What Is iOS ROAS and How Do You Actually Measure It?

By Intent+ Team · April 24, 2026 · 8 min read · 1,450 words

Every iOS growth team builds its weekly review around ROAS. Most teams calculate it wrong — and the measurement errors compound into strategic decisions that don't reflect reality. Here's the clean definition, the correct formula, and the four mistakes that quietly invalidate the number.

What iOS ROAS Actually Means

iOS ROAS is the revenue generated by a cohort of users acquired through paid iOS campaigns, divided by what you spent to acquire that cohort, measured at a specific day after install. It is a cohort metric — not a period metric.

The Correct ROAS Formula for Apple Ads

Group users by their install date into a cohort. Sum the revenue that cohort has generated by a fixed day (D7, D14, or D30). Divide by the spend that produced those installs. Don't divide this week's revenue by this week's spend — those numbers come from different cohorts.

The Four ROAS Measurement Mistakes

Period ROAS calculation, ignoring SKAN 4 postback windows, mixing organic and paid revenue in the numerator, and not accounting for attribution model differences between Apple's data and your MMP.

ROAS Benchmarks by App Category

D30 ROAS benchmarks vary significantly by category. Subscription apps typically target 1.2–1.8× at D30. Gaming apps vary widely. Fintech and productivity apps often see later ROAS realisation requiring D60 or D90 benchmarks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to calculate iOS ROAS correctly, what D7 vs D30 ROAS means, how SKAN 4 affects ROAS measurement, and what counts as a good ROAS for Apple Ads campaigns.