CPI Cheat Sheet · AppFillip 2026
CPI
Benchmarks
2026 Cost Per Install Data Across All 24 App Categories
Are you overpaying on UA? Real 2026 CPI data — average, top 10%, and bottom 25% — for every major app category. Know exactly where you stand before you spend another dollar.
📅 Get a Free UA Audit
Free · 30 minutes · We benchmark your CPI against your category
$0.80
Avg CPI across AppFillip managed campaigns
500+
Apps analysed across 24 categories
2026
Live benchmark data updated quarterly
24
App categories covered in this report
Enter your email to
unlock the full CPI report
Get instant free access to 2026 CPI benchmarks across all 24 app categories — plus the CPI audit checklist to find where your budget is leaking.
✓Free forever
·
✓No spam
·
✓Instant access
·
✓Unsubscribe anytime
2026 CPI Benchmarks — 24 Categories
Cost Per Installby Category 2026 Real 2026 data from 500+ apps. Top 10% = elite campaigns with exceptional targeting and creative. Average = typical managed spend. Bottom 25% = poor targeting or creative quality.
Top 10%
Industry Average
Bottom 25%
Lower CPI = better — you pay less per install
🏋️
Health & Fitness
Good if below
<$0.60
💳
Fintech
Good if below
<$1.00
🎓
Education
Good if below
<$0.60
🎮
Casual Gaming
Good if below
<$0.25
🛍️
Shopping
Good if below
<$0.80
🍔
Food Delivery
Good if below
<$0.80
✈️
Travel
Good if below
<$1.00
💬
Social
Good if below
<$0.50
📊
Productivity
Good if below
<$0.75
🎬
Entertainment
Good if below
<$0.55
💘
Dating
Good if below
<$0.80
🌿
Lifestyle
Good if below
<$0.65
🧒
Kids
Good if below
<$0.70
🏆
Sports
Good if below
<$0.60
🏠
Real Estate
Good if below
<$1.20
🎵
Music
Good if below
<$0.55
💼
Business / B2B
Good if below
<$1.60
📰
News & Media
Good if below
<$0.45
🏥
Medical
Good if below
<$1.80
₿
Crypto / Web3
Good if below
<$1.10
🔭
AR / Spatial
Good if below
<$1.40
🐾
Pet
Good if below
<$0.55
📱
Utilities
Good if below
<$0.40
🗓️
Subscription / SaaS
Good if below
<$1.30
CPI Audit Checklist
CPI AuditScore Your Campaign Tick every item you have covered. If your CPI is above the benchmark, unchecked items below are where your budget is leaking.
🎯 Targeting
✓
Audience segments separated by species — no broad pet owner audiences mixed with dog/cat campaigns✓
Lookalike audiences built from your highest-LTV user cohort, not all installs✓
Interest targeting layered with behavioural signals — not broad interest only✓
Negative audience exclusions in place — excluding existing users and unconverted lookalikes✓
Device and OS version targeting set — excluding incompatible or low-quality device segments✓
Geographic targeting optimised — budget concentrated in highest-CVR markets🎬 Creative
✓
At least 3 distinct creative concepts tested per campaign — not variations of the same hook✓
Video creative under 15 seconds with hook in first 2 frames — no slow builds✓
UGC-style creative tested alongside polished studio creative — UGC often wins on CPI✓
Creative refreshed at least every 3 weeks — ad fatigue is the most common cause of rising CPI✓
Category-specific emotional triggers used — not generic app advertising language✓
Winning creative identified and budget concentrated on it — not equal budget across all creatives💰 Bidding & Budget
✓
Bidding strategy matched to campaign stage — volume bidding for learning phase, target CPA after✓
Budget not spread across too many ad sets — consolidation improves algorithm learning✓
Day-parting reviewed — ads running in hours when your target audience actually converts✓
Budget increased gradually (max 20% per day) — not doubled overnight which resets learning✓
Channel mix reviewed — CPI benchmarked separately per channel (Meta vs Google vs ASA)✓
Budget allocation matches channel performance — highest share going to lowest CPI channel📱 App Store & Landing
✓
App Store screenshots A/B tested — listing CVR directly impacts effective CPI✓
App Store rating 4.3 or above — below this significantly reduces install CVR from ads✓
Preview video updated in last 6 months — shows current UI, not launch-era screens✓
Custom product pages (iOS) or custom store listings (Android) used for top audience segments✓
Keyword ranking monitored — strong organic rank reduces blended CPI significantly✓
Post-install events tracked and fed back to ad networks — optimising for quality not just volume