See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Global cost-per-lead (CPL) moved through a classic rise-and-reset arc: a soft open in Q1 2025, a steady lift into late Q3, a peak in early Q4, and a sharp cooldown into December and January. Across all industries and all countries, CPL averaged roughly $41.53 in 2025, with October setting the high and March marking the low. Volatility was moderate most of the year, punctuated by a pronounced late-year pullback that reset pricing to near the starting line. This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for all industries in all countries compared to the global benchmark.
CPL opened at $35.04 in January 2025 and finished at $34.46 in January 2026—effectively flat year over year (−1.7%), but the path was anything but flat. The year’s low arrived in March at $33.43; from there, CPL climbed 46% to the October high of $48.83. The 2025 average landed at $41.53, with five months (August–December) above that bar.
Monthly dynamics show alternating surges and pullbacks early in the year: February jumped 14.6% month over month, then March retraced −16.7%. From April through September, the build was steadier, highlighted by an 11.4% lift in September. October edged higher to the yearly peak (+1.0% vs. September), before a two-step decline: −13.5% from October to December and another −18.4% in January 2026. On average, absolute month-to-month movement was $3.52—about 8.6% of the long-run mean—suggesting moderate volatility with a few outsized inflections bookending the year.
Seasonality was pronounced. Q1 was the softest quarter at an average CPL of $36.20, reflecting lighter competition and normalized post-holiday demand. Q2 firmed to $39.22 and Q3 accelerated to $44.21 as demand and auction pressure built through summer. Q4 was the most expensive stretch, averaging $46.48, anchored by September–November highs and an October spike. December marked a meaningful cooldown from those peaks, and January 2026 extended the reset to the lowest level since early spring.
The rhythm is clear: early-year efficiency, mid-year firmness, and peak Q4 expenditure, followed by a sharp reversion in the new year. The march from March’s trough to October’s crest (+$15.40) defined the year’s upward momentum; the December–January slide gave the year its symmetrical close.
Because this view aggregates all industries across all countries, it is the global benchmark. The selected series and baseline are identical each month. Gaps are effectively 0% throughout, and the volatility profile is the same: a gradual climb from spring into fall, a Q4 crest, and a double-step reset into January.
Taken together, these Facebook Ads benchmarks show a clear global CPL pattern for all industries: a Q1 trough, a summer build, an October peak, and a decisive year-end correction. Understanding cost per lead benchmarks for all industries worldwide helps marketers contextualize country-specific ad costs against global CPL trends and compare lead-generation performance to broader Facebook Ads benchmark rhythms.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.
We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.
Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.
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All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.
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A good CPL usually ranges from $10 to $50, depending on your industry and target audience. B2C offers tend to be cheaper, while B2B or high-ticket services may see CPLs over $100.
Your CPL could be high due to weak creative, irrelevant targeting, or an offer that doesn't resonate. Low engagement or poor conversion rates on your landing page can also drive up costs.
Yes. Campaigns optimized for conversions or leads tend to generate cheaper and more qualified leads compared to traffic or engagement objectives. Facebook needs clear signals to find the right users.
Focus on improving your offer, targeting the right audience, and using high-converting creative. Test native lead forms, but make sure you're still qualifying users properly.
If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
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Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries
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