The Rise of Cost-Per-Install (CPI) Campaigns in India’s Fintech Ecosystem
Introduction: Why CPI Campaigns in India Are Booming
The fintech boom in India is unstoppable. But while new apps are being launched every day, acquiring quality users at scale remains a big challenge. Traditional media buying is expensive, and organic reach is unpredictable. This is exactly why CPI campaigns in India are seeing a major surge, especially in the fintech space.
Cost-Per-Install (CPI) campaigns are a performance-based model where brands pay only when someone installs their app. It’s transparent, trackable, and flexible, making it a great fit for early-stage startups and scaled fintech players alike. In 2025, CPI campaigns aren’t just growing, they’re becoming a core growth lever for India's fintech ecosystem.
What Are CPI Campaigns and How Do They Work?
CPI campaigns are built on a simple idea: you pay for app installs, not for impressions or clicks. The advertiser sets a fixed amount (say ₹10–₹30) that they’re willing to pay per install. The publisher or affiliate runs targeted ads across various channels social media, mobile apps, content websites, etc., and earns a commission for every successful install.
For fintech brands, CPI campaigns in India typically drive users to savings apps, payment apps, UPI tools, digital wallets, micro-investment platforms, or BNPL services. The app is promoted using banners, interstitials, push notifications, or influencer swipe-up links. Once the user installs the app and it’s verified (via SDK or MMP), the payout is triggered.
The result? You only pay when you gain a new user.
Why CPI Campaigns Fit Fintech Growth Goals
CPI works exceptionally well for fintech for several reasons. First, fintech apps often have broad appeal but narrow margins. Every rupee spent must show ROI. CPI allows founders to acquire users without burning through capital on vague awareness campaigns.
Second, fintech growth depends on volumes. Whether it’s a credit app, investment tool, or neobank, traction is often judged by app installs. With CPI, brands can scale install numbers efficiently while maintaining control over budget and geographies.
Third, this model allows for hyper-targeted, vernacular promotion, ideal for India’s Tier 2 and 3 audiences. Affiliates and ad platforms can promote fintech apps in multiple languages, across regional influencers and channels. This drives better intent, higher trust, and deeper market penetration.
Why CPI Campaigns in India Are Growing Rapidly
The growth of CPI campaigns in India is not random, it’s driven by market realities. According to industry reports, India is expected to cross 1.2 billion smartphone users by 2025, with over 70% of digital activity happening on mobile apps. This makes mobile-first performance models like CPI a no-brainer.
Moreover, the fintech user base in India crossed 400 million in 2024, with a massive chunk coming from mobile-first experiences. With rising CACs on search and social, fintech marketers are shifting toward performance models like CPI that offer predictable costs and scalable installs.
Platforms like Google UAC, Facebook App Campaigns, programmatic networks, and affiliate partners all support CPI-based setups. That’s why nearly 35% of fintech marketing budgets in India are now being allocated to CPI and CPL campaigns.
Benefits of Running CPI Campaigns in Fintech
One of the biggest advantages of CPI is budget control. You set a fixed payout per install, and the platform scales delivery accordingly. It also allows for real-time optimizations—you can pause underperforming sources and double down on high-converting ones.
Another major benefit is fraud detection. Most fintech brands now use MMPs (Mobile Measurement Partners) like AppsFlyer or Branch to track events, validate installs, and flag fake activity. CPI campaigns are easy to track through SDKs and postbacks, making attribution reliable.
Most importantly, CPI allows brands to grow at their own pace. Early-stage fintech apps can start with a ₹50K test budget, track install sources, refine creatives, and then scale to ₹5L+ monthly as ROAS improves.
From Installs to Activation: The Next Step
While CPI is great for driving app installs, fintech brands must think beyond just download numbers. A high install count doesn’t mean much unless users activate, verify, and transact.
That’s why smart CPI campaigns are often layered with event-based triggers. For example, you may pay ₹20 for every install, but offer an additional ₹80 to affiliates if the user completes KYC, links a bank account, or makes a transaction. This hybrid model blends CPI with Cost Per Event (CPE) or Cost Per Activation (CPA) to improve downstream quality.
At Affly Media, we help brands build exactly this kind of two-tier CPI setup, ensuring both reach and performance are balanced.
How to Make CPI Campaigns Work in 2025
To succeed with CPI campaigns in India, fintech brands need a few things in place. First, a clear attribution framework whether it's Firebase, AppsFlyer, or Branch to track installs accurately. Second, a tested app flow that ensures users don’t churn after download. And third, access to quality traffic sources this is where choosing the right affiliate partners or networks makes a difference.
Your messaging must also be simple, relevant, and regional. Promoting a financial product to Tier 2 audiences requires trust. Your creatives should speak the language literally and culturally. Partnering with affiliates who understand regional markets gives you the edge.
Finally, real-time feedback loops are crucial. Monitor install-to-activation drop-offs. Tweak your onboarding journey. Optimize for time-to-KYC. That’s how CPI becomes not just scalable but sustainable.
Why Affly Media Is the Right Partner for CPI in Fintech
At Affly Media, we specialize in performance marketing models that actually work for fintech. From CPI to CPL to hybrid payout systems, we’ve built and scaled campaigns for startups and scale-ups across lending, insurance, investment, and savings verticals.
What makes us different?
We work with pre-vetted publishers and affiliate partners with deep regional reach.
We help you structure install + activation campaigns that go beyond shallow downloads.
Our in-house tracking and fraud protection ensures quality over quantity.
We provide weekly reporting, optimization recommendations, and creative A/B testing.
We understand fintech regulations and ensure all content remains compliant.
Whether you’re launching a new app or want to scale your existing fintech product to Tier 2 markets, Affly Media builds CPI campaigns in India that actually perform.
Final Thoughts
CPI campaigns in India are no longer just another channel, they’re fast becoming the foundation of fintech app growth. They allow startups to scale installs, control budgets, and track performance in real time. But CPI success isn’t just about spend, it’s about smart funnels, clean attribution, and trusted partners.
In 2025, the fintech brands that win won’t be the ones spending the most, they’ll be the ones converting the best. And CPI, when done right, will be at the heart of that growth.
📩 Ready to scale installs without guesswork?
Visit www.afflymedia.in
Let’s build CPI campaigns that don’t just install but activate.