What's the difference between CPI and break-even CPI?

CPI is what you pay for an install. Break-even CPI is the most you can pay and still get your money back: what an install earns you after store fees. Below it, your ads make money. Above it, they lose money.

Why is ROAS calculated after store fees?

Because the store fee never reaches you. Apple or Google keeps 15% or 30% of each sale, so a ROAS based on the full price makes ads look better than they are. Here, 100% means the ads paid for themselves.

Where do I find revenue per install?

Divide your proceeds by your downloads for the same period, from App Store Connect or Google Play Console. For a subscription, the subscription LTV calculator works it out from your price, churn and conversion.

Free calculator

CPI and break-even calculator

See what you pay per install, the most you can pay, and whether your ads make or lose money.

I know

Ad spend and installsMy CPI

Ad spend

In any currency.

Installs from the ads

Revenue per install, after store fees

What one install earns you over the period you care about. For subscriptions, use LTV per download from the LTV calculator.

Profit or loss per 1,000 installs

500.00

Each install earns 0.50 more than it costs.

Your CPI

2.00

Break-even CPI

2.50

The most you can pay per install.

ROAS

125%

100% is break even.

Profit on this spend

125.00

From 625.00 of revenue.

How it's calculated

CPI = ad spend ÷ installs.
Break-even CPI = revenue per install. Pay more than this and each install loses money. Pay less and each install makes money.
ROAS = revenue per install ÷ CPI. The revenue here is after store fees, so 100% means the ads paid for themselves.
Profit or loss per 1,000 installs = (revenue per install − CPI) × 1,000.

Use revenue after store fees, counted over a period you're willing to wait for. If you know what installs from ads earn, use that: they can behave differently from installs that come from search.

Questions

What's the difference between CPI and break-even CPI?: CPI is what you pay for an install. Break-even CPI is the most you can pay and still get your money back: what an install earns you after store fees. Below it, your ads make money. Above it, they lose money.
Why is ROAS calculated after store fees?: Because the store fee never reaches you. Apple or Google keeps 15% or 30% of each sale, so a ROAS based on the full price makes ads look better than they are. Here, 100% means the ads paid for themselves.
Where do I find revenue per install?: Divide your proceeds by your downloads for the same period, from App Store Connect or Google Play Console. For a subscription, the subscription LTV calculator works it out from your price, churn and conversion.