---
title: Break-even CPI, revenue per install and LTV per install
slug: app-break-even-cpi-and-revenue-per-install
summary: Which unit-economics number to bid against in app ads (revenue vs LTV per install), Steve's thresholds ($3 CPI for Apple Ads, $3 LTV/install for Meta) and how to use them.
domain: mobile-apps
tags: [user-acquisition, unit-economics, cpi, ltv, roas]
related: [apple-ads-max-conversion-campaign, apple-ads-single-keyword-ad-groups, meta-ads-budget-math-for-apps, meta-ads-readiness-checklist, high-rpi-app-categories, revenuecat-charts-and-experiments]
sources: [yt:q3JuNLUKL1U, yt:2jH64ziB7uM, yt:2oq2OlqfTro]
updated: 2026-10-23
---

# Break-even CPI, revenue per install and LTV per install

## TL;DR
- Know your **break-even cost per install** before bidding — it's the CPA goal in Apple Ads and the yardstick for Meta.[^1]
- **Bootstrapped?** Use **revenue per install (RPI)** — you can't wait for LTV to mature. Better-funded teams can use **LTV per install**.[^1]
- Apple Ads heuristic: if the app can't survive a **~$3 CPI**, it may not be a business for paid ads.[^2]
- Meta heuristic: need at least **$3 LTV per install**, measured around **month 11**.[^3]
- Improve the number via paywall conversion rates and pricing — see the monetization cluster.[^4]

## Details
**Definitions.** RPI = revenue collected ÷ installs over a window; LTV per install = projected lifetime revenue ÷ installs. Steve looks at LTV at roughly month 11; for some of his apps month-1 and month-11 LTV are nearly identical.[^3]

**Where to find it.** RevenueCat, or whatever paywall/subscription tool you use (Adapty, Superwall).[^5] RevenueCat can also act as an attribution source for Apple Ads (acquisition → by campaign) when connected properly.[^4]

**Steve's numbers (2026):**
- His sleep-sound app: ~$5–6 RPI; Apple Ads clients break even around $3 CPI, so he sets CPA goals ~$3.50.[^2]
- A client whose MaxCon CPI drifted from $3 to $3.50 went ROAS-negative — showing how thin the margin is.[^6]
- For Meta, installs are expensive and optimizing for cheap installs ($1–2) attracts people who don't pay; you need high LTV/install to afford trial-optimized campaigns.[^3]

**How to use it.**
1. Compute RPI (or LTV/install) per channel/country.
2. Set Apple Ads CPA goal / max bids at or slightly below it.
3. If CPI > break-even, lower bids or fix monetization before scaling spend.

## Disagreements / caveats
- Steve credits his friend "Henry" with the same $3 floor for Meta but notes Henry would argue for higher.[^3]
- Pull channels (Apple Ads/ASO) monetize better than Meta, so a channel-blended RPI overstates what Meta users are worth.[^7]

## See also
- [[meta-ads-budget-math-for-apps]] — what a $1,000 Meta test buys
- [[apple-ads-max-conversion-campaign]]

[^1]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 07:20 — Steve P. Young
[^2]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 09:06 — Steve P. Young
[^3]: yt:2jH64ziB7uM @ 06:37 — Steve P. Young
[^4]: yt:2oq2OlqfTro @ 06:31 — Steve P. Young
[^5]: yt:2jH64ziB7uM @ 08:30 — Steve P. Young
[^6]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 07:20 — Steve P. Young
[^7]: yt:2jH64ziB7uM @ 05:48 — Steve P. Young