Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Public Safety

Introduction

Across all countries, Public Safety lead costs moved through an unusually dramatic year compared to the global benchmark. The category surged through mid-year, spiking to an exceptional August peak before collapsing to the lowest levels of the year in October and ending Q4 subdued. By contrast, the overall market trended in a narrow band with gentle Q3–Q4 inflation and a December pullback. 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 Public Safety across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Public Safety cost per lead (CPL) began the year’s available readings at 91.84 in February and finished at 10.19 in December, a net decline of 89% despite a powerful mid-year run. The category’s high arrived in August at 1,155.33, while October marked the low at just 1.72. Across the seven observed months in 2025, Public Safety averaged 292, though the median was 142—evidence that the August spike skewed the mean upward.

Momentum was extreme. From February to March, CPL climbed 148% (91.84 to 228.24). The next available reading in July was up a further 82% (414.68), and August accelerated again, +179% month-over-month to the annual high. The reversal was just as sharp: September fell 88% from August, October fell another 99% from September, and December rebounded 492% from October but remained low in absolute terms at 10.19. Measured as average absolute month-to-month movement, Public Safety’s volatility was 371 across observed transitions—over a hundred times the global benchmark’s 3.1.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The year displayed an atypical rhythm for lead costs. Early Q1 (February–March) firmed, Q3 exploded with a July–August surge, and then the category reset abruptly in September–October before settling at low levels into December. In the broader market, CPLs typically rise into late Q3 and early Q4 as competition builds, with December easing back. The global pattern in 2025 followed that familiar profile, peaking around October and softening into year-end, while Public Safety’s arc was steeper and more abrupt.

Country vs. Global

Relative to the global benchmark, Public Safety across all countries carried a large premium on average yet swung far below market in late Q4. Using overlapping months, the Public Safety average was 292 versus 42.47 globally—about 6.9x higher. The gap stretched widest in August, when Public Safety CPLs were 2,562% above global levels (26.6x). In contrast, October flipped to 96% below global, and December remained 76% below. The overall benchmark itself was steady: 2025 averaged 41.53 globally, with highs near 48.83 in October and lows near 33.43 in March, a relatively tight 33–49 range.

Closing

Within Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPL sits alongside CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance as a core lens on industry ad performance. In 2025, Public Safety across all countries showed exceptional CPL volatility—briefly far above market before finishing well below it—while the global benchmark moved in a contained, seasonal pattern. Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks for the Public Safety industry across all countries helps advertisers gauge country-specific ad costs and compare performance to global patterns.