Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Gaming

Introduction

Global Gaming lead costs told a dramatic story this cycle: a deep mid-year trough, a sharp late-summer surge, and a cooler Q4 finish — all while sitting well below the broader market. Across all countries, Cost Per Lead (CPL) for Gaming averaged $18.32 from November 2024 to November 2025, versus a $39.83 global benchmark across industries. Volatility was the headline; Gaming’s CPL swung about $12.42 month over month on average — roughly 3x the global market’s $4.23. 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 Gaming across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Gaming CPL opened at $21.61 in November 2024 and closed at $12.02 in November 2025, a 44% decline across the period. The year’s low arrived early in June 2025 at just $4.15, followed by a steep rebound to the annual high of $42.98 in August. That $38.83 spread underscores the market’s choppiness.

Monthly movements were pronounced. December 2024 lifted to $34.41 (+$12.80), only to fall back to $20.68 in January (−$13.73) and then swing up again in February (+$12.49). The most abrupt drop came in March (−$28.60 to $4.58), with a shallow recovery through April–July averaging $6.40. Then came a surge: July to August jumped +$37.16, nearly a 9x rise from the June low. After the spike, Gaming cooled into Q4, easing to $12.58 in October and $12.02 in November.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality inverted the usual pattern. Where many categories tighten into late Q3 and Q4, Gaming CPL softened dramatically through spring and early summer (March–July), then spiked in August before easing again. The August–September window marked the strongest pricing (peak at $42.98, then $28.74), while March–June was the softest stretch, with four of five months under $10.

Performance typically softens through Q4 as competition rises, and the broader market followed that rhythm; Gaming, however, had already passed through its deepest trough earlier in the year. The result was a V-shaped profile: early-year pressure, a late-summer rebound, and a measured retreat into November.

Country vs. Global

Compared to the global benchmark across industries, Gaming CPL was consistently below market. On average, Gaming ran 54% lower ($18.32 vs. $39.83). The gap was widest in June (−90% vs. the $40.96 global mark) and remained very wide in March and July (−86%). The narrowest gap came in August, when Gaming’s $42.98 sat just 3% below the $44.14 global level — nearly in line. December (−13%) was the only other month where the spread was modest.

Trend-wise, the global benchmark rose steadily from January ($35.73) to a September high ($47.62, +33% from March), then eased sharply into November ($28.58). Gaming moved in a choppier pattern, falling 44% from November to November versus the benchmark’s 31% decline — and with much sharper month-to-month variance.

Overall, Gaming was more volatile and generally priced below the market, punctuated by a singular late-summer spike.

Closing

This data-rich view of Facebook Ads benchmarks highlights Cost Per Lead dynamics for the Gaming industry across all countries: lower-than-market CPLs on average, pronounced mid-year softness, and a brief late-summer peak before Q4 eased. For context alongside CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance, these Gaming CPL benchmarks provide a clear read on country-agnostic ad costs relative to the global baseline.