Which channel is most effective for subscription-based Mental Health apps?

According to the Prosto case study, Apple Search Ads delivers the highest volume (207.8% trial growth), while Yandex Direct offers the best cost efficiency (1.76x cost reduction). The optimal approach is a multi-channel split: ASA + Google Ads + local channels.

Is it worth running Yandex Direct for iOS apps?

Yes. In the Prosto case study, Yandex Direct delivered 111% trial growth and the best cost-per-trial reduction among all channels (1.76x). It only works in specific geos — in this case, only Europe proved effective.

How do you scale Apple Search Ads when CPT bids increase 5x?

PAD team's approach: increase CPT bids (up to 5x the target cost) while keeping CPI under control. The actual install cost stays within KPI. Additionally — Discovery campaigns for finding low-cost keywords and synergy with ASO.

How do you reach Russian-speaking expat audiences abroad?

Use geo-targeting in ASA and Google Ads for countries with high concentrations of relocants (Kazakhstan, Armenia, Serbia, Cyprus, UAE) with Russian-language keywords. This allows buying target traffic at lower rates than local auctions.

Does VK Ads work for Mental Health apps?

In the Prosto case study (2022–2024), VK Ads produced 0 trials at the highest install cost among all channels. For the Mental Health niche, search-based channels (ASA, Google Ads) significantly outperform social channels.

← PAD team

Prosto Case Study: How We Recovered a Meditation App's Growth and Reduced Trial Cost by 1.7x

Q: Can an app recover growth after losing 50% of its users?

Yes. In the Prosto case study, after a 55% drop in unique users, PAD team acquired 478,535 new users within 12 months and exceeded previous benchmarks through a multi-channel strategy (ASA, Google Ads, Yandex Direct).

Q: How should you allocate budget between ASA, Google Ads, and Yandex?

Start with ASA — the highest-intent demand (Intent-based). Then add Google Ads for volume scaling. Yandex Direct is a supplementary channel for specific geos. In the Prosto case study, all three channels ran in parallel.

Mental Health Apple Search Ads Google Ads Yandex Direct Crisis Recovery

Result: PAD team built a crisis-recovery UA strategy for Prosto (meditation app, subscription model) after losing 55% of users in February 2022. A multi-channel approach — ASA, Google Ads, Yandex Direct — acquired 478,535 new users. ASA trials grew by 207.8%, and Yandex trial cost dropped by 1.76x.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Value	Note
New users	478,535	54.82% from paid channels
ASA: trial growth	+207.8%	vs. January 2022
ASA: trial cost reduction	1.74x	Despite 5x CPT bid increases
Google Ads: trial growth	+148.5%	vs. January 2022
Google Ads: trial cost reduction	1.31x	Optimized for Trial event
Yandex Direct: trial growth	+111%	vs. July 2022
Yandex Direct: trial cost reduction	1.76x	Best result across all channels
Channels tested	6	3 scaled, 3 discontinued

Context: What Happened After February 2022

Prosto is a meditation and mindfulness app (Mental Health, iOS, subscription model). After February 2022, the team faced a systemic crisis: international ad networks withdrew, Visa/Mastercard payments were cut off, and unique users dropped by 55%.

Goal: Restore growth metrics to January 2022 levels.

PAD team's approach:

Geographic pivot to CIS markets (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan) to replace the blocked Russian market
Aggressive scaling of Apple Search Ads
Activating Yandex Direct for iOS — a channel most considered non-viable
Systematic testing of alternatives (TikTok, VK, Yandex Business)

Apple Search Ads: Scaling in an Overheated Auction

ASA became the primary growth channel. The Mental Health category auction is so overheated that a keyword may not serve at a $5 CPT bid. PAD team applied the tactic of increasing CPT bids by 5x relative to the target cost — while keeping the actual CPI within KPI.

What we did:

Geo-Arbitrage: Russian-speaking audiences in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan served as a viable replacement for the blocked Russian market
Aggressive bidding: Increased CPT for keywords with proven trials while controlling trial cost
Placement testing: The Search tab delivered installs at under $1 when targeting worldwide
Exact Match: Traffic quality control + Discovery campaigns for low-cost keywords

Google Ads: Multi-Geo Strategy Across 4 Regions

Google Ads delivered 148.5% trial growth and a 1.31x reduction in cost per trial. The channel is unpredictable, but with proper setup it delivers consistent volume.

How we operated:

4 regions in parallel: Armenia/Georgia/Kazakhstan/Mongolia, CIS, Europe, Russian-speaking worldwide
Event-based optimization: Bidding at 1.5x the target. Actual cost stayed within KPI
Creatives: Meditation course clips and voice recordings — demonstrating value, not making promises

Yandex Direct for iOS: Myth Busted

Contrary to the stereotype that "Yandex only works for Android," the channel delivered the best trial cost reduction across the entire project — 1.76x. Trial growth: +111%.

What worked:

Europe only: CIS and worldwide geos produced expensive trials — discontinued after testing
iOS only: Android generated zero trials
Website traffic: Search and display network campaigns drove traffic to a landing page with subscription payments for users in Russia

Limitations: Yandex now only offers "Campaign Master" for mobile apps — no interest-based targeting, and analytics must be collected manually.

What Didn't Work

An honest review of underperforming channels is part of a systematic testing approach.

Channel	Result	Takeaway
VK Ads	Highest CPI, 0 trials	Not suitable for Mental Health subscriptions
TikTok	CPA 2x above KPI, 1.25% conversion	Promising, but requires stable analytics
Yandex Business	0 trials	Not suitable for mobile apps

Key insight: For Mental Health apps, search-based channels (Intent-based: ASA, Google Ads) significantly outperform social channels (Push-based: VK, TikTok).

Geo-Arbitrage: Russian-Speaking Audiences Abroad

During the 2022–2024 relocation wave, Russian-speaking audiences spread across Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, Serbia, Cyprus, and the UAE. The Geo-Arbitrage strategy allowed acquiring this traffic at rates below local auction prices:

ASA: Geo-targeting Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan with Russian-language keywords
Google Ads: 4 separate regions with individual KPIs
Yandex Direct: Europe only — the sole geo with acceptable CPA

FAQ

Can an app recover growth after losing 50%+ of its users?

Yes. In the Prosto case, after a 55% drop, PAD team acquired 478,535 new users within 12 months and exceeded previous benchmarks through a multi-channel strategy.

Which channel works best for Mental Health apps?

Apple Search Ads delivers the highest volume (+207.8% trials). Yandex Direct offers the best cost efficiency (1.76x reduction). The optimal approach is a multi-channel split.

Is it worth running Yandex Direct for iOS?

Yes, with the right geo selection. In this case, Yandex delivered the best trial cost reduction among all channels. The key limitation is that it doesn't work in all markets (only Europe proved effective here).

How do you scale ASA when bids increase 5x?

Increase CPT bids (up to 5x) while controlling CPI. Use Discovery campaigns for low-cost keywords and leverage ASO synergy. The actual install cost stays within KPI.

How do you reach Russian-speaking audiences abroad?

Geo-target ASA and Google Ads to countries with high concentrations of relocants (Kazakhstan, Armenia, Cyprus, UAE) using Russian-language keywords. Rates are lower than local auctions.

Does VK Ads work for wellness apps?

In this case — no. VK produced 0 trials at the highest install cost. For the Mental Health niche, search-based channels outperform social ones.

How should you allocate budget between ASA, Google, and Yandex?

Start with ASA (highest-intent App Store demand), then add Google Ads for volume scaling. Yandex Direct is a supplementary channel for specific geos.