Organic vs paid installs: what's normal?
The median app gets about 83% of its installs organically, but category and scale change the answer completely.
Organic share changes as apps grow
Small apps grow mostly through word of mouth. Paid takes over in the 10k to 500k range, 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% |
How Indian app startups split
Among Indian startups the median app is about 62% organic. One in five is paid-led.
| Acquisition profile | Share of apps |
|---|---|
| Organic-led (80%+ organic) | 32.5% |
| Organic-leaning (50 to 80%) | 29.9% |
| Balanced (20 to 50%) | 16.9% |
| Paid-led (under 20% organic) | 20.8% |
Source: Linkrunner, State of Mobile App Growth: India Startups 2026
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Common questions
What is a normal organic install share?
The median app gets about 83% of installs organically, but it depends heavily on category: social apps sit near 100% organic while e-commerce apps are closer to a third.
Why is the median different from the total?
A handful of large apps that buy most of their installs pull the volume-weighted total towards paid. The median treats every app equally, so it's the better benchmark for a single app.
Does organic share change as apps grow?
Yes. Apps under 1k installs are about 93% organic. Share drops to the mid-60s once paid campaigns start, then climbs back towards 70% at scale.
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.