Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for E-commerce in United States

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

Cost Per Lead for E-commerce in United States

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • United States e-commerce cost per lead averaged $53.47 over the last 13 months—about 49% above the global baseline average of $35.80—remaining above market every month (premium ranged from roughly 23% to 84%).
  • Clear seasonality: a November spike (US +15.6% month-over-month to $66.09; global +33.6% to $41.58), a December pullback, steady mid-50s through spring, and a sharp reset in September 2025 (US −34.2% to $31.60; global −44.3% to $20.63).
  • Volatility was in line with global trends: average month-to-month move was $4.55 in the US series vs. $4.50 globally, though the US range was wider ($34.50 vs. $20.95).
  • Overall trend softened: first-to-last change was −43.5% in US e-commerce vs. −37.3% globally.

Scope and context

This analysis looks at cost per lead trends for industry E-commerce and target country United States compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

United States e-commerce cost per lead

  • Average (monthly median across the period): $53.47
  • High: $66.09 in November 2024
  • Low: $31.60 in September 2025
  • Range: $34.50
  • First-to-last change (Sep 2024 → Sep 2025): −43.5%
  • Month-to-month volatility:
  • Average absolute change: $4.55 (~8.5% of the average)
  • Notable moves:
  • November 2024 spike: +15.6% MoM (to $66.09)
  • December 2024 pullback: −14.0% MoM (to $56.88)
  • September 2025 reset: −34.2% MoM (to $31.60)
  • Seasonal pattern: Costs climbed into November (holiday pressure), eased in December–January, held near the mid‑$50s through spring, and trended lower into late summer before the September correction.

Global baseline comparison

  • Average (monthly median across the period): $35.80
  • High: $41.58 in November 2024
  • Low: $20.63 in September 2025
  • Range: $20.95
  • First-to-last change (Sep 2024 → Sep 2025): −37.3%
  • Month-to-month volatility:
  • Average absolute change: $4.50 (~12.6% of the average)
  • Notable moves: +33.6% MoM in November 2024; −44.3% MoM in September 2025
  • Relative positioning of United States e-commerce vs. global:
  • Above market in every month.
  • Average premium: ~49% over the period.
  • Premium range: ~23% (July 2025) to ~84% (October 2024).
  • Seasonal alignment: Both series peak in November and retrench in December; both see a pronounced dip in September 2025, indicating a broad market reset.

What this means for benchmarks

United States e-commerce cost per lead sits persistently above the global baseline, follows the same holiday-driven seasonality, and exhibits similar month-to-month volatility, with a larger overall range and a steeper year-over-year decline into September 2025.

Understanding cost per lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry E-commerce 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 E-commerce industry, Facebook ad costs can be varied, with peaks during holiday seasons and competitive product categories. 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.