See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Marketing & Advertising lead costs moved on a different rhythm than the wider market this year. Across all countries, cost per lead (CPL) for the category averaged $35.50 versus a $40.06 global all-industry benchmark—about 11% lower overall—yet the path there was far choppier. The year opened in the mid-$30s, surged to a July high, and then unwound sharply into December, ending far below the market. Volatility and a counter-seasonal Q4 defined the story.
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 Marketing & Advertising in all countries compared to the global benchmark.
Momentum was uneven. After a soft January ($33.79), CPL spiked in February ($47.29) and held near the high-$30s through June. July stood out as the clear outlier at $52.33—about 40% higher than December 2024 and the category’s annual high. From there, declines stacked up: $39.18 in August and $36.39 in September gave way to a steep Q4 slide—$29.50 in October, $24.12 in November, and finally $8.50 in December.
Volatility averaged $7.30 in month-to-month absolute moves, almost double the global benchmark’s $3.91, with the sharpest swing coming in November to December (−$15.62).
The category exhibited a two-act year. H1 (January–June) averaged $39.02, supported by a February spike and stable spring levels around $38–$39. H2 (July–December) averaged $31.67, pulled up by July’s peak but dominated by an extended decline thereafter. Q4 was unusually soft for Marketing & Advertising: the quarter averaged $20.71, roughly half of Q1’s $39.89. This is counter to typical Q4 pressure, where competition often raises CPLs.
Compared with the global benchmark, Marketing & Advertising CPL was:
The global all-industry trend rose into a Q3–Q4 peak (October at $48.41) before easing to $32.53 in December, a modest −15% from December 2024. In contrast, Marketing & Advertising’s late-year correction was far more pronounced—culminating in the $8.50 December trough.
In short, Facebook Ads cost-per-lead benchmarks for Marketing & Advertising across all countries show a lower overall CPL than the market but with significantly higher volatility and a counter-seasonal Q4 dip. This CPL view complements broader CPC trends and CPM analysis, helping frame industry ad performance alongside global patterns. Understanding cost per lead benchmarks for Marketing & Advertising across all countries provides a clear read on country-agnostic ad costs and CTR performance context within the global benchmark.
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 Marketing & Advertising 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.
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.
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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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
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Cost per lead across different markets
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