Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Marketplaces

Introduction

Marketplaces advertising spent most of the year paying a premium for leads before flipping to a bargain in the back half. Cost Per Lead (CPL) opened high, spiked sharply in January, then eased through spring and fell decisively from July to October, ending the period well below the all‑industry benchmark. Volatility was pronounced, with standout swings in January, May, and midsummer. 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 Marketplaces across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Across the 13‑month window, Marketplaces CPL averaged about $45.9, ranging from a high of $78.22 in January to a trough of $21.21 in October. The series began at $64.37 in November 2024 and closed at $23.61 in November 2025—down roughly 63% from the starting point and about 70% below the January peak. Month‑to‑month movement averaged a sizable 9.5 points, with the largest jumps occurring in December→January (+21.5), January→February (−20.2), April→May (−19.4), and June→July (−17.2).

The turning point came after a hot first half. CPL stayed elevated through April ($60–$78), pulled back in May ($41) and briefly rebounded in June ($51), then entered a sustained downswing from July ($34) to October ($21) before a modest rebound into November ($23.6).

For context, the global all‑industry benchmark averaged $39.8 over the same period with a much narrower range ($28.58–$47.62) and lower monthly volatility (4.2 points). Its steepest single‑month move occurred in October→November (−16.5), a notable late‑year reset.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonally, the Marketplaces series shows a clear Q1/CY‑start surge, with January standing out as the costliest month for leads. Spring steadied but remained elevated, followed by a decisive mid‑year inflection: costs softened in May, then reset lower from July onward. The tightest cluster of low CPLs ran August–October, marking the least expensive stretch of the year, with a mild lift into November. The global benchmark, by contrast, rose gradually from March into early fall before a sharp November drop.

Country vs. Global

Relative to Facebook Ads benchmarks overall, Marketplaces CPL ran 15% above the global average across the full period. The gap was widest early: in Q1 2025, Marketplaces averaged $65.5 versus $36.4 globally—about 80% higher. Month by month, the premium peaked in January (+119% vs. global), stayed elevated through April (+44% to +81%), and narrowed to near parity in May (about +0%).

The relationship reversed from midsummer. Marketplaces CPL fell below the benchmark in July (−19%), then ran materially cheaper through August (−45%), September (−51%), and October (−53%), with November still below (−17%). Overall, Marketplaces was more volatile than the global trend, with a range nearly three times as wide and a sharper mid‑year pivot.

Closing

Within Facebook Ads benchmarks, this Cost Per Lead analysis highlights how Marketplaces’ industry ad performance diverged from the global pattern—costly and choppy early, then notably cheaper in late Q3–Q4. While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance add context, CPL remains the clearest read on country‑specific ad costs at scale. Understanding CPL benchmarks for Marketplaces across all countries helps teams evaluate lead‑gen efficiency against global norms.