In user acquisition (UA), CPI (Cost Per Install) tells you one thing:
How much do you pay to get a player to install your game?
It’s a marketing metric — but with deep design implications for onboarding, visuals, and early retention.
1️⃣ Definition
CPI measures the average advertising cost per new install.
Metric | Formula |
CPI | Total Ad Spend ÷ Number of Installs |
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Example:
$1,000 in ads brings 500 installs →
CPI = $2.00 per install
2️⃣ Why CPI Matters
Use Case | What It Enables | Design Insight |
Growth modeling | Predict cost of scaling userbase | Can you afford to grow? |
LTV planning | Sets break-even point for monetization | LTV must beat CPI |
Creative feedback | Tests visual and emotional hooks | Are your ads aligned with actual gameplay? |
FTUE design | Drives urgency to retain new installs | Can you turn installs into Day 1 survivors? |
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Design tip
High CPI isn't a problem if your game earns it back.
Low CPI means attention is cheap — now you must convert it.
3️⃣ CPI Ranges and Interpretation
CPI Tier | Typical Meaning |
$0.50–$1.50 | Hypercasual, low-friction installs |
$1.50–$4.00 | Standard for casual/midcore |
$5.00+ | High-value genres (4X, RPG, IP games) — must monetize deeply |
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Design tip
Don't chase low CPI blindly — chase profitable CPI.
4️⃣ Design Implications
System | CPI Impact |
Tutorial | Must create emotional investment in <2 minutes |
First session | Should deliver one full core loop |
Visual design | Needs strong “ad readability” — clear silhouettes, vibrant motion |
Game promise | Ads and app store preview must match player experience |
Early content | Surface rewards, fantasy, or stakes fast |
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Design tip
The install is not the goal — it’s the start of a promise your design must keep.
5️⃣ How to Lower CPI
Tactic | Example |
Creative A/B testing | Try multiple gameplay clips, thumbnails, taglines |
Emotional hooks | Fear of loss, power moments, surprise |
Playable ads | Let users test the core mechanic pre-install |
Audience targeting | Countries/platforms with better LTV:CPI balance |
Genre-positioning | Match your ad tone to the expected loop (idle ≠ gacha ≠ puzzle) |
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Design tip
Players don’t install features — they install fantasies.
Your ad should tease what they’ll feel.
6️⃣ CPI vs Other UA Metrics
Metric | What It Tracks | Use |
CPI | Cost per install | Front-end efficiency |
CPA | Cost per action (e.g. level complete) | Down-funnel quality |
LTV | Lifetime value per user | Back-end value |
ROAS | Return on ad spend | Overall marketing ROI |
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Design tip
Don’t optimize CPI in a vacuum — always pair with LTV and ROAS.
✅ CPI Checklist
- ✅ Do your creatives match in-game experience?
- ✅ Is the FTUE optimized for D1 retention?
- ✅ Are your top-performing ads actually bringing quality users?
- ✅ Are you monitoring LTV by channel/platform?
- ✅ Have you tested install-to-retention drop-off?
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Design tip
CPI is how you earn attention.
Retention is how you justify it.
Summary
Term | CPI – Cost Per Install |
What it tracks | Average cost to acquire a new player via ads |
Why it matters | Defines the cost of growth, benchmarked against LTV |
Tied to | FTUE, early UX, ad creatives, market fit |
Paired with | LTV, ROAS, CPA, Conversion Rate |
📍CPI is the design cost of being seen.
If your game doesn’t pay back that cost, you’re not just losing money —
you’re misunderstanding your market.