Introduction

The phrase apple search ads available countries matters because campaign reach and performance depend directly on which App Store storefronts Apple supports. If you are planning user acquisition by country, you need precise coverage data, cost and conversion expectations, and a rollout plan tuned to local market behavior.

This guide covers apple search ads available countries, how availability affects bidding, localization, keyword strategies, pricing benchmarks, and a step-by-step rollout timeline. It also includes tools, a country-selection checklist, common mistakes, and a short FAQ. The content is tailored for app developers, mobile marketers, and advertising professionals who run Apple Search Ads campaigns in App Store Search.

You will get actionable examples with budget scenarios, a sample 90-day rollout timeline, comparisons between high-cost and low-cost markets, and a tools list with pricing and use cases. Read on to build campaigns that match country-specific demand, avoid wasted spend, and scale installs efficiently.

Apple Search Ads Available Countries

Apple Search Ads supports advertising in most App Store storefronts worldwide. As of the latest public data, Apple provides the capability to serve ads in the majority of countries and regions where the App Store is available, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, European Union countries, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, India, and many others.

Availability is controlled at the storefront level inside App Store Connect and Apple Search Ads. When you create a campaign in Apple Search Ads Advanced, you select target storefronts (countries/regions) and choose location-level targeting settings, including city-level options where supported. Apple Search Ads Basic is simpler and ties campaigns to the storefront of the app listing.

Operational implications of availability:

• You must confirm your app is published in the target storefronts. Apple Search Ads cannot deliver installs in a storefront where the app is not available.
• App Store localization (app listing language, screenshots, and keywords) should match the storefront to maximize relevance and Quality Score.
• Payment currency and billing settings in Apple Search Ads are tied to the account country. Multi-country billing considerations may apply for agencies or global teams.

Example: If you plan to run campaigns in Japan and the United States, ensure your app is live in both storefronts, prepare localized creatives and keywords, and set budgets per storefront because cost-per-tap (CPT) and competition vary widely between these two markets.

Why market selection matters for Apple Search Ads

Selecting the right countries to run Apple Search Ads affects cost, conversion rates, lifetime value (LTV), and the ability to optimize keywords. Market selection is not only about reach; it is a strategic lever to manage acquisition efficiency and product-market fit signals.

Cost differences by country are driven by supply and demand for keywords. The United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia often exhibit higher competition and higher CPTs because advertisers target these high-value users. Emerging markets like Indonesia, Brazil, and India can offer lower CPTs but may also deliver lower average revenue per user (ARPU).

The right selection depends on your monetization model: ads, in-app purchases, subscriptions, or free-to-paid funnels.

Keyword competition and search volume change by storefront. A direct translation of a keyword that performs well in the US may have zero search volume in another market. Use country-specific keyword research tools and App Store Search Popularity metrics.

For example, a finance app might see high search volume for “budget planner” in the UK but more search volume for “expense tracker” in the US.

User behavior differences affect conversion:

• App Store conversion rates vary with localization quality. Localized screenshots and metadata can lift conversion by 20-40% compared with English-only listings.
• Tap-to-install conversion is influenced by how compelling the App Store product page is in that country. For example, adding local pricing and regional screenshots for a travel app increased installs by 30% in a real-world case study at a mid-size travel startup.

Budget allocation strategy:

• Start with a mix of core and test markets. Allocate 60-70% of your initial budget to core high-value markets (US, UK, JP) and 30-40% to test markets for scale or acquisition cost arbitrage.
• Rebalance after 14-30 days using cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and 28-day retention metrics.

Example budgets:

• Small app: $2,000/month total; $1,200 to US, $400 to UK, $400 to Brazil for growth testing.
• Mid-size app: $15,000/month; $8,000 to US, $3,000 to JP, $2,000 to CA, $2,000 to multiple tier-2 markets.

How to plan and execute country-targeted campaigns

Planning and execution require a clear checklist, country-specific keyword research, localized creatives, and a measurement plan. Below is a step-by-step operational workflow and practical examples.

Step 1 - Inventory and Eligibility Check (Day 0)

• Confirm your app is published in each target storefront. Check App Store Connect storefront availability.
• Ensure age ratings, localized metadata, and compliance (for regulated categories) are in place.

Step 2 - Keyword and Demand Research (Days 1-7)

• Use Apple Search Ads suggestions (inside Apple Search Ads Advanced UI) for each storefront to see localized search popularity.
• Supplement with tools: data.ai (formerly App Annie), Sensor Tower, and Mobile Action for search volume estimates by country.
• Create a seed keyword list per storefront with high, medium, and long-tail keywords. Aim for 200-500 keywords in total for Advanced campaigns across multiple markets.

Step 3 - Build Storefront-Specific Creatives (Days 3-14)

• Localize app title, subtitle, descriptions, screenshots, and app preview videos for the top 3 languages per country.
• Use tools like Figma and Sketch for mockups, and a localization vendor like Lokalise or OneSky for translations.

