What is a Good ROAS Target for Mobile Apps in 2025?

There's no universal ROAS benchmark.

An ad-monetized hyper-casual game needs 200% Day 7 ROAS to break even.

A subscription app can operate profitably at 50% Day 7 ROAS if retention is strong and Day 90 ROAS hits 250%.

Your target depends on three things: monetization model, cost structure, and how quickly users generate revenue.

Here's how to set the right ROAS targets for your app.

Why ROAS Targets Vary

ROAS measures revenue divided by ad spend. But "good" ROAS depends on:

1. Monetization speed: Apps that monetize immediately (ad impressions) need higher short-term ROAS than apps where revenue accumulates slowly (subscriptions).

2. Cost structure: If 40% of revenue goes to costs (servers, content, payment processing), you need higher ROAS to hit profitability than an app with 10% costs.

3. LTV trajectory: Apps with strong retention can accept lower early ROAS because users generate revenue for months or years.

This is why ROAS targets should be customized, not copied from industry averages.

ROAS by Time Window

Mobile apps track ROAS at multiple intervals:

• Day 0 ROAS: Revenue on install day
• Day 3 ROAS: Revenue within 3 days
• Day 7 ROAS: Revenue within 7 days
• Day 30 ROAS: Revenue within 30 days
• Day 90+ ROAS: Revenue within 90+ days

Day 3 ROAS: The Early Indicator

Typical range: 3-12%

Day 3 ROAS is too early to measure profitability, but it's a strong predictor of long-term performance.

Apps that monetize mainly through in-app purchases use Day 3 as a leading indicator. If your Day 3 ROAS is 8% and historically that cohort reaches 180% by Day 30, you can make scaling decisions without waiting a month.

What's good:

• Ad-monetized apps: 15-30% D3 ROAS
• IAP apps: 5-12% D3 ROAS
• Subscription apps: 3-8% D3 ROAS

Day 7 ROAS: The First Checkpoint

Typical range: 20-60%

Day 7 ROAS is where you start to see patterns.

Benchmarks by app type:

• Ad-monetized apps: 40-60% D7 ROAS
• IAP apps: 25-50% D7 ROAS
• Subscription apps: 15-35% D7 ROAS

Why subscription apps are lower:

Users who install a subscription app need time to complete trials and convert to paid. Day 7 revenue is naturally lower than apps with immediate monetization.

Day 30 ROAS: The Profitability Threshold

Typical range: 100-200%

Day 30 ROAS is where most apps determine if campaigns are profitable.

What's good:

• Ad-monetized apps: 150-200% D30 ROAS
• IAP apps: 120-180% D30 ROAS
• Subscription apps: 100-150% D30 ROAS

If you're below 100% at Day 30, you're likely not breaking even unless you have exceptionally strong retention and low costs.

Day 90+ ROAS: Long-Term Value

Typical range: 200-400%+

Day 90 ROAS shows the true lifetime value trajectory.

Apps with strong retention see ROAS continue climbing for 6-12 months. Subscription apps, productivity tools, and sticky social apps benefit most from long-term ROAS.

What's good:

Target 250-400% D90 ROAS for sustainable long-term growth.

ROAS Targets by Monetization Model

Ad-Monetized Apps

Target:

• Day 7: 150-200%
• Day 30: 200-300%

Why higher:

Ad revenue accumulates immediately. Users generate impressions on Day 1. If your Day 7 ROAS is below 150%, you're likely losing money.

Example (hyper-casual game):

• CPI: $2.00
• Day 7 ad revenue per user: $3.00
• Day 7 ROAS: $3.00 / $2.00 = 150%

After accounting for ad network fees and server costs, you're roughly breaking even at 150% and profitable above 180%.

In-App Purchase Apps

Target:

• Day 7: 100-150%
• Day 30: 200-400%

Why it varies:

Only 2-5% of users make purchases. Revenue is lumpy. A cohort with one whale spender can skew ROAS upward.

Day 7 ROAS will be lower than ad-monetized apps because you're waiting for users to make their first purchase.

Example (puzzle game):

• CPI: $3.00
• 4% of users make a purchase by Day 7
• Average purchase: $5.00
• Day 7 revenue per user: $5.00 × 0.04 = $0.20
• Day 7 ROAS: $0.20 / $3.00 = 7%

Low Day 7 ROAS is expected. The key is tracking Day 30 and Day 90 ROAS to see if payers continue spending.

Subscription Apps

Target:

• Day 7: 50-100%
• Day 30: 100-200%
• Day 90: 250-400%

Why lower early:

Trial periods delay revenue. If you offer a 7-day trial, you won't see paid conversions until Day 8+.

Low Day 7 ROAS is fine if:

1. Trial-to-paid conversion is strong (30%+)
2. Retention is high (users stick around after subscribing)
3. Day 30+ ROAS trends toward profitability

Example (fitness app):

• CPI: $5.00
• 30% start trial
• 35% convert to paid ($10/month)
• Day 7 revenue: mostly $0 (still in trial)
• Day 30 revenue: $10 × 0.30 × 0.35 = $1.05
• Day 30 ROAS: $1.05 / $5.00 = 21%

This looks unprofitable at Day 30, but if subscribers stay for 6+ months, LTV is $60+, giving a 12x return.

