C

Cost Per Lead (CPL) moves beyond paying for installs and focuses on user intent. It’s the model where an advertiser pays a publisher only after a user shows genuine interest by completing an action like a newsletter sign-up or starting a free trial. For advertisers, this guarantees a high-intent prospect; for publishers, it provides a high-value, diverse offer for their users.

Cost Per Install (CPI) is a user acquisition model where an advertiser pays a publisher a fixed rate for each new app install. As the primary metric for scaling a user base, its main purpose is rapid growth. However, CPI only measures the cost to acquire a user, not their value. True profitability is only found by analyzing post-install engagement and revenue.

Cost Per Action (CPA) shifts the focus from paying for potential, like views or clicks, to paying exclusively for results. Advertisers define a specific outcome, such as a sale or new lead, and only pay the publisher after it’s delivered. This creates a zero-waste model where ad spend is inseparable from tangible business growth.