Cost per install (CPI) is a type of CPA model. It implies charging for an instance when a mobile app copy is installed on a smartphone or tablet computer. To calculate the cost per install total, expenditure on ads to drive app installs should be divided over a total number of installs that were generated with those ads. Currently, the average cost per install is roughly $1.24 / per install.
Among all payment models established in mobile advertising, this is one of the most important for app developers, because it allows them to calculate ROI of their investments in-app advertising. In this directory, we’ve curated all the best CPI Advertising Networks for you.
CPI formula
Source: The Online Advertising Guide
CPI Benefits
CPI is a model that is largely specific to mobile applications. Primarily, a brand is charged a fixed rate only when the user installs the app. A key benefit of this model is that advertisers can target an app niche’s audience.
For app developers looking to create a quick and reliable buzz around their new app, CPI campaigns are often a great way of achieving fast results for them.
One potential drawback of CPI marketing is that you don’t know how many people are using your mobile app. Just because they installed the app doesn’t always mean they are going to spend money on additional purchases or even stick around for long.
Other benefits include:
- You only pay for results with the CPI model
- App developers will be able to gain visibility on the app stores
CPI Rates
Here are some CPI offers along with their platform and country in the table below.
| Platform/Network | Country | CPI Rates |
| Facebook Ads | US | $1.8 |
| Twitter Ads | US | $2.53 |
| Instagram Ads | US | $2.23 |
| Search Ads | US | $1 |
| Average iOS App | US | $2.07 |
Source: Business of Apps
Below we’ve listed the best CPI ad networks and platforms so you can get up and running without a problem.
List of cost per install (CPI) ad networks and traffic sources
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 51-200 | - | - | - |
Zoomd is dedicated to helping advertisers and publishers achieve their key performance indicators (KPIs) through a patented, performance-based advertising platform. The Company’s User Acquisition platform unifies more than 600 media sources under one dashboard including Google, TikTok, Samsung premium inventory and much more.
- Business Models – Choose your preferred business model CPC/CPI/CPO/CPE/CPA
- Fraud – Detection as part of the platform, adding you an extra layer of safety
- Measurement – integrated to all major 3rd party mobile measurement solutions
- Cost-efficiency – Save countless resources by managing all campaigns under one screen
- Data Play – Enjoy machine decisions based on more than 500Million data points a day
Adsterra Network
Best Advertising Network, High Quality Traffic, Self-Service Platform for advertisers
Adsterra Network is a leading digital advertising platform. Established in 2013, nowadays Adsterra is covering more than 248 countries, generating more than 25 billion ad impressions per month. And have 100K+ successful campaigns.
Learn more about Adsterra Network
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | - | - | - | - |
ironSource is the leading in-app video advertising platform. It is one of the biggest and oldest mobile advertising platforms launched in 2010. Focusing on mobile games, it makes free-to-play and free-to-use possible for over 1.5B people around the world. Over 80,000 app developers use its technologies to grow their businesses, among these such leading companies like Kongregate, Zeptolab, Big Fish Games, Zynga and Playrix.
- Mobile platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Cocos, Amazon, AdobeAir
- Campaign types: CPC, CPE, CPA, CPV
- Ad formats supported: App Wall, Interstitial, Offer Wall, Video
- Targeting: Custom
- Key Markets: United States, Israel
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 10-50 | - | - | - |
Hitapps focuses on your success as a whole. Perhaps you can manage a small-scale campaign but, if you want to develop an impactful ads campaign, it’s better to let us take over.
- Advertising agency
- RTB solution
- Social advertising
- Apps publishing
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 10-50 | 2.5m | 129 |
Appitate LLC is an international mobile affiliate network. Members of our team are high-skilled professionals in the sphere of mobile promotion and traffic monetization.
Appitate works with CPI and CPA models, supports both IOS and Android OS, and covers more than 100 GEOs. Moreover, our network works with direct App-developers and Advertisers, exclusive and direct Publishers only. With the help of advanced technology and exceptional technology, Appitate LLC easily matches all needs of each publisher and meets the advertiser’s goals.
