User Acquisition Statistics for 2026: CPI Benchmarks, Mobile UA Spend, Channel Performance, App Retention, ASO, Organic vs. Paid, AI Impact, and Regional Data

In 2026, user acquisition has become the defining operational challenge for mobile-first businesses. Global app marketing spend reached $109 billion in 2025 $78 billion on user acquisition and $31 billion on remarketing with UA spend growing 13% year-over-year, driven entirely by iOS, which surged 35% while Android remained flat. Apps in non-gaming categories led the expansion, rising 18% to $53 billion, while generative AI apps reached $824 million in UA spend, growing roughly 50% year-over-year to become the fastest-growing category on Android and fourth on iOS.

The cost structure underlying these investments tells a consistent story of escalating competition. The average CPI for North America reached $5.28 per install in 2024, up from $5.11 in 2023. iOS CPI now averages $4.70 globally, while Android averages $3.40 a gap that has been widening every year since 2020 when the platforms were at $3.74 and $2.67 respectively. In 2024, app marketers pay between $1.75 and $4.50 for a single app install across ad networks globally, up from $0.50 to $2.00 in 2019, representing a five-year cost inflation of approximately 225%. Customer acquisition costs across mobile have surged 222% over the last decade.

The install volume context is equally striking. In 2024, 136 billion apps were downloaded across iOS and Google Play, maintaining prior-year momentum. Users spent 4.2 trillion hours in apps averaging 3.5 hours per day per person globally. Global in-app purchase revenue grew to $150 billion, the highest growth since 2021. And over 4.1 million apps crowded the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, making organic discovery through App Store Optimization the primary lever for reducing paid acquisition dependence.

Retention data makes the acquisition efficiency problem explicit. On average, apps lose 77% of their daily active users within the first three days, and 90% of users abandon an app within the first month. The average Day 30 retention rate for mobile apps sits at just 5.7%. Yet remarketing spend targeting existing installed users to re-engage them grew 37% year-over-year to $31.3 billion in 2025, confirming that reactivating lapsed users is increasingly being recognized as more cost-efficient than acquiring new ones.

This article compiles more than 100 verified user acquisition statistics drawn from the latest figures published within the last two years. Statistics are organized into 10 thematic sections covering global UA market size and spend, CPI benchmarks by platform, CPI benchmarks by vertical and geography, app download and install volume, organic vs. paid acquisition splits, app store optimization performance, post-install retention and engagement, gaming-specific UA data, AI and technology impact on UA, and regional and platform comparison data. Every statistic is cited separately with a direct link to its original source.

Scope and Methodology

Includes only publicly available user acquisition statistics relevant for 2026.
Based on the latest figures published within the last two years.
Sources include primary research, first-party platform data, institutional studies, and industry reports.
Each statistic is listed separately with its original source and study context.
No estimates, forecasts, interpretations, or recommendations are included.

Key User Acquisition Statistics for 2026

Global app marketing spend reached $109 billion in 2025, with $78 billion on user acquisition and $31 billion on remarketing, based on AppsFlyer’s Top 5 Data Trends Report analyzing data from billions of attributed installs published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Global user acquisition spend grew 13% year-over-year in 2025, driven entirely by iOS which surged 35% while Android remained flat at -1%, based on AppsFlyer’s Top 5 Data Trends Report published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Customer acquisition costs for mobile apps have surged 222% over the last decade, rising from $19 to $29 per user, based on SimplicityDX research cited by Business of Apps (2025).
The average CPI for North America reached $5.28 per mobile app install in 2024, the highest regional CPI globally, based on 2024 research from Mistplay and Mapendo cited by Business of Apps (2025).
In 2024, global app downloads reached 218 billion across iOS and Google Play, up 7% year-over-year, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).
Generative AI apps reached $824 million in UA spend in 2025, growing roughly 50% year-over-year, making it the fastest-growing category on Android and the 4th fastest-growing on iOS, based on AppsFlyer’s Top 5 Data Trends Report published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Apps lose 77% of daily active users within the first three days, and 90% of users abandon an app within the first month, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).
Remarketing spend grew 37% year-over-year to $31.3 billion in 2025, reflecting the industry’s shift toward re-engaging installed users rather than acquiring new ones, based on AppsFlyer’s Top 5 Data Trends Report published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Adding an app preview video and refining screenshots can lift App Store conversion by 10% to 30%, based on data published by Dogtownmedia.com (2025).
Apps that actively addressed user feedback reported up to 15% higher retention rates than those that ignored comments, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).