ROAS Targets by App Category

Gaming

• Hyper-casual: 180-250% D7 ROAS, 250-350% D30 ROAS
• Mid-core: 100-150% D7 ROAS, 200-300% D30 ROAS
• Strategy/RPG: 80-120% D7 ROAS, 250-500% D30 ROAS

Case study:

A US hyper-casual studio increased ROAS from 1.8x to 3.5x (180% to 350%) by integrating rewarded ads alongside limited-time events.

eCommerce & Shopping

• Day 7: 120-180% ROAS
• Day 30: 200-350% ROAS

Why higher:

Fast purchase cycles. Users who install a shopping app often buy within days.

Productivity & Business

• Day 7: 40-80% ROAS
• Day 30: 100-180% ROAS
• Day 90: 250-400% ROAS

Why lower early:

Users need time to adopt tools into their workflow. Revenue accelerates after the first month.

Social & Entertainment

• Day 7: 20-60% ROAS
• Day 30: 80-150% ROAS

Why lower:

Most social apps monetize through ads or premium subscriptions after users are engaged. Early ROAS is low.

How to Set Your ROAS Target

Step 1: Calculate Your Breakeven ROAS

Breakeven ROAS = 1 / (1 - Cost %)

If 30% of revenue goes to costs (servers, payments, support), breakeven ROAS is:

1 / (1 - 0.30) = 1.43 = 143%

Any ROAS above 143% is profitable.

Step 2: Add Margin for Profitability

Most apps target 150-200% of breakeven ROAS to maintain healthy margins.

If breakeven is 143%, target 215-285% ROAS (143% × 1.5 to 2.0).

Step 3: Adjust for Time Horizon

If you're measuring Day 7 ROAS, adjust downward based on your LTV curve.

If 25% of LTV happens in the first 7 days, and your target Day 90 ROAS is 300%, your Day 7 target is:

300% × 0.25 = 75% D7 ROAS

When to Revise ROAS Targets

ROAS targets aren't static. Revise them when:

1. You Change Pricing

Higher subscription price = higher ARPU = higher ROAS. Adjust targets upward.

2. Retention Improves

Better retention increases LTV, which means you can accept lower early ROAS.

3. Costs Increase

If server costs or payment processing fees go up, you need higher ROAS to stay profitable.

4. You Enter New Markets

Tier 2/3 markets have lower ARPU and lower LTV. Adjust ROAS targets downward (but also expect lower CPIs).

Common ROAS Mistakes

1. Using the Same Target for All Channels

Apple Search Ads users convert faster than TikTok users. Set channel-specific ROAS targets.

2. Cutting Campaigns Too Early

If your target is 200% D30 ROAS, don't pause campaigns at 150% D7 ROAS. Give them time to mature.

3. Ignoring LTV Curves

Day 30 ROAS might be 120%, but if Day 180 ROAS is 350%, the campaign is profitable. Don't optimize on short windows alone.

4. Not Accounting for Incrementality

Platform-reported ROAS doesn't include organic lift. Your true ROAS might be 20-40% higher than dashboards show.

Key Benchmarks Summary

Metric	Ad-Monetized	IAP Apps	Subscription Apps
Day 3 ROAS	15-30%	5-12%	3-8%
Day 7 ROAS	150-200%	100-150%	50-100%
Day 30 ROAS	200-300%	200-400%	100-200%
Day 90 ROAS	250-400%+	300-500%+	250-400%+

FAQs

What is a good ROAS for mobile apps?

There's no universal ROAS target. Day 3 ROAS typically ranges from 3-12% as an early indicator. Day 30 ROAS should be 100-200% for most apps. Ad-monetized apps need 150-200% at Day 7, while subscription apps can operate at 50-100% Day 7 ROAS if retention is strong.

What ROAS target should I use for subscription apps?

Subscription apps typically target 50-100% ROAS at Day 7 and 100-200% ROAS at Day 30. Because users need time to convert from trial to paid, early ROAS will be low. Strong retention makes lower Day 7 ROAS acceptable.

What ROAS do gaming apps need?

Ad-monetized games need 150-200% ROAS at Day 7. IAP games need 100-150% at Day 7 and 200-400% at Day 30. A hyper-casual studio increased ROAS from 1.8x to 3.5x by integrating rewarded ads with limited-time events.

How do I calculate breakeven ROAS?

Breakeven ROAS = 1 / (1 - Cost %). If 30% of revenue goes to operational costs, breakeven ROAS is 1 / 0.70 = 143%. Any ROAS above this is profitable.

Should I use Day 7 or Day 30 ROAS for decision-making?

Use both. Day 7 ROAS is a leading indicator for fast decisions. Day 30 ROAS determines profitability. Don't cut campaigns based solely on Day 7 if your LTV accumulates slowly.

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ROAS targets should align with your unit economics and monetization model. Set them based on your specific business, not generic industry benchmarks.