CPA Benchmarks by App Type: What's a Good CPA in 2025?

CPA—Cost Per Action—measures what you pay to acquire a user who does something valuable.

Unlike CPI (Cost Per Install), which only tracks downloads, CPA tracks conversions: purchases, subscriptions, registrations, or any action that drives revenue.

For most apps, CPA is a better metric than CPI because it measures user quality, not just volume.

Here's what good looks like across major app types in 2025.

CPA vs CPI: Why CPA Matters More

CPI tells you what it costs to get someone to install your app.

CPA tells you what it costs to get someone to do something valuable after they install.

Example:

• Your CPI is $3
• 10% of users make a purchase
• Your CPA (cost per purchaser) = $3 / 0.10 = $30

A $3 CPI might seem efficient, but if your conversion rate is low, your actual acquisition cost for paying users is much higher.

This is why most growth teams optimize for CPA rather than CPI.

CPA Benchmarks by App Type

eCommerce & Utility Apps

Average CPA: $68-$78

eCommerce apps (retail, marketplace, delivery) and utility apps (tools, services) have relatively low CPAs because:

• Clear value proposition
• Fast purchase decisions
• Proven monetization models

What drives it:

Users who install shopping apps typically have purchase intent. Conversion rates are higher than other categories.

Example:

• CPI: $2.00
• Install-to-purchase rate: 3%
• CPA: $2.00 / 0.03 = $67

What's good:

Target $60-$80 for sustainable growth. Lower if you have high repeat purchase rates.

Gaming Apps

Average CPA: $35-$180

Gaming CPA varies dramatically by genre and monetization model:

Game Type	CPA Range
Casual Games	$35 - $60
Mid-Core Games	$60 - $100
Strategy/RPG Games	$100 - $180

Key insight:

While a gaming install costs approximately $1.60 on average, getting users to spend money in-game costs around $69.

Why the gap:

Most mobile game users never pay. Only 2-5% of players make in-app purchases. This 2-5% drives nearly all revenue, which inflates CPA.

What's good:

• Casual games: Target $40-$60 CPA
• Mid-core: Target $70-$100 CPA
• Strategy/RPG: Target $120-$180 CPA

Higher CPA is justified if LTV from payers is strong ($200-$500+).

Subscription Apps

Average CPA: $30-$90

Subscription apps (streaming, productivity, fitness, education) measure CPA as cost per paying subscriber.

Breakdown by subscription model (2023-2025 data):

• Purchase model: $23-$72 CPA
• Subscription model: $29-$63 CPA

Key factors:

• Trial-to-paid conversion rate (20-40% typical)
• Subscription price
• Geography

Example:

• CPI: $5
• Install-to-trial rate: 30%
• Trial-to-paid rate: 35%
• Overall conversion: 30% × 35% = 10.5%
• CPA: $5 / 0.105 = $48

What's good:

Target $30-$60 for monthly subscriptions under $10. Higher for premium subscriptions ($15-$30/month).

Social & Entertainment Apps

Average CPA: $55-$120

Social and entertainment apps often define CPA as cost per registered user or cost per engaged user (e.g., user who posts content, follows someone, or watches 3+ videos).

Why higher than CPI:

Registration and engagement conversions are typically 30-60% of installs.

Example:

• CPI: $2.50
• Install-to-registration rate: 50%
• CPA: $2.50 / 0.50 = $5.00 (registration)

For deeper engagement actions (post content, make first connection), CPA can reach $30-$80.

What's good:

• Registration CPA: $5-$15
• Engagement CPA: $40-$80

Productivity & Business Apps

Average CPA: $80-$160

Productivity and business tools target professional users willing to pay for quality solutions.

Why higher:

• Longer consideration periods
• Higher price points
• Smaller addressable audience

Example:

• CPI: $8
• Install-to-paid conversion: 5%
• CPA: $8 / 0.05 = $160

What's good:

Target $80-$160 for B2C productivity. B2B SaaS can go much higher ($200-$500+) if LTV justifies it.

Finance & Fintech Apps

Average CPA: $900-$1,450

Finance apps have the highest CPAs because:

• Regulatory requirements
• Trust barriers
• High LTV ($500-$2,000+)
• Long consideration cycles

What's included:

This isn't just cost per install—it's cost per funded account, first transaction, or active user.

