Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Nonprofit

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

Cost Per Lead for Nonprofit

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost per lead (CPL) trends for industry Nonprofit and target country All countries available compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • Overall, the selected series averages $55.3 CPL versus $35.8 for the global baseline—about 54% higher—driven by extreme spikes in August–September 2025. From September 2024 through July 2025, the selected data stayed well below market.
  • Seasonality is visible in the baseline with a Q4 lift (November–December). The selected series remained low through Q4 and rose gently in H1 before surging in late Q3 2025.
  • Volatility is concentrated in the last two months: +1,624% month-over-month (MoM) in August and +164% MoM in September.

What the selected time series shows

  • Average over the period: $55.3 CPL (13 months).
  • Range: $1.60 (low, October 2024) to $492.21 (high, September 2025).
  • First-to-last change: from $2.77 (September 2024) to $492.21 (September 2025), approximately +17,700%.
  • Month-to-month dynamics:
  • Early volatility was moderate:
  • September to October 2024: −42%
  • October to November: +56%
  • November to December: −21%
  • Gradual build through H1 2025: January–June averaged $3.46, rising from $2.08 to $5.01.
  • Notable inflection in Q3:
  • June to July: +116%
  • July to August: +1,624% (to $186.38)
  • August to September: +164% (to $492.21)
  • Averages to contextualize:
  • Pre-spike average (Sep 2024–Jul 2025): $3.67
  • Including August–September surge: $55.3

How it compares to the global baseline

  • Baseline average: $35.8; range: $20.63 (September 2025) to $41.58 (November 2024).
  • Baseline first-to-last change: $32.88 to $20.63 (−37%).
  • Relative positioning by month:
  • September 2024–June 2025: the selected CPL ran 87%–95% below the global baseline (e.g., October 2024: $1.60 vs $31.12).
  • July 2025: still 72% below baseline ($10.81 vs $38.67).
  • August 2025: flipped above market at roughly 5.0x the baseline ($186.38 vs $37.03).
  • September 2025: surged to ~23.9x the baseline ($492.21 vs $20.63).
  • Seasonality comparison:
  • Baseline shows a typical Q4 lift (October to November +33.6%, with December still elevated).
  • Selected series does not mirror that Q4 pattern; its major movement occurs in late Q3 2025.

Seasonality and volatility signals

  • Baseline seasonality aligns with common Facebook Ads patterns, with higher costs in Q4 around holiday periods and a late-summer dip (August to September −44%).
  • The selected Nonprofit, all-country CPL remains stable and low through Q4 and H1, then experiences outsized volatility in Q3 2025, dominated by August–September spikes.

Understanding cost per lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Nonprofit and All countries available 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 Nonprofit 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.