CPI (Cost Per Install)
CPI (Cost Per Install) is the price of one app install. In PWA affiliate marketing it is a base buying metric: how much you pay for a user to install the showcase app on their phone.
How CPI is calculated
CPI = ad spend / number of installs. For example, spend $200 and get 400 installs — CPI $0.50. It is the average install price per campaign, geo or funnel.
Why CPI alone decides nothing
A cheap install is useless on its own if it does not convert to a deposit. CPI is read alongside install-to-deposit conversion and ROI: a low CPI with high FTD conversion is what makes a funnel profitable.
FAQ
- How is CPI different from CPA?
- CPI is payment per install, CPA per target action (deposit, signup). In gambling CPA/FTD often matters more, while CPI is a top-of-funnel metric.
- What CPI is considered good?
- It depends on geo and vertical: cents on cheap geos, dollars on Tier-1. A good CPI is one that pays back in deposits.
- How do I lower CPI?
- Fast lightweight showcases, precise targeting, prelander/showcase split tests and clean bot-free traffic lower the install price.
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