Step 4 - Campaign Structure and Bidding (Days 7-14)

• For Apple Search Ads Advanced, structure campaigns by region/storefront and intent:
• Branded keywords campaign (exact and broad match) - high bids
• Generic keywords campaign - moderate bids
• Discovery and competitor keywords - cautious bids
• Set initial maximum cost-per-tap (CPT) bids using country benchmarks:
• US: $1.00 - $4.00 typical CPT for non-competitive categories, $5-$15 for high-value finance or gambling keywords.
• Japan: $0.80 - $3.50 typical CPT.
• Emerging markets: $0.10 - $1.00 CPT.
• For Apple Search Ads Basic, set a monthly budget and let Apple optimize for installs.

Step 5 - Tracking, Analytics, and Attribution (Days 1-30)

• Integrate an attribution provider: Adjust, AppsFlyer, or Branch for cross-channel attribution and LTV measurement.
• Configure in-app events and revenue tracking to measure 1-day, 7-day, and 28-day retention and LTV.

Step 6 - Launch and Monitor (Days 15-30)

• Launch with modest budgets per storefront: $30-$100/day for small budgets in tier-1 markets, $10-$30/day in tier-2 markets.
• Monitor CPT, tap-through rate (TTR), conversion rate (tap-to-install), and CPA daily for the first week, then every 2-3 days.

Step 7 - Optimize and Scale (Days 31-90)

• Pause low-volume or high-CPA keywords after 14 days.
• Increase bids on keywords with strong conversion and positive 7-day retention.
• Test creative variants every 2-4 weeks.

Example: A meditation app launching in five countries

• Day 0: App live in US, UK, CA, AU, JP.
• Day 1-7: Keyword research yields 300 keywords across storefronts.
• Day 7-14: Localized screenshots for JP and AU, bid plan set (US CPT $2.50 max, JP $1.80 max).
• Day 15: Launch with $150/day total ($80 US, $20 each for UK, CA, AU, JP).
• Day 31-60: Reallocate to top-performing markets; US CPA $8 with 7-day retention 25%, JP CPA $6 with 7-day retention 30%.

Timing, budgets, and performance benchmarks by country

Timing and budget allocation affect how quickly you gather statistically significant results. Expect to run a country test for 30-90 days to evaluate retention and LTV signals. Benchmarks vary by category, but the following guidance helps set expectations.

Typical timelines:

• Short validation (0-14 days): Evaluate traffic volume, tap-through rate (TTR), early conversion. Use this phase to weed out zero-volume keywords.
• Performance tuning (15-45 days): Optimize bids, pause weak keywords, and test creatives. Begin to see 7-day retention signals.
• Scale and LTV validation (46-90 days): Measure 28-day retention and monetize users to calculate true return on ad spend (ROAS).

Benchmark metrics by market (approximate ranges):

• Cost-per-tap (CPT)
• United States: $0.80 - $5.00
• United Kingdom: $0.50 - $3.00
• Japan: $0.60 - $3.50
• Australia: $0.40 - $2.50
• Brazil: $0.05 - $0.80
• India: $0.03 - $0.50
• Tap-to-install conversion rate
• Typical range: 20% - 55%, higher with strong localization
• Install-to-purchase or subscription conversion (where relevant)
• Category-dependent; gaming free-to-play may convert 1-5%, productivity apps with subscriptions 2-8%.

Budget allocation examples:

• Launch campaign for new app with $6,000 first-month budget:
• US 50% ($3,000)
• UK 15% ($900)
• CA 10% ($600)
• AU 10% ($600)
• India/Brazil 15% ($900) as test markets
• Optimize after 30 days: move budget from low-LTV markets to high-performing markets.

Comparisons and decision rules:

• If US CPA < target CPA and 28-day retention meets threshold, increase US budget by 20-50% weekly.
• If a market shows low CPT but conversion and retention are poor, pause until localization or product-market fit issues are addressed.
• Use cohort LTV (30-day) to compare country-level profitability, not just install cost.

Example KPI dashboard values for a consumer app after 60 days:

• US: CPT $1.80, TTR 38%, install-to-subscription 4%, 30-day ROAS 1.6x
• JP: CPT $1.30, TTR 41%, install-to-subscription 5.5%, 30-day ROAS 2.2x
• IN: CPT $0.20, TTR 22%, install-to-subscription 0.6%, 30-day ROAS 0.4x

Actionable decision: Scale JP budget by 50% and pause India until product localization or price adjustments.

Tools and resources

Use a combination of Apple-native tools, third-party analytics, keyword research tools, and localization platforms. Below are tools with pricing models and recommended use cases.

Apple Search Ads (Advanced and Basic)

• Pricing: Auction-based bidding for Advanced (cost-per-tap), Basic uses cost-per-install model with monthly budgets. Apple does not publish fixed CPT rates; you set bids.
• Use case: Core campaign management, keyword suggestions, storefront targeting.

App Store Connect

• Pricing: Free with Apple Developer Program membership ($99/year).
• Use case: App availability management, localized metadata updates, territories management.

