See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
February 2025 - February 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Australia’s all‑industry Facebook Ads cost per lead (CPL) moved largely in line with the global benchmark through 2025, but with sharper month‑to‑month swings and a dramatic spike to start 2026. The year opened at $38.68 in January 2025, dipped to a March low of $27.39, then climbed unevenly into a Q3/Q4 plateau before jumping to $60.50 in January 2026. In contrast, the global series was steadier and ended lower year over year. 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 Australia compared to the global benchmark.
Across the 13‑month window, Australia’s CPL averaged about $43.10, versus a $41.00 global average—roughly 5% higher. The Australian series began at $38.68 (January 2025) and finished at $60.50 (January 2026), a 56% rise. The trough arrived early at $27.39 in March 2025, followed by a sharp rebound to $45.15 in April and further lifts into June ($49.43) and July ($53.82). After a mid‑year crest, costs eased but remained elevated through October ($50.93) before moderating into December ($41.23), then surged again in January 2026.
Volatility stands out. Australia’s average absolute month‑over‑month move was about $9.5, nearly three times the global benchmark’s $3.5. The largest swings included March’s drop from February (−$9.48), the April snap‑back (+$17.77), and the December‑to‑January 2026 jump (+$19.27). This choppiness framed a market that frequently overshot and undershot the global pattern.
Seasonality showed a familiar rhythm but with Australian amplitude. Q1 2025 was soft (average $34.31), with March standing as the year’s low. Q2 was uneven (average $41.96), mixing a rebound month with a May pullback ($31.30) and a June lift. Q3 ran hot (average $47.60), led by July’s $53.82. Q4 leveled off (average $45.86), stepping down into December. Typical year‑end dynamics were visible—costs cooled into the holidays—yet Australia diverged in January 2026 with a sharp increase, whereas global CPLs eased to one of their lowest points.
Relative to the global Facebook Ads benchmarks, Australia was a near‑match on level in 2025 (annual average $42.43 vs. $41.53 globally, +2%), but notably more volatile. Australia ran below the global CPL in 7 of 12 months in 2025, including the widest discount in May (−20%). Above‑market months clustered around mid‑year (April +21%, June +20%, July +32%), narrowing to a small premium in October (+4%). The gap widened dramatically in January 2026, when Australia’s CPL was 76% above the global median ($60.50 vs. $34.46). For context, the global high of the period was October 2025 at $48.83, and the global low was March 2025 at $33.43, when Australia’s $27.39 undercut the market by 18%.
Overall, the global trend drifted slightly down over the 13 months (−2%), while Australia’s path climbed (+56%) on a choppier arc. That combination—higher amplitude with an upward tilt—defines Australia’s country‑specific ad costs for lead generation across all industries.
Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑lead benchmarks for all industries in Australia—set against global CPL, CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance—helps quantify country‑specific ad costs and compare industry ad performance to global patterns.
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. For campaigns targeting Australia, advertisers typically see good engagement rates despite moderate costs. 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.
Improve your Facebook ad performance
• Instant performance insights – See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.
• Data-driven creative decisions – Spot patterns to improve ROAS.
• Effortless reporting – No spreadsheets, just clear insights.
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.
This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.
Late December (Christmas and Boxing Day), Early December (Cyber Monday), January (Back-to-school), May (Mother's Day)
Ad costs could spike around major holidays, especially Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas. Increased budgets and earlier scheduling may be necessary. Retailers should consider planning promotions around back-to-school and Mother's Day to maximize campaign effectiveness.
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:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
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
See how much it costs to get users to install an app