Global app benchmarks.
How apps worldwide split organic and paid installs, by category, app size and month.
Organic share by category
Category is the biggest driver of the organic split: 70% is low for a social app and high for e-commerce.
Organic share by app size
Small apps grow by word of mouth. Paid takes over between 10k and 500k installs, then brand catches up.
Paid share by month
Paid share peaked in February, a swing of nearly 19 points in a quarter.
| Month | Organic share | Paid share |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 65.6% | 34.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 60.1% | 39.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 46.8% | 53.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 55.4% | 44.6% |
Three things the data says
Most apps barely buy installs
Half of apps get more than 80% of installs organically. Only 11% get more than 80% from paid.
Median and total disagree
The median app is about 83% organic, but all installs together are only about 56% organic, because a few large apps buy heavily.
Paid share swings by season
Paid share rose from about 34% in December to 53% in February before easing back.
Common questions
What percentage of app installs are organic?
In Linkrunner's global benchmark, the median app gets about 83% of installs organically. Weighted by volume it's closer to about 56%, because a few large paid-heavy apps pull the total down. For Indian startups the median is about 62%.
Which app categories rely most on paid installs?
Globally, e-commerce, travel and kids' learning apps are the most paid-dependent, with median organic shares under 40%. Social, astrology and gaming apps are over 90% organic.
Does paid share change through the year?
Yes. Paid share rose from about 34% in December to about 53% in February before easing to about 45% in March.
What is organic install share?
Organic install share is the percentage of an app's installs that cannot be matched to a paid campaign within the attribution window, such as store search, word of mouth and untracked referrals.
How is an organic install defined in these benchmarks?
An install counts as organic when it isn't matched to a paid ad network touchpoint within a 7-day click-through window. A paid install is matched to a specific campaign through deterministic attribution.
What is install to signup rate?
Install to signup rate is the number of signups divided by the number of installs, for apps that track a signup event. It shows how many new users get past onboarding.