Pre-reg to install conversion cost: media + CRM + store ops

Google Play pre-registration campaigns last 90 days per country from first enablement, after which you must launch to production. Play Statistics defines Conversions as pre-registered users who installed within 14 days of the app becoming available to them (including early access and other pre-launch testing). Vanity pre-reg counts hide cost per eventual install.

Define the calculation (labelled synthetic)

Inputs (reader-editable; values below are synthetic teaching numbers, not industry averages):

• media_spend — paid traffic to the pre-reg listing
• crm_spend — email/push/community nurture before and at launch
• store_ops_spend — listing localisation, CSL, badge creative, reward SKU setup
• prereg_signups
• installs_within_14d — align to Play’s conversion definition when using Play stats

Outputs:

• cost_per_prereg = (media + crm + store_ops) / prereg_signups
• prereg_to_install_rate = installs_within_14d / prereg_signups
• cost_per_install = (media + crm + store_ops) / installs_within_14d

Worked synthetic example

Cost per pre-reg = 0.50. Pre-reg→install rate = 0.35. Cost per eventual install = 1.43.

Evidence and limits

Play documents the 90-day limit, a maximum of two apps in pre-registration at a time, optional one-time-product rewards, and auto-install constraints (device/OS/Play version, size tiers, under-13 and managed enterprise accounts ineligible). This sheet does not invent CRM unit costs; enter your own. Apple pre-order economics are out of scope here.

Download the artifact.

Research checked 20 September 2026. Local draft; human editorial review pending.