Cost per Install (CPI)
01 Definition
Cost per Install (CPI) meaning: The average amount spent to get one app install from a campaign.
Cost per Install is total ad spend divided by the number of app installs it drove. It is a core metric for mobile app marketing across networks like Google, Apple Search Ads, and Meta. It counts installs only, not whether users open the app or make purchases.
Why it matters
How Cost per Install (CPI) fits the work
CPI helps app marketers compare the cost of acquiring installs across networks and set bids for user acquisition.
In context
A user acquisition campaign spends $5,000 and drives 2,500 installs, for a cost per install of $2.
Practical note
A cheap install can still be a poor user; track post-install actions like retention and in-app purchases to judge real value.