Global UA Market Size and Spend Statistics

Global app marketing spend reached $109 billion in 2025, consisting of $78 billion on user acquisition and $31 billion on remarketing, both posting strong year-over-year growth, based on AppsFlyer’s Top 5 Data Trends Report published by AppsFlyer (2025).
UA spend grew 13% year-over-year in 2025, driven entirely by iOS at +35%, while Android remained flat at -1%, based on AppsFlyer’s Top 5 Data Trends Report published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Non-gaming UA spend rose 18% year-over-year to $53 billion in 2025, led by a 40% jump in iOS spend driven by Shopping category apps, which grew 70% overall and 123% on iOS, largely due to major budgets from China-based e-commerce apps, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Gaming UA investments grew 3% to $25 billion in 2025, with iOS gaming up 6% and Android up 2%, showing continued investment despite non-gaming’s dominance in total spend growth, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Global remarketing spend reached $31.3 billion in 2025, increasing 37% year-over-year, with iOS remarketing surging 71% to $17 billion and Android growing 10% to $14 billion, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Remarketing’s share of overall app marketing spend rose from 25% in 2024 to 29% in 2025, confirming reengagement’s growing role within the performance marketing mix, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Global mobile ad spending surpassed $400 billion in 2024, with a modest increase to $402 billion expected in 2025, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).
Global digital marketing spend reached $526 billion in 2023 and is forecasted to reach $936 billion by 2029, underscoring the long-term growth trajectory that user acquisition spending is part of, based on Dentsu data cited by Business of Apps (2025).
Casino and gambling app UA spend grew 127% year-over-year in 2025, the fastest growth of any app vertical, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).

CPI Benchmarks by Platform Statistics

The average CPI for iOS globally is $4.70 in 2024, and for Android is $3.40, continuing a multi-year pattern of iOS commanding a 30% to 40% premium over Android CPI, based on data published by Udonis (2025).
In 2023, the average CPI for iOS was $4.50 and for Android was $3.20, meaning both platforms increased approximately $0.20 per install from 2023 to 2024, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).
iOS CPI has risen consistently from $3.74 in 2020 to $4.40 in 2023 to $4.70 in 2024, while Android CPI rose from $2.67 in 2020 to $3.13 in 2023 to $3.40 in 2024, based on data published by Udonis (2025).
Facebook ads average CPI in 2024 is $2.09, based on Amplitude Marketing and Hunch Ads data cited by Business of Apps (2025).
Facebook Ads CPI ranges from a minimum of $2.00 to a maximum of $5.50 in 2024, based on Business of Apps data cited by Mistplay (2024).
TikTok Ads CPI ranges from a minimum of $1.75 to a maximum of $4.00 in 2024, based on Business of Apps data cited by Mistplay (2024).
Google Ads CPI ranges from a minimum of $1.50 to a maximum of $4.50 in 2024, unchanged at the low end from 2023 and up $0.50 at the high end, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).
The average CPI for Instagram ads in 2024 is between $1.75 and $4.50, based on WordStream data cited by Business of Apps (2025).
Across ad networks overall, app marketers paid between $1.75 and $4.50 to generate a single app install in 2024, up from $0.50 to $2.00 in 2019, representing approximately 225% cost inflation over five years, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).

CPI Benchmarks by Vertical and Geography Statistics

Fintech apps have the highest CPI in 2024 ranging from $2.50 to $6.00, driven by strict security requirements, high-value user profiles, and strong competition, based on Adjust and Juniper Research data cited by Business of Apps (2025).
Health and fitness apps experience elevated CPI particularly for products offering personalized plans or premium services, with seasonality such as New Year peaks significantly influencing acquisition costs, based on data published by Mapendo (2025).
Education apps often have lower CPI due to broad appeal and lower monetization per user, while retail and e-commerce apps for shopping tend to fall in the few-dollar range in mature markets, based on data published by Mapendo (2025).
North America has the highest regional CPI at $5.28 per install in 2024, up $0.17 from the prior year, followed by EMEA at $1.03 (up $0.05), and APAC at $0.93 (up $0.08), based on Mistplay and Mapendo 2024 research cited by Business of Apps (2025).
Android CPI for mobile games averages $2.97 and iOS averages $4.22 across all gaming genres, based on Business of Apps data cited by Mistplay (2024).
The United States and Canada lead in the highest game CPI by country, followed by major Western European markets, while Japan and South Korea show the lowest CPI values, both under $1.00 for certain action game genres, based on data from Mapendo campaign analysis published by Mapendo (2024).
EMEA drives around 50% of worldwide app ad sales while holding a CPI of just $1.03, making it the highest-volume, cost-efficient market for scale-focused UA campaigns, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).