Learn more about Appitate
| Founded | Employees | Social | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 11-50 | 3k+ |
Bidease is a mobile DSP platform for mobile marketers. Its built on a foundation of proprietary programmatic advertising technology, Machine Learning, and first party data. Bidease team optimizes campaigns across all major mobile formats for desired post-install behaviors at no risk to its clients’ bottom line.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android, Mobile Web
- Campaign types: CPI, CPA, CPM
- Ad formats supported: Banners, Interstitial, Native, Rewarded Video, Video
- Targeting: Carrier, Device, Gender, Geo, Interests, IP, OS
- Key Markets: global
myAppFree
High Quality Mobile Traffic & Exclusive Placements on SONY Xperia, Native SDK
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2-10 | $8.9m+ | 7k | 1.36m+ |
myAppFree is a performance-based advertising platform, founded in 2015 in Italy by Massimo Caroli and Riccardo Fuzzi, that matches advertisers and publishers. One of the unique features it offers in terms of inventory for advertisers is an access to 40 million plus Sony Xperia smartphone users, as well as own App Discovery that features the best mobile apps for users to discover.
- Mobile platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone
- Campaign types: CPA, CPC, CPI
- Ad formats supported: Banners, Interstitial, Native, Notifications
- Targeting: Audience, Geo, Interests, OS, Platform
- Key Markets: Asia, Europe, Latin America, USA
FraudScore is an independent antifraud solution that evaluates the quality of mobile and web traffic in advertising campaigns. FraudScore clients are direct advertisers and ad agencies, ad networks & mobile developers from all over the world. FraudScore offers antifraud solutions for all steps of ad campaign funnel: from DSPs, to CPI, CPM, CPA and CPC. FraudScore is well known to be effective in combat against click spamming, bot, malware and adware, click injection, bot farms and many more.
Learn more about FraudScore
| Founded | Employees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 101-200 |
VEVE is a performance marketing platform from Affinity Global Inc. that offers unique advertising experiences across OEMs, browsers and telcos. With native, high-performing ad formats – Tiles , Notifications, Universal, unique media placements and customization opportunities, the platform is empowering brands to achieve their advertising KPIs such as sales, app downloads, website visits and user engagement. Additionally, it provides creative and operational support across different languages and locations including the US, UK, EU, IN, ID and CN. VEVE also has its proprietary reporting dashboard to access deep data insights to optimize conversions and user engagement. VEVE also unlocks newer monetization avenues for OEMs and browsers while enhancing users’ online journey.
Key Features
• Boost new user acquisition – Reach 500+ MN captive audience beyond search and social media network
• Achieve your advertising KPIs – All inventory bought is on performance KPIs such as CPI, CPA, CPC, CPV, etc.
• Highly engaging native ad experiences – Get high conversion rate with non-intrusive, user-friendly ad formats (Tiles, Notifications, Universal) and unique media placement
• 100% Brand safe environment – Custom reporting dashboards for complete transparency, real-time insights, and optimization opportunities
• End-to-end campaign management – Creative and operational support across different geographies (US, UK, EU, IN, ID, CN) and in multiple languages
Learn more about VEVE
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - |
Mobile ad planning, execution and analysis are complicated for startups because they cannot reach all available app marketing tools. App Samurai makes it easy for them without requiring in-depth mobile advertising knowledge!
Thanks to App Samurai, you can easily create, manage, and measure acquisition campaigns, boost campaigns, and video campaigns to acquire qualified users.
Learn more about App Samurai
| Employees | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-50 |
DSPs, Media Buyers, Mobile Networks, and Apps - Scale your income by working with the Aragon Premium Mobile Marketing Agency. Our team manages programmatic budgets from dozens of established and rising brands across multiple verticals, but specializing in the FinTech space.
Learn more about Aragon Premium
SmartyAds DSP is a programmatic-buying platform for advertisers who search for safe, supreme-quality push traffic that converts in higher ROI, instant user engagement and retention.
Pricing & Features:
- Push traffic for all screen types & sizes that translates in 200-400% higher ROI & conversions.
- Easy to segment and personalize push creatives.
- The broadest network of premium push traffic publishers and SSP partners (MoPub, MobFox, PubNative) with tested and localized landings across all geos and verticals.
- In-app traffic from more than 1000 top-rated apps with push traffic for iOS & Android.
- 30+ targeting options for geomarketing push campaigns Including geo-targeting, GPS, language, etc.)
- Frequency capping, dayparting and sparring to fine-tune push advertising experience.
- Comprehensive, easy-to-grasp statistics with an in-deep performance overview.
- Third-party impression analytics tags support, API.
