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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Legal in United States

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

Cost Per Lead for Legal in United States

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-lead (CPL) trends for industry Legal 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.
  • Legal in the United States ran above market in every month observed: the average CPL was $72.66, which is 102% higher than the global baseline average of $36.04.
  • The selected series showed pronounced seasonality: a late Q1 spike (Feb–Mar 2025), followed by a steady decline into late summer with the annual low in September.
  • Volatility was materially higher than the global trend. Average month-to-month absolute change was $12.62 for Legal in the United States versus $4.75 globally.

Selected market overview (Legal, United States)

  • Average and median: Average CPL was $72.66; the median was $67.62, indicating a few high months pulled the average up.
  • Highs and lows: Highest CPL in March 2025 at $98.26; lowest in September 2025 at $46.76. The overall range was $51.51.
  • Trend from start to end: From $59.11 in October 2024 to $46.76 in September 2025, a decrease of 20.9%.
  • Notable spikes/dips:
  • Sharp climb from January to February (+$32.36, +50.2%), peaking across February–March.
  • Largest drop from June to July (-$37.97, -40.9%), with continued easing into September.
  • Volatility: Average absolute month-to-month change of $12.62; largest single-month swing was June to July.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Level comparison: Legal in the United States averaged $72.66 versus a global average of $36.04—consistently above market by roughly 2.0x. All 12 months were above the baseline.
  • Highs and lows: Global high was $41.58 in November 2024; the low was $20.63 in September 2025 (range: $20.95). The selected market’s range was more than double the baseline.
  • Baseline trend from start to end: Global CPL moved from $31.12 (Oct 2024) to $20.63 (Sep 2025), down 33.7%—a stronger downward slope than the selected market’s 20.9% decrease.
  • Largest gaps vs baseline occurred in February–June 2025, peaking in March (+$65.43 vs global). The closest months were December 2024 (+$12.81), July (+$16.14), and August (+$17.02).

Seasonality and stability signals

  • Q4: Legal in the United States rose into November ($70.80) before easing in December ($52.44). The global series also lifted into November.
  • Q1–Q2: The selected market spiked in February–March (to ~$98), remaining elevated through June ($92.77), indicating higher acquisition costs in late Q1 and much of Q2.
  • Q3: Both series softened, with the global low in September ($20.63) and the selected market hitting its lowest point the same month ($46.76).
  • Overall volatility: The selected market’s month-to-month movements ($12.62 on average) were about 2.7x the global baseline ($4.75), signaling a more variable CPL pattern.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Legal 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 Legal industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. 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.

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