Glossary/Adtech & Programmatic/Cost Per Install (CPI)
Adtech & Programmatic
Cost Per Install (CPI)
A mobile pricing model or metric where the advertiser pays for each app install driven by an ad.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Cost per install (CPI) is a mobile advertising pricing model and metric in which the advertiser pays for each app install driven by an ad. It is calculated as spend divided by attributed installs. CPI is widely used for app growth campaigns, though install quality and later in-app engagement matter as much as cost.