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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Nonprofit in Canada

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

Cost Per Lead for Nonprofit in Canada

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost per lead (CPL) trends for the Nonprofit industry in Canada compared to the global trend; the analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • The Canada Nonprofit series is highly volatile: three extreme spikes (Nov–Dec 2024 and Sep 2025) drive the average far above the global baseline.
  • On average, Canada Nonprofit sits above market ($144.83 vs global $36.04), yet it is below the global trend in 8 of 12 months—outliers dominate the mean.
  • Clear seasonality emerges: costs surge in Q4 and again at the end of Q3, aligning with broader patterns where costs typically rise around holiday periods.

Selected data highlights: Nonprofit in Canada (CPL)

  • Overall average: $144.83 across Oct 2024–Sep 2025.
  • High and low: highest in December 2024 at $724.93; lowest in May 2025 at $2.85 (a 255x range).
  • Start-to-end change: from $8.48 in Oct 2024 to $492.21 in Sep 2025, a +5,704% increase.
  • Volatility:
  • Biggest month-over-month jump: +4,152% in Nov 2024 vs Oct; another major jump of +2,848% in Sep 2025 vs Aug.
  • Steepest drops: -90.9% in Jan 2025 vs Dec; -87.9% in Feb vs Jan.
  • Notable spikes/dips:
  • Q4 2024 surge: $360.83 in Nov and $724.93 in Dec.
  • Spring trough: $13.35 in Apr and the series low $2.85 in May.
  • Late-year spike: $492.21 in Sep 2025.
  • Without the three spike months (Nov–Dec 2024 and Sep 2025), the average is $17.78, underscoring how outliers skew the headline mean.

Global baseline highlights (all industries, all countries)

  • Overall average: $36.04.
  • High and low: highest in Nov 2024 at $41.58; lowest in Sep 2025 at $20.63 (roughly a 2.0x range).
  • Start-to-end change: from $31.12 in Oct 2024 to $20.63 in Sep 2025, a -33.7% decline.
  • Seasonality: mild uplift in Q4 (Oct–Dec average $37.44), followed by relatively stable costs through mid-year and a late drop in Sep.

Comparison: Canada Nonprofit vs global

  • Relative level:
  • Average CPL in Canada Nonprofit is about 4.0x above market ($144.83 vs $36.04), driven by outliers.
  • In 8 of 12 months, Canada Nonprofit is below the global average (notably Oct, Feb–Aug). Above-market months are Nov–Dec 2024, Jan 2025, and Sep 2025.
  • Seasonality:
  • Q4 amplification: Canada Nonprofit Q4 average is $364.75 vs global $37.44—about 9.7x higher, signaling a pronounced year-end surge.
  • Q1 2025 normalizes below market ($29.75 vs $35.75). Q2 remains well below ($9.23 vs $38.86). Q3 rises sharply due to September ($175.60 vs $32.11).
  • Volatility:
  • Canada Nonprofit shows extreme swings (255x high/low range) versus the global market’s relatively steady 2.0x range, indicating outsized month-to-month dispersion.

Seasonality and pattern summary

  • Q4 spike aligns with typical Facebook Ads dynamics where costs increase around peak shopping and giving periods.
  • Spring and early summer are markedly lower for Canada Nonprofit, before a late-Q3 surge.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Nonprofit and Canada 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. For campaigns targeting Canada, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. 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.

Canada Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Feb (3rd Mon)Family Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday (federal)
May (Victoria Day)Victoria Day
Jul 1Canada Day
Sep (1st Mon)Labour Day
Oct (2nd Mon)Thanksgiving
Nov 11Remembrance Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), December (holiday shopping, Boxing Day), Back-to-school (August-September), Mother's Day (May)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM might increase during Canada Day, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving. Black Friday and Cyber Monday see heightened e‑commerce bidding. December holiday period may spike ad costs. Back-to-school and Mother's Day drive retail competition. Provincial holidays might alter weekday inventory availability.

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.