How do you get more app downloads?
By Ahmed Fawzi
Published 2026-10-04 · Updated 2026-10-04
Lever 1: Which paid ads drive app downloads?
Paid user acquisition is the fastest way to grow downloads. Pick channels by market and test before you scale.
| Typical cost per install (global benchmark) | Good for | |
|---|---|---|
| Meta (Facebook, Instagram) | $1.00 to $3.00 | Broad reach in Egypt and the UAE, strong event optimization |
| TikTok | $0.50 to $2.50 | Young audiences, fast creative testing |
| Google App campaigns | $0.50 to $2.50 | Search, YouTube and Play Store in one campaign |
| Ad networks | $1.75 to $4.50 | Extra scale, needs strict fraud checks |
| Snapchat | No reliable public benchmark found | Saudi Arabia, where Snap reaches over 25 million people monthly |
| Apple Ads | Varies by keyword | iPhone users searching for apps like yours |
Cost ranges are global benchmarks from Business of Apps (2025), not quotes for your app. Your real cost depends on market, category and creative.
Snap launched its App Power Pack for app advertisers in Saudi Arabia and says these tools can raise app install rates by at least 25%.
Lever 2: What is app store optimization (ASO)?
ASO means improving your App Store and Google Play page so more people find it and install. Apple says 70% of App Store visitors use search to discover apps.
- Put your main keyword in the app name and subtitle, in English and Arabic.
- Make the first two screenshots explain the main benefit in one line each.
- Add a short preview video that shows the app working.
- Ask happy users for ratings at the right moment, such as after a successful order.
- Reply to bad reviews quickly and fix the issues they raise.
- Localize the page for each market: dialect, currency and local offers.
ASO also lowers your paid costs. A better store page converts more of the people your ads send.
Lever 3: Referral programmes
A referral programme rewards users who invite friends. It works well in Egypt and the Gulf, where people trust what friends and family recommend.
- Reward both sides: the inviter and the new user.
- Pay the reward after the friend completes a key action, not just the install.
- Use deep links so the invited friend lands on a ready sign up screen.
- Cap rewards per user to stop abuse.
Lever 4: Partnerships
Partner with brands that already have your audience. A food delivery app and a payment wallet, or a travel app and a bank card, can offer joint deals.
- Co branded offers inside each other's apps or emails.
- Exclusive discount codes for the partner's customers.
- Bundles with telecom operators, banks or employers.
- Influencer partners with tracked links, so you pay for results you can see.
Why can cheap installs cost you more?
Some networks sell installs at very low prices. Many of these users never open the app twice, and some are not real people.
AppsFlyer's State of Fraud 2026 found fraud rates for finance apps on Android stayed between 50% and 53% for five quarters in a row. It also found organic traffic now carries 52% of fraudulent installs.
This is why we judge every channel by cost per paying user: total spend ÷ users who made a first payment or order.
| Channel A | Channel B | |
|---|---|---|
| Spend | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Cost per install | $0.50 | $1.50 |
| Installs | 10,000 | 3,333 |
| Users who paid | 100 (1%) | 300 (9%) |
| Cost per paying user | $50 | about $17 |
This is an illustration, not a benchmark. Channel A looks cheaper but costs three times more per real customer.
How we approach it at OneKind
- Fix tracking and fraud protection first.
- Improve the store page before scaling paid spend.
- Test 2 to 3 paid channels per market with many creatives.
- Optimize campaigns for a deeper event, like registration or first payment.
- Add referral and partnership offers once the core funnel works.
- Report weekly on cost per paying user, not downloads alone.
For a leading Egyptian fintech app, this approach cut customer acquisition cost by about 43% in total while spend scaled, and the app reached 1 million registered users in 9 months.
Related guides
How much does it cost to market an app in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE?
Why do app users leave, and how do you keep them?
Sources
Apple Ads, Ads on the App Store
Apple Ads, Countries and regions
Business of Apps, Cost per Install (CPI) Rates (updated February 2025)
Zawya, Snap launches App Power Pack for advertisers in Saudi Arabia
AppsFlyer, State of Fraud 2026: organic traffic is now the top mobile ad fraud channel (June 2026)
FAQ
How can I increase app downloads for free?
Improve your store page (ASO), ask happy users for ratings, start a referral programme and partner with brands that share your audience. These grow downloads without ad spend, though they take longer.
How much does it cost to get 1,000 app downloads?
At global benchmark CPIs of about $0.50 to $3.00 per install on the main social and search channels, 1,000 installs could cost roughly $500 to $3,000. Your real cost depends on market, category and creative.
Do ratings and reviews increase downloads?
Yes. Ratings show on search results and store pages, so a higher rating helps more visitors install.
Should I buy cheap installs to rank higher in the store?
No. Cheap installs are often fake or inactive, which wastes money and can hurt your retention data. Pay for users who take real actions.
Does Apple Ads work in Saudi Arabia and Egypt?
Yes. Apple lists Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE among Apple Ads countries, so you can bid on App Store search terms there.
Want more downloads that turn into paying users? Let us plan your next growth push. See our Mobile App Growth service