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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Legal

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

Cost Per Lead for Legal

November 2024 - November 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Introduction

Legal lead generation carried a premium across all countries, running well above the global all‑industry benchmark and moving through clear seasonal swings. The year opened with a sharp Q4-to-Q1 reset, then climbed through spring, cooled in midsummer, and surged into early fall with a pronounced September spike. Volatility was meaningful, with several double‑digit swings month to month. 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

Cost Per Lead (CPL) for Legal began at $138 in November 2024 and ended at $197 in October 2025—an increase of roughly 43% across the period. The average CPL was about $158, with a low of $66 in December and a high of $256 in September. Most months clustered between $130 and $220, but the December trough and September peak defined the extremes.

Key movements included:

  • A sharp drop from $138 in November to $66 in December (−47%), the lowest month of the year.
  • A steady build through Q1 and Q2: $84 in January to $218 in May.
  • A midsummer cool‑off: $192 in June down to $132 in August.
  • A dramatic September surge to $256 (+94% versus August), followed by a pullback to $197 in October.

Monthly volatility averaged about $44.8, or roughly 28% of the series average—meaningfully choppier than the global all‑industry pattern.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonally, the Legal category showed an atypical December softness, followed by a consistent rise that culminated in a high‑cost spring. Q2 (April–June) averaged about $196—roughly 54% higher than Q1’s $128. The market then eased through July and August before an early‑fall spike in September set the yearly high, with October remaining elevated.

This rhythm aligns with common advertising cycles—competitiveness often intensifies from late spring into fall—while also reflecting Legal’s category‑specific cadence, where lead quality thresholds and budgets can lift CPL beyond broader market norms even as CPM analysis and CPC trends remain more stable globally.

Country vs. Global

Against the global all‑industry Facebook Ads benchmarks, Legal CPL across all countries ran high throughout. The global benchmark averaged about $41, drifting within a tight $33–$48 band and rising modestly into Q3. In contrast, Legal’s average was nearly 4x higher (~$158).

  • Gap range: The narrowest gap appeared in December, when Legal was about 66% above the global level ($66 vs. $40). The widest gaps occurred in May and September, when Legal CPL was more than 5x the global benchmark (+430% to +436%).
  • Trend comparison: The global series edged up about 9% from November to October ($41.47 to $45.08) and stayed steady month to month (average swing ~$3.22). Legal climbed 43% over the same span with materially higher volatility (average swing ~$44.8), indicating a more dynamic and cost‑sensitive category.
  • Quarterly pulse: While the global benchmark rose gradually from Q2 to Q3, Legal’s costs spiked more abruptly in late Q3, underscoring a sharper seasonal crest.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑lead benchmarks for the Legal industry across all countries highlights a premium, more volatile CPL profile versus the global all‑industry baseline. This CPL‑focused view complements broader CPC trends and CTR performance discussions and helps frame country‑specific ad costs within an industry ad performance context worldwide.

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.