Google Ads vs. Apple Search Ads: Cost, ROI, and When to Use Each
Google and Apple's ad platforms work very differently and attract different users. Here's how they compare on cost, conversion, and when each one makes sense.
If you’re spending money to get users for your mobile app, Google Ads and Apple Search Ads are probably your two biggest channels. They work very differently though, and the wrong choice - or the wrong budget split - can burn through your marketing money fast.
Let me break down how each performs in 2026 and when to use which.
How they work (fundamentally different)
Google App Campaigns (formerly Universal App Campaigns) spread your ads across Google Search, YouTube, Google Play Store, the Display Network, and Discover. You give Google creative assets and a budget, their ML handles placement and targeting. You reach Android users across Google’s entire ecosystem.
Apple Search Ads put your app at the top of App Store search results. Two tiers: Advanced (you control keywords, bids, and audiences) and Basic (automated, pay-per-install). Starting March 2026, Apple is expanding beyond just the single top-of-search position.
The key difference is intent. Apple Search Ads reach people who are already searching the App Store - they want to download something. Google casts a much wider net across surfaces where people might not be looking for an app at all.
What things cost in 2026
CPI (cost per install) varies a lot depending on platform, category, and region. I break down what you actually pay per user in a separate post - spoiler: it’s more than the ad platform tells you.
Global averages: $1.80 overall, $2.52 for iOS, $1.29 for Android.
Apple Search Ads by category:
| Category | Average CPI |
|---|---|
| Music | $2.11 |
| Utilities | $2.90 |
| Productivity | $3.13 |
| Games | ~$2.00 |
| Shopping | $6.20 |
| Finance | $8.23 |
| Sports | $14.35 |
Sports at $14.35 per install is eye-watering.
Google App Campaigns are generally cheaper: casual games at $0.63, simulation at $0.59, mid-core games around $2.00, and overall apps averaging $1.29.
Geography makes a big difference. US averages $1.75-$2.00. Brazil averages $0.22 for iOS. APAC shopping app CPI has dropped to $0.90. Finance apps in North America fell from $7.03 to $4.13 recently, and European finance dropped from $7.37 to $4.75.
Conversion and user quality
CPI alone doesn’t tell you much. What happens after the install matters more.
Apple Search Ads has surprisingly high conversion rates - 67.2% platform-wide average, up from 65.4% the prior year. Makes sense: these users are already in the App Store looking for something. Entertainment apps convert at 74.8%, Food & Drink at 73.6%, Sports at 72.4%. Tap-through rate averages 11.4%.
Google App Campaigns convert lower per impression because many placements (YouTube, Display Network) reach people who aren’t shopping for apps. But Google’s scale is massive - over 70% of global smartphone users are on Android. The volume tradeoff can work in your favor.
When Apple Search Ads makes more sense
A few situations where I’d lean toward Apple:
You want high-intent users. These people are already in the store, ready to download. You’re not convincing them to try an app - you’re convincing them to pick yours over the competition.
You have a premium iOS app. iOS users spend more per transaction on average. If your revenue depends on subscriptions or IAP, the higher CPI can be worth it because user quality is better.
Your category has reasonable CPIs. Music at $2.11, Utilities at $2.90, Games around $2.00 - these are workable numbers.
You want keyword-level control. Apple Search Ads lets you bid on exact keywords, including competitor brand names. That precision is genuinely useful.
When Google Ads makes more sense
Google wins when:
You need scale. Google’s network reaches billions of users across multiple surfaces. Nothing else matches that reach.
You’re Android-first. If most of your revenue comes from Google Play, advertising within Google’s ecosystem is a natural fit.
You’re targeting emerging markets. Android dominates in Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America, where CPIs are lowest. Google Ads is extremely cost-efficient for reaching these users.
You have good creative. Google distributes across video (YouTube), display, and search. If you’ve invested in a good video ad or visual creative, Google puts it where it performs best.
Budget allocation
For most developers, the answer isn’t one or the other. It’s both, allocated based on what’s actually working.
My suggestion:
- Start with Apple Search Ads at $20-50/day. Target your highest-intent keywords and measure CPI plus downstream conversion to paying users.
- Add Google Ads once you have a baseline iOS CPI to compare against. Similar budget, focused on Android.
- Compare ROI, not CPI. A $3.00 CPI that delivers a $15 LTV user beats a $0.80 CPI that delivers a $2 LTV user every time.
- Shift budget monthly toward whichever channel shows better unit economics.
Knowing what’s actually profitable
Here’s the problem: Google Ads reports cost data in Google Ads. Apple Search Ads reports cost data in Apple Search Ads. Revenue shows up in Google Play Console and App Store Connect. None of these talk to each other.
To know if your ad spend is profitable, you need costs next to revenue over time. Apps Finboard does this - it pulls cost data from both ad platforms alongside revenue from Google Play, App Store, and AdMob, all in unified charts.
Without that view, you’re making budget decisions based on CPI alone, which tells you what you’re paying for installs but not whether those installs are becoming revenue. The developers who scale efficiently are the ones tracking the full loop from spend to revenue to profit.
Apps Finboard Team
We build Apps Finboard so indie developers can stop juggling five dashboards and actually see their profit.