Compare lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type.
October 2025 - September 2026
Benchmark observations based on the selected data
The headline: Consulting cost-per-lead (CPL) ran materially below the global benchmark for most of the 13-month window, but with sharper swings and an extreme late drop. 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 in All countries compared to the global benchmark.
Consulting CPL began the period at about $21.45 in July 2025 and finished at an outlier low of $3.39 in July 2026. Across the 13 months the median CPL for Consulting averaged roughly $25.80 per lead, with a high of $46.44 (April 2026) and a low of $3.39 (July 2026). By contrast the global benchmark averaged about $44.10 over the same window, peaking near $53.22 (Feb 2026) and troughing at $20.82 (July 2026).
Monthly dynamics: Consulting rose from ~$21 in July–September 2025 into the high $20s, softened into December ($16.00), then climbed sharply in February 2026 ($36.57). The series then hit its single-month peak in April ($46.44), held elevated in May (~$42.95), eased in June (~$25.91) and collapsed to $3.39 in July 2026. On average Consulting CPL trailed the global benchmark by about 41–42% over the period (mean $25.8 vs $44.1).
Volatility was a clear feature: the standard deviation of Consulting CPL was roughly $10.9 (≈42% of its mean), and average month-to-month absolute movement was about $9.2 (≈36% of the Consulting mean). Those swings were substantially larger than the global benchmark’s volatility (baseline std dev ≈ $7.8; average monthly move ≈ $4.7), signaling a more churn-prone cost profile in Consulting.
Seasonality in this window shows a soft Q4 dip (December ~ $16 for Consulting) followed by a rebound into early Q1 and a pronounced spike in February and a peak in April. The April–May stretch marked the year’s most sustained elevation for Consulting CPL (mid-$40s), before a pullback in June and a dramatic July collapse. The baseline also showed a late-June/July decline, but far less extreme than the Consulting series.
These month-to-month rhythms create a jagged pattern for Consulting CPL—periods of relative calm in late summer and autumn, then a rapid escalation into late winter and spring, and an abrupt end-of-series drop.
Viewed against the global benchmark, Consulting CPL was below average for most months—roughly 30–60% lower in many months. Notable gaps include September 2025 (Consulting ~$27.67 vs global ~$48.20, ~43% below) and March 2026 (~$26.95 vs ~$50.64, ~47% below). The one month Consulting exceeded the global level was April 2026 (Consulting $46.44 vs global $41.44, ~+12%). At its narrowest, the gap closed in April; at its widest, Consulting sat roughly 84% below the global benchmark in July 2026.
Overall the Consulting series was more volatile and episodic than the global benchmark—higher amplitude swings, sharper month-to-month moves, and a final-month anomaly that separates it from the smoother baseline pattern.
Understanding Cost Per Lead benchmarks for Consulting across All countries, and how they compare to Facebook Ads benchmarks and broader country-specific ad costs, helps frame industry ad performance and CPL trends over seasonal cycles.
Facebook advertising cost benchmarks
Facebook advertising costs vary by industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objective. In the Consulting industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs through regional competition and user engagement. Campaign objectives affect costs because Facebook optimizes delivery for different goals. The data shows median values across multiple campaigns. Results can vary with ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.
A small share of campaigns has extremely high CPL values. Those outliers can inflate an average. The median is the midpoint across campaigns, so it better represents a typical result.
The data shows industry median benchmarks. Costs can vary with targeting, creative quality, and campaign optimization.
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The dataset includes over $3B in Facebook ad spend from thousands of ad accounts that use Superads to analyze and improve campaigns. Every data point is anonymized and aggregated. It does not expose an individual advertiser.
The dataset updates as new ad data is available.
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.
Weak creative, irrelevant targeting, or an offer that does not resonate can raise CPL. Low engagement or poor landing-page conversion rates can also increase costs.
Yes. Campaigns optimized for conversions or leads tend to generate less expensive, more qualified leads than traffic or engagement objectives. Facebook uses the optimization signal to find users.
Improve the offer, target the right audience, and use high-converting creative. Test native lead forms while continuing to qualify users.
For sales or revenue goals, optimize for deeper-funnel conversions. Optimizing for leads alone can increase volume while reducing quality.
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