Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Consulting

Introduction

Consulting lead costs ran consistently below the broader market and finished the year with a dramatic late‑Q4 slide. Across all countries, Facebook Ads cost per lead (CPL) for Consulting stayed roughly a third cheaper than the global, all‑industry benchmark, with a mid‑year crest in July and a steep decline into November and December. The pattern diverged from the market’s typical Q3–Q4 tightening: while the global benchmark pushed higher into autumn, Consulting CPL eased, then fell sharply to its annual low in December.

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 Consulting across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Consulting CPL opened at $30.39 in December 2024 and closed at $9.96 in December 2025, a 67% decline over 13 months. The period averaged $26.5, with a high of $36.38 in July and a low of $9.96 in December. Through Q1, CPL held in the mid‑$20s ($26.2 average), edged higher in Q2 ($27.7), and peaked in July before easing to ~$30 in August–September. The step‑downs accelerated in Q4: $27.86 in October to $17.78 in November (−36%), then to $9.96 in December (−44%).

Monthly movement was choppy. Absolute month‑to‑month shifts averaged $3.76, or 14.3% on a percentage basis. The standout swing was July’s +27% jump versus June; the sharpest pullbacks landed in November and December. The overall range was wide—about $26 from peak to trough—signaling more pronounced swings than the broader market.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonally, Consulting CPL showed a modest build from early Q1 into midsummer: a steady climb from January–June culminated in a July crest, followed by a late‑summer normalization around $30. The fourth quarter broke from the usual playbook. While many categories see higher country‑specific ad costs in Q4 as competition rises, Consulting CPL softened sharply across October–December, with the most pronounced relief arriving at year‑end. In short: a mid‑year lift, a controlled late‑summer reset, then an unusually deep Q4 downdraft.

Consulting vs. Global

Relative to Facebook Ads benchmarks across all industries, Consulting remained below market throughout. The Consulting average ($26.5) trailed the global median ($40.1) by roughly 34%. The gap ebbed and flowed: it was narrowest in July (Consulting just 10% below the global CPL) and widest in December (69% below). The global benchmark climbed steadily into September–October ($48.13–$48.41 highs) before dropping in December to $32.53, whereas Consulting peaked earlier (July) and fell more decisively into Q4.

Volatility also differed. By dollars, both series moved about $3.8–$3.9 per month on average. But because Consulting’s CPL level was lower, its percentage volatility (14.3% average monthly change) exceeded the global benchmark’s (9.6%). That translated to a choppier Consulting path even as absolute dollar shifts looked similar.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑lead benchmarks for the Consulting industry across all countries helps marketers gauge CPL trends, compare industry ad performance to the global baseline, and contextualize country‑specific ad costs alongside broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance patterns.