- Rapid and easy campaign set up and creative approval.
- Flexible CPM pricing model.
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 400 | $192m+ | 25k | 4m+ |
Founded in 2011, AdColony was created by mobile developers, for mobile developers and has grown into one of the largest mobile advertising and monetization platforms in the world with a reach of more than 1.5 billion users globally. AdColony is known for its exclusive Instant-Play™ HD video, Aurora™ HD Interactive video, and playable technologies, its global performance advertising expertise, its programmatic marketplace, and its extensive ad SDK footprint in the top apps worldwide.
- Mobile platforms: Android, IOS
- Campaign types: CPM
- Ad formats supported: Rich Media, Video
- Targeting: Demographic
- Key markets: US
CPAlead
35 Million Installs Don't Lie - CPAlead delivers VALUE for App Owners & Mobile Affiliates
Apple Search Ads is the Apple Inc. iOS app promotion platform for app developers to drive traffic for their apps via search. The platform features two plans – Basic and Advanced, with the Basic plan, currently available only for US market, developers can set their app ad campaigns with a specific CPI they want to stick to and let it run automatically with minimal management on their part. The minimum budget for the Basic plan is $5,000 per app per month. The Advanced plan implies developers need to set up keywords they target and audiences they need to reach, set bids and budgets they plan to spend and pay only when mobile users tap on their ads.
- Mobile platforms: iOS
- Campaign types: CPI, CPC
- Ad formats supported: auto-generated ads with creatives an app has on the App Store.
- Targeting: iOS version, device (iPhone / iPad), location, gender, age, new / existing customers for other apps from the same advertiser
- Key markets: global, the Basic plan is US only.
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 51-200 | - | 159 | - |
| Founded | Employees | Social | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 11-50 | 2k+ |
Spotad is a performance-based Demand-Side-Marketing-
Key Features
- Performance driven
- Mobile experts
- Utilize data for better targeting and optimization
- Using self-developed ML model
- Full control of the creative assets for a better user engagement. From the Ad Design to the Ad Serving
PubMatic delivers superior revenue to publishers by being an SSP of choice for agencies and advertisers. With our leading programmatic mobile advertising platform, publishers and app developers can leverage the open exchange as well as advanced deal models to maximize their monetization and gain access to brand budgets.
- Mobile platforms: Android, IOS
- Campaign types: CPA, CPC, CPI, CPL, CPM
- Ad formats supported: Banners, In-App, Interstitial, Native, Rewarded Video, Rich Media, Video
- Targeting: Publisher, Geo, Audience Segment, Ad Format, Platform, Domain / App, Viewability
- Key markets: Global
Google Ads (previously known as DoubleClick or DFP) is the Google’s SDK for in-app advertising, compatible with Android, iOS and Windows Phone. With the streamlined APIs everyone has come to expect from Google, this SDK features all ad formats, refined to fit any kind of mobile application. The ad server is available to customers of AdMob and DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) customers.
- Key features: powered by Google, suitable for both local and global ads, near 100% fill rate, Cost-Per-Click and Cost-Per-Call model based, comprehensive reporting, quick and robust support
- Ad formats: banner, interstitial, video, native ad
- Platforms support: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Liftoff is Cost-Per-Action optimized mobile user acquisition platform for app marketers. It provides CPI campaigns optimization via tracking post-install events for apps. It also provides retargeting features to bring mobile users back to a specific app and lookalike features to connect mobile apps with users similar to people who already use these apps.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android, Mobile Web
- Campaign types: CPI, CPA
- Ad formats supported: Custom
- Targeting: lookalike, retargeting,
- Key Markets: Global
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 3,900 | 3,000m | 57m | 4,000+ |
Twitter Ads is the Twitter advertising platform that allows app marketers to drive traffic to their apps from both on Twitter and off Twitter channels. In terms of targeting options and reach its rivals are only Facebook and Google. Twitter ads support deep linking technology that allows app marketers to link an ad to a specific part of a mobile app content.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android
- Campaign types: CPI, CPC, CPM
- Ad formats supported: auto-generated ads with creatives an app has on the App Store.
- Targeting: mobile OS, OS version, device (iPhone / iPad), location, gender, age, mobile connection type
- Key markets: global
Appnext is one of the largest independent app discovery platforms, offering the only recommendation engine on the market, which encompasses both in-app and on-device discovery. Appnext discovery platform powers 4B daily app recommendations via over 20 interactions along users’ daily mobile journey.
