See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
June 2025 - June 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Media cost-per-lead (CPL) activity in “All countries” ran materially below the global baseline across the 12-month window, with sharper swings and a handful of standout months. 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 Media in All countries available compared to the global benchmark.
Across June 2025–May 2026 Media CPLs averaged about $22.15 per lead (median monthly values), starting at $18.62 in June 2025 and finishing almost unchanged at $18.69 in May 2026 — a nominal +0.4% move from start to finish. The calendar high for Media was $41.38 in December 2025 and the low was $11.92 in July 2025. Monthly volatility was substantial: the series’ standard deviation was roughly $7.45 (≈34% of the mean), and average absolute month-to-month movement was about $7.5. The baseline (global) CPL averaged about $46.61 over the same months, with its own peak of $53.76 in February 2026 and a trough near $40.57 in April 2026.
Notable month-to-month momentum in Media included a steep lift into December (+42% from November’s $29.09 to $41.38) and an immediate rebound down in January (−42% to $23.87). The deepest trough came in July ($11.92), nearly two-thirds below the baseline that month.
There’s a clear rhythm: Media CPLs were relatively subdued through summer (June–August) with the July low, then climbed into autumn and spiked in December. Early Q1 showed a fast retracement from the December peak. The baseline pattern differed — the global benchmark crested in February and eased into April — producing a staggered seasonal picture where Media’s December surge stands out against a global winter peak occurring slightly later.
Overall, the Media series shows punctuated spikes and reversals rather than a smooth seasonal curve; December and July function as the most prominent inflection months for this industry in the pooled countries.
Compared with the global benchmark, Media CPLs in All countries were consistently below market levels. On average the Media CPL was roughly 52–53% lower than the global baseline ($22.15 vs $46.61). The gap narrowed to its smallest margin in December 2025 when Media CPLs were only ~9% below baseline; the widest gap appeared in February 2026 when Media CPLs were about 71% below the global level. Volatility comparison shows Media’s CPLs were roughly twice as volatile as the benchmark (std. dev. ≈ $7.45 vs baseline ≈ $3.76), producing sharper lifts and declines versus the smoother baseline trend.
This data-driven summary frames cost-per-lead variability for Media across All countries available against broader, global CPL benchmarks. Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks, alongside related Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPC trends, CPM analysis, CTR performance and country-specific ad costs, provides a clearer picture of industry ad performance for Media in All countries.
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 Media 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.
Improve your Facebook ad performance
• Instant performance insights – See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.
• Data-driven creative decisions – Spot patterns to improve ROAS.
• Effortless reporting – No spreadsheets, just clear insights.
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.
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:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries
See how much it costs to get users to install an app