App Download and Install Volume Statistics

In 2024, global app downloads reached 218 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).
In 2024, 136 billion apps were downloaded across iOS and Google Play specifically, maintaining the prior year’s momentum, based on Sensor Tower 2024 data cited by ASOmobile (2025).
Users spent 4.2 trillion hours in apps in 2024, averaging 3.5 hours per day per person globally, based on Sensor Tower data cited by ASOmobile (2025).
Global in-app purchase revenue grew to $150 billion in 2024, the highest growth since 2021, based on Sensor Tower data cited by ASOmobile (2025).
Over 4.1 million apps were available across the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in 2024, making organic discovery increasingly difficult without strong ASO or paid acquisition, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).
Google Play saw approximately 25.6 billion app downloads in Q1 2024 alone, based on Statista data published by Udonis (2025).
The average price of in-app purchases for iOS rose by 40% between 2022 and 2023, based on Apptopia data cited by Business of Apps (2025).

Organic vs. Paid Acquisition Split Statistics

Apps that rank in the top positions in app store search generate the majority of their installs organically, and ASO-driven organic installs have zero marginal cost per install, making ASO one of the highest-ROI UA investments over the medium to long term, based on data published by AppRadar (2025).
An app store page well-optimized for conversion might convert approximately 3% to 5% of viewers into installers, and improving this rate through ASO directly reduces effective paid CPI by increasing the return on every ad click, based on data published by MobiLoud (2025).
Paid campaigns, when run alongside ASO, create an organic uplift effect: apps often see their organic rankings improve after running paid campaigns because any install whether paid or organic signals popularity to store algorithms, based on data published by Udonis (2025).
Apps targeting long-tail keywords experienced up to a 32% growth in organic installs due to higher relevance in search results, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).
A strong ASO foundation lowers paid acquisition costs and yields more sustainable growth, because it improves the conversion rate of the app store page that ad clicks land on meaning every dollar of paid UA goes further, based on data published by Dogtownmedia.com (2025).
User acquisition costs have surged especially after Apple’s App Tracking Transparency changes, making organic discovery through ASO more critical than ever for maintaining ROI, based on data published by Dogtownmedia.com (2025).

App Store Optimization Performance Statistics

Adding an app preview video and refining screenshots can lift App Store conversion rates by 10% to 30%, based on data published by Dogtownmedia.com (2025).
A meticulous approach to A/B testing app icons, color palettes, and types of arguments benefit vs. feature vs. social proof allows conversion rate increases of 10% to 20% on previous rates, based on data published by Wezom (2025).
App stores now factor conversion rates, retention, and ratings into rankings, so every improvement to app listing and user experience pays double dividends in both direct conversion and algorithmic ranking uplift, based on data published by Dogtownmedia.com (2025).
Localized ASO strategies reduce uninstall rates as users see native language and region-specific cases, and are especially effective for fintech, health, and education app categories where trust is formed at the listing stage, based on data published by Wezom (2025).
Apps that actively addressed user feedback through review responses reported up to 15% higher retention rates than those that ignored negative comments, making review management a functional ASO and retention tool, based on data published by Dotcominfoway (2025).
App stores are increasingly prioritizing high-quality apps that provide value beyond downloads, meaning user feedback, reviews, and session duration now hold greater weight in rankings than raw download velocity, based on data published by Practicallogix (2025).

Post-Install Retention and Engagement Statistics

Apps lose 77% of daily active users within the first three days of install, making Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7 retention the most consequential quality signals for any UA campaign, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).
90% of users abandon an app within the first month, meaning the vast majority of acquired users generate no monetization return if onboarding and early engagement are not optimized, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).
The average Day 30 retention rate for mobile apps is approximately 5.7%, confirming that less than 1 in 17 acquired users is still active one month after install, based on data cited by Udonis (2025).
User LTV must be at least 3 times higher than CAC to maintain a healthy growth model, and tracking cLTV against CPI ensures revenue from app users exceeds the cost to acquire them, based on data published by Growth-onomics (2025).
If CPI is $4 and only 10% of installers make a purchase, the effective cost per purchaser rises to $40, illustrating how low post-install conversion dramatically inflates the real cost of user acquisition, based on data published by MobiLoud (2025).
Remarketing’s value as a reengagement tool is confirmed by the fact that reengaged users typically generate higher LTV through repeated purchases, subscription retention, and renewed session activity compared to reacquired lapsed users through new UA, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).