Through its direct partnerships with top OEMs, operators and app developers, Appnext creates a discovery experience in over 10,000 mobile touchpoints. Powered by proprietary AI technology, Appnext ‘Timeline’ predicts the type of apps users are likely to utilize next and recommends which ones to install. Appnext’s recommendations are helping app marketers reach more engaged users and get their apps discovered, used and re-used.
As of June 2020, Appnext is part of the Affle group. Affle (India) Limited trades on the Indian stock exchanges (BSE: 542752 & NSE: AFFLE).
- Mobile platforms: Android
- Campaign types: CPI, CPC
- Ad formats supported: Premium on-device Placements, Interstitial, Native Ads, Rewarded videos,
- Targeting: City, Device Model, Time of day, OS, Placements
- Key Markets: Global
Chartboost is an in-app monetization and programmatic advertising company, founded in 2011 by Sean Fannan and Maria Alegre in San Francisco, US. Chartboost mobile ad network provides advertisers with a platform for a cross-promotion with native ads, sophisticated targeting and tracking. Also the company provides mobile game owners with developer-t0-developer mobile ad marketplace to exchange ads inside their apps directly.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android
- Campaign types: CPC, CPI
- Ad formats supported: Content Lock, Interstitial, OfferWall, Video
- Targeting: Custom
- Key Markets: global, United States
| Founded | Employees | Social | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11-50 | 3k |
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 500-1000 | +100M$ | 1.5k+ | 2.5m+ |
Sizmek is the world’s largest independent ad server company founded in 1999. Its AI-powered platform helps advertisers to gain insights within their data across the 5 key dimensions of predictive marketing—campaigns, consumers, context, creative, and cost. Sizmek provides resources at a global scale and allow advertisers to combine dynamic creative, coupled with predictive AI – to deliver impressions that deliver high ROI.
Artificial Intelligence algorithms are also applied by Sizmek to help advertisers to plan, buy, execute, and measure campaigns with laser-precision. The company was acquired by Amazon, Inc. in March, 2019.
- Key features include omnichannel marketing – mobile, display, rich media, video, social and AI.
- Powered by Amazon’s AWS platform
- Liquid domain-level intelligence tech (Adhesion, Billboard, Deluxe Banner, Deluxe Expandable, Expandable Banner and more) to pair domains with specific ad formats
| Employees | Social | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-10 | 100 |
Adsperfection is an ad tech company that helps brands and developers with users acquisition and in-app monetization. With Adsperfection advertisers can acquire engaged and paying users for their app/product/service, as well as buy media at scale and get advanced solutions for preventing fraud. Publishers can boost their eCPM with flexible ad formats, use high impact monetization solutions and arrange direct deals from most recognizable app developers worldwide.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android
- Campaign types: CPA, CPC, CPI, CPL, CPM, CPS
- Ad formats supported: Banners, Interstitial, Native, Video
- Targeting: Custom
- Key Markets: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Spain, UK, USA
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 36,000 | 55,800m | 17m | 27,000+ |
Facebook Ads is the biggest digital advertising platform with a major focus on mobile ads. It features the best ad format, targeting and reporting capabilities in the industry. The platform allows mobile app advertisers to run ad campaigns on their choice on Facebook itself, its Messenger app, Instagram, Audience Network (to show ads across the web) and its app for businesses Workplace.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android, Web
- Campaign types: CPI, CPM
- Ad formats supported: banners, carousel banners, video, slideshow
- Targeting: age, gender, location, device, mobile OS, OS version, interests, mobile user language.
- Key markets: global
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 152 | $6m+ | 8k | 90,000+ |
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 11-50 | - | 5k | - |
Facebook Audience Network
Expand the power of Facebook advertising with Audience Network.
Facebook Audience Network is the extension of the Facebook Ads platform on mobile apps and web, launched in 2014, to reach audiences outside of the Facebook app and its website.
The Facebook ad server allows advertisers to reach people that are registered on Facebook off the platform without compromising on targeting precision and achieve one or more of the following objectives – brand awareness, traffic, conversion, app install, product catalog sales, video views, and reach.
