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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Legal

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Cost Per Lead for Legal

November 2024 - November 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Introduction

Legal lead costs ran well above market and moved with pronounced swings across all countries. Compared to the global all‑industry benchmark, Cost per Lead (CPL) for Legal stayed elevated almost every month, with a mid‑year surge that climaxed in September before cooling into Q4. The year’s standout moment was a sharp late‑summer spike, bracketed by a rare December trough and a brisk autumn come‑down. 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 Legal in all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Across November 2024 to November 2025, Legal CPL averaged about $155, ranging from a low of $66 in December 2024 to a high of $256 in September 2025. The period opened at $138 (Nov ’24) and closed at $119 (Nov ’25), an overall −14% drift despite the big mid‑year lift.

Key movements:

  • December 2024 marked the cycle low at $66, down 53% from November.
  • A Q1 rebuild lifted CPL from $84 in January to $131 in February and $167 in March.
  • Q2 accelerated: $179 (April), $218 (May), then $192 (June). Q2 averaged $196, up 54% from Q1’s $127.
  • Q3 softened in July–August (near $133) before the September spike to $256 (+94% month over month).
  • Q4 cooled to $197 in October and then $119 in November.

Volatility was pronounced. Average absolute month‑to‑month movement was roughly $47.6, far more turbulent than the global benchmark’s $4.2 average shift.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The pattern shows a clear mid‑year build, a late‑summer peak, and an autumn correction. While many markets typically experience firmer competition in Q4, Legal CPL across all countries found its inflection earlier: strength accumulated from late Q1 through Q2, plateaued in midsummer, and culminated in a September high. The subsequent October pullback and November reset closed the loop on an unusually front‑loaded year, with the very first December (2024) standing out as an atypically soft baseline.

Country vs. Global

Relative to the global all‑industry benchmark, Legal CPL was consistently above market. The Legal average (~$155) was nearly 4× the global average (~$40). Month by month, the gap ranged from 1.6× at its narrowest (December 2024: $66 vs. $39.6) to about 5.4× at its widest (September 2025: $255.9 vs. $47.6). From January to September, global CPL rose a steady +33% (from $35.7 to $47.6), while Legal climbed a much steeper +204% (from $84.2 to $255.9), reflecting heavier amplitude. Over the full period, Legal eased −13% from start to end, while the global benchmark fell −31% (November 2024 to November 2025), underscoring Legal’s higher level and greater resilience despite its chop.

Closing

Facebook Ads benchmarks for Cost per Lead in the Legal industry across all countries show elevated, more volatile acquisition costs versus the global norm, with a mid‑year swell and a September peak defining the year’s rhythm. While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance provide additional context, this CPL view highlights industry ad performance and country‑aggregated ad costs relative to the global benchmark. Understanding Facebook Ads Cost per Lead benchmarks for the Legal industry across all countries helps marketers evaluate acquisition cost dynamics against global patterns.

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 Legal 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.

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.

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.