Gaming-Specific UA Data Statistics

Gaming UA investments grew 3% to $25 billion in 2025, a much slower rate than non-gaming’s 18% growth, driven by gaming’s lower iOS growth at 6% and Android growth at 2%, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Mobile game CPI ranges from $2.00 to $6.00 depending on genre and operating system, with casual games achieving lower costs while mid-core and strategy titles face significantly higher acquisition prices due to fierce bidding and higher LTV targets, based on data published by Mistplay (2024).
The average mobile game CPI on iOS is $4.22, with Android averaging $2.97 across all gaming genres, based on Business of Apps data cited by Mistplay (2024).
Twitch attracted 53% of the esports audience in Q1 2024 and YouTube Gaming attracted 40%, with total esports live streaming viewership in Q2 2025 reaching 729 million hours, providing a context-rich UA environment for gaming advertisers, based on data published by DemandSage (2026).
In hyper-casual games, CPI is often quite low due to high player volume, while other genres have high CPI because the most valuable players make up a relatively small group, making LTV-weighted UA decisions essential in gaming, based on data published by Moloco (2025).
The number of live stream gamers globally is forecasted to rise to 1.6 billion by 2027, expanding the addressable audience for gaming UA campaigns, based on data published by DemandSage (2026).

AI and Technology Impact on UA Statistics

57% of active AI agents in mobile marketing are focused on technical tasks such as detecting configuration issues, while 32% are deployed for business optimization tasks including ROAS and CPI improvement, based on analysis of over 10,000 AI assistant questions in AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
60% of AI assistant queries in AppsFlyer’s platform were categorized as complex analytical questions, with 38% of those focused on Efficiency and Spend metrics such as ROAS and CPI, confirming AI is being used at scale for UA efficiency optimization, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
AI is transforming ASO by automating keyword research, enhancing metadata, and refining app store elements for better visibility and conversions, with AI-driven ASO improving rankings and boosting organic downloads through data-backed strategies, based on data published by Practicallogix (2025).
Google App Campaigns use machine learning to optimize ad placements and maximize efficiency without manual advertiser intervention, a feature first introduced in 2019 that has progressively automated the bidding layer of Google’s UA platform, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).
AI-powered personalization in UA now tailors app store listings in real-time to individual users by analyzing past behavior, demographics, interests, and browsing patterns, increasing install conversion likelihood for each visitor through dynamic custom product pages, based on data published by Practicallogix (2025).
Contextual targeting has become a key UA tool in response to stricter privacy regulations, with content-relevance-driven placement increasingly outperforming behavioral data-dependent targeting across iOS in 2025, based on data published by ASOmobile (2025).

Regional and Platform Comparison Statistics

North America has the highest regional CPI at $5.28 per install, EMEA is second at $1.03, and APAC is third at $0.93, with all three regions showing small year-over-year increases in 2024, based on Mistplay and Mapendo 2024 research cited by Business of Apps (2025).
Europe emerged as the biggest winner in UA spend growth in 2025, with Spain rising 157% year-over-year, Italy jumping 143%, the UK enjoying a 92% leap, while Germany and France rose 43% and 52% respectively, driven by China-based eCommerce app budgets, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
Android-driven markets saw sharp increases in iOS remarketing in 2025, especially across Central Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, where multiple countries posted 100%+ year-over-year growth in iOS remarketing spend, based on AppsFlyer data published by AppsFlyer (2025).
17% of Asia-Pacific online shoppers participate in live commerce sales, the highest regional participation rate globally, making APAC the leading region for UA campaigns targeting live commerce app conversions, based on data published by DemandSage (2026).
While the US remains the largest individual app market, Europe shows the fastest growth rates in 2025, making it an increasingly attractive target for UA campaigns seeking high-quality installs at lower CPIs than North America, based on data published by ASOmobile (2025).
Google Play is not accessible in China, where several third-party providers replace it, creating a unique regional UA ecosystem with different CPI dynamics compared to other Android markets globally, based on data published by Business of Apps (2025).

References

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