Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Design in United States

See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Lead for Design in United States

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost per lead trends for industry Design and target country United States compared to the global trend, based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • The United States Design median cost per lead averaged 128.62, materially above the global baseline average of 35.80 (about 3.6x higher), placing it consistently “above market.”
  • Volatility in the United States Design series was high: average month-to-month change of 40.8% vs 12.6% for the global baseline. Sharp spikes and dips were frequent.
  • Seasonal signals differ: the global baseline showed a clear Q4 uplift (peaking in November), while United States Design spiked in October, softened in November, and stabilized in December; a pronounced jump in July was followed by steep declines into September.

Scope and context

  • Metric: cost per lead (median, monthly).
  • Selection: Design industry, United States; baseline represents the global trend.
  • Period: September 2024 to September 2025.

United States Design highlights

  • Average: 128.62; Range: 205.77 (from 18.58 to 224.35).
  • High: 224.35 in February 2025.
  • Low: 18.58 in September 2025.
  • Start to end change: from 111.45 (September 2024) to 18.58 (September 2025), down 83.3%.
  • Volatility:
  • Average absolute month-to-month move: 40.8%.
  • Notable moves:
  • +71.5% from September to October 2024 (111.45 → 191.11).
  • +66.4% from January to February 2025 (134.89 → 224.35).
  • +70.2% from June to July 2025 (107.35 → 182.67).
  • −56.9% from July to August 2025 (182.67 → 78.70).
  • −76.4% from August to September 2025 (78.70 → 18.58).
  • Seasonal notes:
  • Q4 2024: October spike, November dip, modest December recovery.
  • Q1 2025: peak in February.
  • Summer 2025: July jump followed by a sharp late-summer reset into September.

Global baseline highlights

  • Average: 35.80; Range: 20.95 (from 20.63 to 41.58).
  • High: 41.58 in November 2024.
  • Low: 20.63 in September 2025.
  • Start to end change: from 32.88 to 20.63, down 37.3%.
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month move of 12.6%.
  • Seasonal notes: a clearer Q4 uplift, with elevated November–December levels; softer through mid-year, and a pronounced drop in September 2025.

Relative positioning vs baseline

  • Across 12 of 13 months, United States Design costs were above the global baseline; the only exception was September 2025, when they dipped ~10% below.
  • Peak comparison: United States Design’s February 2025 high (224.35) was about 5.4x the global high (41.58).
  • Typical premium: monthly ratios ranged from ~2.1x to ~6.1x above baseline through August 2025, underscoring a sustained “above market” cost environment.

Understanding cost per lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Design and United States helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

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 Design industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting United States, advertisers often face higher costs due to high competition and purchasing power. 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.

Why we use median instead of average

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.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

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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The data behind the benchmarks

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.

United States Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 20Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb 17Presidents' Day
May 26Memorial Day
Jun 19Juneteenth
Jul 4Independence Day
Sep 1Labor Day
Oct 13Columbus Day
Nov 11Veterans Day
Nov 27Thanksgiving Day
Dec 25Christmas Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Thanksgiving & Black Friday weekend), December (Christmas), Back-to-school (July–September), Summer travel season (Memorial Day onwards)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise around major holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, especially in travel and entertainment. Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend triggers massive spikes in retail ad competition. December ad demand typically peaks—retail campaigns require significantly higher budgets. Back-to-school promotions drive increased competition. Juneteenth may see regional engagement rise.

What is considered a good cost per lead on Facebook in 2025?

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.

Why is my CPL higher than industry averages?

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.

Does campaign objective impact CPL?

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.

How can I generate leads at a lower cost without hurting lead quality?

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.

Should I optimize for leads or conversions if my goal is pipeline growth?

If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.