Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Nonprofit

Introduction

Across all countries, Nonprofit cost-per-lead (CPL) spent most of the year well below the global Facebook Ads benchmarks, then swung sharply higher in late summer and again at the start of 2026. The story is two-speed: an exceptionally efficient first half, followed by a choppy, elevated back half with two brief periods above the global median. Volatility was a defining feature, with outsized month-to-month swings concentrated in August, September, and January.

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 the Nonprofit industry across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Nonprofit CPL started at $2.17 in January 2025 and ended at $57.72 in January 2026. The full-period median averaged $16.46, with a low of $2.17 (January 2025) and a high of $57.72 (January 2026). From January through June, CPL climbed gradually from $2.17 to $5.89, averaging just $3.73 — unusually efficient against the market. The tempo changed in July ($20.28) and surged in August to $51.26 (+153% month over month), before collapsing to $6.59 in September (−87% from August). Q4 held at a higher plateau — $17.42 in October, $17.96 in November, $20.39 in December — and then spiked to $57.72 in January 2026 (+183% from December).

Monthly volatility averaged roughly 12.1 dollars per lead in absolute terms, more than triple the global benchmark’s 3.5. The largest single swing was the August-to-September reset (−$44.67), while the steepest climb occurred in December-to-January (+$37.33).

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The first half of 2025 was consistently soft in CPL terms, with a smooth, low base from January through June. Mid-year brought a pronounced lift: July increased markedly, August reached the yearly peak, and September rebalanced to near early-year levels. Q4 remained higher than H1 but relatively contained versus the August peak. In the broader market, CPL typically tightens through late Q3 and Q4 as competition rises, with some relief entering December and January; the global series reflects that arc, while the Nonprofit series diverged with a late spike in January 2026.

Country vs. Global

Compared to the overall benchmark across all industries and countries, Nonprofit CPL averaged $16.46 versus $40.99 — about 60% lower. The gap was widest early: in Q1 2025, Nonprofit averaged roughly $2.65 versus a global $36.2 (about 93% below). Through Q3, Nonprofit stayed below market on average (−41%), but August briefly ran above the global median by 18% ($51.26 vs. $43.40). Q4 Nonprofit CPL remained around 60% below the global level. The spread flipped again in January 2026, when Nonprofit CPL landed 68% above market ($57.72 vs. $34.46). Overall, the global trend was steady within the mid-30s to high-40s, while Nonprofit was more volatile, with sharper surges and resets.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-lead benchmarks for the Nonprofit industry across all countries highlights a year defined by ultra-low early CPLs, a mid-year spike, and a late‑year rebound that briefly ran above the market. While this report centers on CPL, marketers often view it alongside CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance to contextualize country-specific ad costs and industry ad performance relative to global patterns.