See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
August 2025 - August 2026
Detailed observation of presented 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.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the Consulting industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. 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.
This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.
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
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