Adjust (attribution)

• Pricing: Custom pricing; starts around several hundred dollars per month for small apps, scaling with MAUs and features.
• Use case: Attribution, cohort LTV, fraud protection.

AppsFlyer (attribution)

• Pricing: Free tier for small apps with basic features, paid plans scale with installs and features.
• Use case: Attribution, deep linking, and ROAS measurement.

data.ai (formerly App Annie)

• Pricing: Business plans start at a few thousand dollars per year; free limited features available.
• Use case: Market intelligence and keyword demand by country.

Sensor Tower

• Pricing: Subscription plans starting at roughly $200/month for basic, enterprise pricing higher.
• Use case: Keyword research, competitor analysis by country.

Lokalise or OneSky (localization)

• Pricing: Subscription plans starting around $40-$100/month depending on seats and volume.
• Use case: Translate app metadata, in-app copy, and creatives.

Figma or Sketch (creative design)

• Pricing: Figma free tier, professional plans $12-$45/user/month; Sketch one-time license or subscription.
• Use case: Design localized screenshots and video assets.

Sample usage scenario and costs for a small team:

• Apple Search Ads Advanced: variable cost depending on bids.
• AppsFlyer Standard: free to $249/month depending on volume.
• Sensor Tower: $200/month for basic keyword research.
• Lokalise: $50/month for small localization projects.

Total baseline tooling costs may run $300-$700/month plus advertising spend.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

1. Targeting countries where the app is not published

Avoid launching campaigns in storefronts where your app is not available. Confirm App Store availability and regional compliance in App Store Connect before enabling ads.

2. Using a single keyword strategy across all countries

Do not copy-paste a US keyword list into Japan or Brazil. Conduct market-specific keyword research and account for language, synonyms, and local search behavior.

3. Under-investing in localization

Poor localization reduces conversion. Invest in high-quality translations and localized screenshots for top markets. A/B test localized creatives to measure lift before scaling.

4. Ignoring attribution and retention signals

Focusing solely on CPI without measuring 7-day and 28-day retention and revenue leads to wasted spend. Integrate Adjust or AppsFlyer and track post-install events for meaningful optimization.

5. Scaling too quickly without validating LTV

Ramping budgets based only on low CPI can expose you to poor ROAS if users do not monetize. Use a 30-60 day validation period for LTV before aggressive scaling.

FAQ

Which Countries Support Apple Search Ads?

Apple Search Ads is available in most App Store storefronts globally. Confirm availability inside the Apple Search Ads UI or App Store Connect for the latest list of supported countries.

Can I Target Cities or Regions Within a Country?

Yes. Apple Search Ads Advanced supports geo-targeting at the country, state, and in some cases city level. Availability of granular targeting varies by storefront.

How Does Billing Work Across Countries?

Billing is tied to your Apple Search Ads account country and currency. You can run campaigns in multiple storefronts, but account-level billing and currency apply. Agencies may use client-specific accounts to manage locale billing.

Should I Use Apple Search Ads Basic or Advanced for International Growth?

Use Basic for simple, low-effort acquisition when your goal is straightforward installs and you prefer set-and-forget. Use Advanced for granular targeting, keyword control, and multi-country optimization.

How Long Does It Take to See Reliable Country-Level Results?

Plan for 30-90 days. Short-term signals appear in 7-14 days; reliable retention and LTV metrics require 30-90 days depending on category and monetization.

Do I Need an Attribution Partner for Apple Search Ads?

While Apple provides some attribution tools and the Search Ads Attribution API, using a dedicated attribution partner like Adjust or AppsFlyer gives cross-channel measurement, fraud detection, and richer cohort LTV analysis.

Next steps

1. Inventory check and localization sprint (Days 0-14)

• Confirm app availability in each target storefront inside App Store Connect.
• Localize store listing for top 3 markets and prepare localized screenshots.

2. Keyword research and campaign setup (Days 1-21)

• Run country-specific keyword research with Sensor Tower or data.ai.
• Create Advanced campaigns per storefront and set conservative CPT bids.

3. Tracking and baseline metrics (Days 1-30)

• Integrate AppsFlyer or Adjust and configure in-app events for 1-day, 7-day, and 28-day retention.
• Launch initial campaigns with test budgets and monitor CPT, TTR, and CPA daily.

4. Optimize and scale (Days 31-90)

• Reallocate budgets to markets with positive 30-day ROAS.
• Iterate on keyword lists, pause non-performing terms, and A/B test localized creatives every 2-4 weeks.

Checklist to start today

• App published in storefronts you plan to target.
• Apple Search Ads account created and billing configured.
• Attribution provider integrated and in-app events instrumented.
• Localized metadata and at least one creative variant per market.
• Initial budget and bid strategy set for each country.

Further Reading

• Apple Search Ads New Countries Guide
• Apple Search Ads Adjust Integration Guide
• Apple Search Ads Keyword Tool Guide
• Apple Search Ads Budget Guide for App Marketers