Example:

• CPI: $10
• Install-to-funded account: 1.2%
• CPA: $10 / 0.012 = $833

What's good:

Target $800-$1,200 for retail finance apps. Investment platforms and banking apps can go higher ($1,500-$2,500) due to very high LTV.

Geographic Variations

CPA benchmarks vary significantly by geography:

Market Tier	CPA Multiplier
North America & Western Europe	1.0x (baseline)
Eastern Europe	0.3-0.5x
Latin America	0.3-0.5x
Southeast Asia	0.2-0.4x

Why:

Lower purchasing power and different monetization dynamics lead to lower CPAs (and lower LTVs) in Tier 2/3 markets.

Example:

If your US CPA is $100, expect:

• Western Europe: $80-$100
• Latin America: $30-$50
• Southeast Asia: $20-$40

How to Calculate Your Target CPA

Your target CPA should be based on your LTV and desired LTV:CPA ratio.

Formula:

Target CPA = LTV / Target Ratio

Example:

• LTV = $150
• Target ratio = 3:1
• Target CPA = $150 / 3 = $50

Most apps target a 3:1 LTV:CPA ratio for sustainable growth. Top performers achieve 4:1 or higher.

When Your CPA is Too High

If your CPA exceeds benchmarks or your LTV can't support it:

1. Improve Conversion Rates

Better onboarding, paywall optimization, and user experience can increase conversion by 20-50%.

Impact:

If you improve install-to-purchase rate from 3% to 4%, CPA drops 25%.

2. Lower CPI

Improve creative, targeting, and app store conversion to reduce cost per install. Lower CPI directly lowers CPA.

3. Target Higher-Intent Users

Users from Apple Search Ads often have 2x higher conversion rates than users from social channels. Shift budget to high-intent sources.

4. Optimize Paywall/Purchase Flow

Friction in the purchase flow kills conversions. A/B test pricing, copy, and UX to reduce drop-off.

When Your CPA is Low

If your CPA is significantly below benchmarks, consider:

1. Scale Aggressively

Low CPA with strong LTV means you have room to grow. Increase spend until marginal CPA hits your target threshold.

2. Check User Quality

Make sure low CPA isn't driven by low-quality users. Verify retention and LTV are healthy.

3. Test Premium Channels

Low CPA might indicate you're only using low-cost channels. Test premium placements to see if they drive even higher LTV users.

CPA by Monetization Model

One-Time Purchase Apps

Target CPA: 20-40% of purchase price

If your app costs $10, target $2-$4 CPA.

Subscription Apps

Target CPA: 1-3 months of subscription revenue

If your subscription is $10/month, target $10-$30 CPA depending on retention.

IAP Apps

Target CPA: 30-50% of average LTV from payers

If your average paying user generates $100 LTV, target $30-$50 CPA.

Ad-Monetized Apps

Use CPI instead of CPA. Every user has immediate value through ad impressions, so optimizing for CPI makes more sense.

Key Benchmarks Summary

App Type	Average CPA (2025)
eCommerce & Utility	$68-$78
Gaming (Casual)	$35-$60
Gaming (Mid-Core)	$60-$100
Gaming (Strategy/RPG)	$100-$180
Subscription Apps	$30-$90
Social & Entertainment	$55-$120
Productivity & Business	$80-$160
Finance & Fintech	$900-$1,450

Source: Business of Apps, Dojo Business, TyrAds (2025 data)

FAQs

What is CPA in mobile marketing?

CPA (Cost Per Action) is the amount you pay to acquire a user who completes a specific action like making a purchase, subscribing, or registering. It measures cost per valuable conversion, not just installs.

What is a good CPA for gaming apps?

Gaming apps range from $35-$180 depending on genre. Casual games average $35-$60, while strategy and RPG games average $100-$180. A gaming install costs $1.60, but getting users to spend in-game costs approximately $69.

What is a good CPA for eCommerce apps?

eCommerce and utility apps benchmark at $68-$78 per acquisition in 2025. This reflects cost to first purchase, not just install.

How do I calculate my target CPA?

Target CPA = LTV / Target Ratio. For a 3:1 LTV:CPA ratio with $150 LTV, your target CPA is $50. Adjust based on your business model and growth stage.

Should I optimize for CPA or CPI?

Optimize for CPA if you monetize through purchases, subscriptions, or registrations. Optimize for CPI if you monetize through ads. CPA measures user quality; CPI measures volume.

---

CPA is the metric that connects acquisition cost to business outcomes. Track it by channel and cohort to understand which sources deliver the highest-quality users.