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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Public Safety

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

Cost Per Lead for Public Safety

July 2025 - July 2026

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Introduction

Public Safety cost-per-lead (CPL) shows a high-energy, high-variance story against the market baseline. 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 in All countries available compared to the global benchmark.

1 — The story in the data

Across the 12-month window (June 2025 → May 2026) Public Safety CPL averaged roughly $92 per lead, starting at about $121 in June 2025 and finishing near $53 in May 2026 — a net decline of roughly 56% over the period. The year contained extremes: the highest monthly CPL landed in January 2026 at about $260, and the low point came in March 2026 at approximately $22. That produces a peak-to-trough range of nearly 11.6×.

By contrast, the baseline (global benchmark) averaged about $46 per lead over the same months. Baseline monthly movement was narrow: values stayed in the low $40s–$50s, with a mean near $46.5. Public Safety’s median CPL therefore ran about 98% higher than the baseline on average — but that headline masks dramatic month-to-month flips where Public Safety sometimes tracked below the benchmark (for example March: ~$22 vs baseline ~$50) and at other times surged multiple-hundred percent above it (January: ~$260 vs baseline ~$49).

Volatility is a defining trait: Public Safety’s monthly standard deviation is roughly $65, versus about $3.5 for the baseline — meaning Public Safety was roughly 18× more volatile in absolute dollar terms.

2 — Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The cadence is jagged rather than smoothly seasonal. Early summer (June–July 2025) began elevated (~$120, $118), followed by steep drops in August (~$36) and a choppy autumn ($44–$79). December and January produced a pronounced lift (December ≈ $178, January ≈ $260), then the series collapsed into February–March ($68 → $22) before a modest rebound in April–May (~$58 → $53).

That winter spike and subsequent rapid unwind create a rhythm of abrupt lifts and steep declines instead of the gradual Q4-to-Q1 transitions seen in some categories. The largest one-month moves include July→August (−~69%), December→January (+~46%), and January→February (−~74%).

3 — Country vs. Global

Framing Public Safety CPL against the global baseline shows a mixed relative performance. On average Public Safety ran substantially above market (~+98%), but month-to-month gaps varied widely: at the narrowest, Public Safety was roughly 55% below the global CPL (March); at the widest, it exceeded global levels by over 400% (January). Overall the Public Safety series is far more volatile and punctuated by spikes that create outsized differences when compared to the steady baseline.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-lead benchmarks for Public Safety across All countries available surfaces both the elevated average CPL and the extreme volatility that distinguishes this industry’s ad costs from broader CPM analysis, CPC trends and CTR performance patterns in country-specific ad costs and industry ad performance comparisons.

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 Public Safety 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.