Novembers.
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.
While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance offer other angles, this readout focuses on Facebook Ads benchmarks for country-specific ad costs tied to cost per app install.
The period starts at $39.17 in November 2024 and ends at $38.68 in November 2025, effectively flat year over year (−1%). The United States’ CPI averaged $24.48, with a wide range from a low of $12.79 in March 2025 to the high of $39.17 in November 2024. The sharpest moves came right after the holidays (−$21.62 from November to December 2024), a quick February rebound (+$7.14), a deep March dip (−$9.44), and a strong April surge (+$16.53). Monthly absolute moves averaged $8.72, signaling more choppiness than the global trend ($6.29).
Key checkpoints:
Seasonality was clear. Performance typically softened through Q1, bottoming in March (United States Q1 average: $16.71). Q2 marked a reset with a higher base (average $24.82), anchored by a June uptick. Summer was steadier, with Q3 averaging $23.06 and a mild build from July ($19.32) to September ($26.10). Q4 intensified: October–November averaged $33.87, showing classic holiday compression. Notably, the global pattern peaked in June and softened into Q4, whereas the United States accelerated into the holidays.
Relative to the baseline, the United States ran above market almost every month:
Trendlines diverged as well: the global series rose steadily (+138% from January to November 2025) with a pronounced June spike and a late-year fade, while the United States was choppier (+156% from January to November) and finished with a decisive Q4 lift.
Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per app install across all industries in the United States highlights a persistently higher, more volatile CPI profile versus the global average, with pronounced Q4 surges and a distinct March trough—critical context for evaluating country-specific ad costs and industry ad performance 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.
Improve your Facebook ad performance
• Instant performance insights – See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.
• Data-driven creative decisions – Spot patterns to improve ROAS.
• Effortless reporting – No spreadsheets, just clear insights.
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