Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for E-commerce

Introduction

E-commerce lead costs spent the year on a two-act arc: elevated and choppy through the first half, then resetting lower and sitting below market for much of the back half. Compared to the global benchmark, E-commerce across all countries began well above average, spiked in late winter, and then unwound into a softer, more affordable Q3–Q4—closing the year at its low. Volatility was a defining feature, with sharper swings than the global baseline and standout peaks in February and March.

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 E-commerce across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

CPL for E-commerce opened at about $60 in December 2024 and finished December 2025 near $30—roughly a 51% decline year over year. Across the 13-month window, E-commerce CPL averaged $48, versus a $40 global median. The high water mark arrived in February at $68, followed by another elevated month in March ($62) and April ($64). The low came in December at $30, with a secondary trough in July at $32.

Month by month, the path was jagged. January eased from December (−$8), February jumped sharply (+$16), and spring remained expensive in the low-to-mid $60s. Costs cooled into June ($50), then broke lower in July (−50% from April’s level). Late summer stabilized in the upper $30s to low $40s—August $38, September $41—before a softer October ($38), a brief lift in November ($45), and the reset to the annual low in December.

Volatility underscored the year: the average absolute month-to-month move was about $8.1, more than double the global benchmark’s $3.9. The E-commerce range spanned nearly $38 between its high and low—roughly 79% of its average level—highlighting a market that moved faster and further than the baseline.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality showed clearly. Q1 was the costliest stretch for E-commerce, averaging roughly $61 as competition and demand lifted lead prices. Q2 moderated, sliding from the mid-$60s into the low $50s. Q3 settled into a new regime—high $30s to low $40s—before a mixed Q4: a softer October, a November rebound, and a year-low December. The global benchmark echoed this rhythm at a gentler pace, climbing into September–October and then easing materially in December.

Country vs. Global

Relative to the global benchmark, E-commerce CPL averaged about 21% higher across the period. The first half consistently sat above market—January through June ranged roughly 23% to 88% higher, with the widest gap in March (+88%). From July onward, the relationship flipped: July (−21% vs. global), August (−11%), September (−16%), and October (−23%). The gap narrowed to its tightest point in November (about 3% below global) and ended December about 9% under the benchmark. Notably, while the global index rose about 13% from August to October, E-commerce was roughly flat to down (~4%), signaling a divergent H2 trajectory and higher sensitivity to monthly forces.

Closing

These Facebook Ads benchmarks for Cost per Lead show E-commerce across all countries shifting from an above-market, high-volatility first half to a below-benchmark, more affordable second half. Understanding CPL trends for E-commerce across all countries helps teams evaluate country-specific ad costs and compare industry ad performance against the global benchmark.