- Powered by Facebook with high targeting precision, 40% of the top 500 mobile apps are integrated with the system
- Supported ad formats include banner, interstitial and native
- The following platforms are supported: iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, Unity, tvOS
| Founded | Employees | Social | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100-125 | 12k+ |
Stack is an end-to-end SaaS-based solution (by the team behind Appodeal’s award winning ad monetization platform) that scales mobile app business growth and drive profit by synthesizing User Acquisition, Ad Monetization and Business Intelligence.
Stack is an independent ad tech market player that strives to clear the way for publishers and advertisers to collaborate directly. In an industry known for being opaque, Stack aims to increase transparency and empower mobile app businesses with the technology and data they need to thrive in a highly competitive landscape.
Learn more about Stack
Snapchat Ads is the Snap Inc. advertising platform that allows businesses to advertise on the platform with Snap’s unique ad formats and reach Millennials audience that has developed a high level of trust with the platform. Snapchat has 238 million daily active users that open the app 30 times a day on average and spend 30+ minutes with the app. Snap has partnered with multiple companies to better connect advertisers with snapchatters communities.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android
- Campaign types: CPI, CPC
- Ad formats supported: Snap Ads, Filters, Lenses
- Targeting: 300 audiences based on data derived from what content snapchatters watch, buy and post on the platform, demographics, lookalike audiences.
- Key markets: global, the Basic plan is US only.
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | - | - | 20k | - |
Digital Turbine is a mobile app advertising platform for app delivery and discovery. The company is double down on a mobile native format to allow advertisers cut through the noice and reach out their target audience. Digital Turbine bypasses app stores and partners with major global telecom companies to introduce apps to mobile users with sponsored recommendations and native preloads.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android, Mobile Web
- Campaign types: CPC, CPI
- Ad formats supported: Banners, Interstitial, Native, Offer Wall
- Targeting: Geo, OS
- Key Markets: Asia, Europe, USA
Propeller Ads is an online advertising company, founded in 2011. It maintains one of the biggest ad networks on the market, with over 1B daily advertising impressions across the globe. PropellerAds has more than 150,000 premium publishers’ sites registered in the network. In addition, PropellerAds offers such solutions as: performance based marketing for agencies & CPA networks, mobile app monetization with SDK integration, buying traffic via Real-Time Bidding model and more.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android
- Campaign types: CPM, CPA, CPL, CPC
- Ad formats supported: Push Notifications, Interstitials, Popunder, Native Ads
- Targeting: Language, OS, GEO, 3g/WiFi, Device type, Browser, Mobile Carrier, Day & time, User Activity (new)
- Key Markets: Global
Persona.ly is a tech product company driving mobile user acquisition for brands and app developers, operating world-wide. Using their proprietary bidder and machine-learning algorithms Persona.ly team offers transparent, performance-based, highly-targeted app install and retargeting solutions.
- Mobile platforms: Android, iOS
- Campaign types: CPA, CPE, CPI
- Ad formats supported: Banners, Interstitial, Offerwalls, Rewarded, Rich Media, Video
- Targeting: Custom
- Key Markets: US, South Korea, Japan, Russia, South East Asia and India
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 100 | $3m+ | 19k | 50,000+ |
mobusi, part of Fibonad group, is a Technology Media Company with a mobile-first and performance mindset empowering both Advertisers and Publishers to reach and exceed their high demanding targets. The platform obtains over 5 million leads per month worldwide. We maximize revenue obtained by our media partners thanks to our global coverage and optimization algorithms. In House Technology, own DSP and advanced antifraud system, Monetization Solutions, exclusive offers and premium traffic. A Mediation platform.
- Mobile platforms: iOS, Android
- Campaign types: CPM, CPC, CPI, CPA
- Ad formats supported: Interstitial, Banner, Video
- Targeting: country, carrier, OS, device, browser, wifi / mobile connectivity
- Key Markets: Global
Startapp is a mobile advertising company. It provides a self-serve platform for advertisers to quickly build and launch ad campaigns, controlling audience, creatives and budget aspects of their campaigns. Among features that sets it aside from other ad networks are uniquely designed animated and interactive ads, data-enhanced targeting, using data derived from over 300,000 mobile apps and native ad units.
- Mobile platforms: Android, iOS
- Campaign types: CPA, CPC, CPI, CPM
- Ad formats supported: App Icon, Full Page Ads, InApp Ads, Interstitial, Video
- Targeting: App, Carrier, Competitors, Connection Type, Device, Gender, Geo, OS
- Key Markets: Global
