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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Retail in Germany

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

Cost Per Lead for Retail in Germany

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Retail in Germany sits above market on cost-per-lead across the period analyzed, with a median roughly 2.7x the global baseline and an average 7.6x higher, driven by a single extreme spike in June 2025.
  • Volatility is very high in the selected data (median month-over-month move ~91%) versus the relatively steady global trend (~7%).
  • Seasonal cues appear: both series show elevated levels around Q4, softer in January, and the baseline stays stable through Q2–Q3; the selected series shows an extreme one-off spike in June 2025 and a sharp rebound in August.
  • From October 2024 to August 2025, Germany Retail cost-per-lead rises 15.5% overall; the global baseline increases 19.0% over the same window.

This analysis looks at cost-per-lead trends for industry Retail and target country Germany compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Retail Germany overview

  • Average across months: 285.82 (skewed by a June 2025 spike). Excluding June, the average is 84.50.
  • Median across months: 105.37.
  • High: 2,299.03 in June 2025 (period peak).
  • Low: 6.10 in July 2025.
  • First-to-last change: 140.30 in Oct 2024 to 162.08 in Aug 2025, +15.5%.
  • Volatility: median month-over-month absolute change ≈ 91%.
  • Notable swings:
  • Dec 2024 up to 153.55; Jan 2025 drops 75.7% month-over-month to 37.32.
  • May 2025 dips to 10.56 (−82.4% MoM).
  • June 2025 spikes to 2,299.03 (+21,780% MoM), then collapses to 6.10 in July (−99.7% MoM), rebounding to 162.08 in August (+2,556% MoM).

Global baseline comparison

  • Baseline average (same months): 37.44; baseline median: 38.59.
  • Relative positioning:
  • Average: selected is ~7.6x above market; excluding the June spike, still ~2.3x above market.
  • Median: selected is ~2.7x above market.
  • High/low: baseline ranges narrowly from 31.12 (Oct 2024) to 41.58 (Nov 2024), indicating stable conditions, versus a 376x high-to-low swing in the selected series.
  • Volatility: baseline median MoM move ≈ 7.0%, signaling smooth month-to-month changes compared to Germany Retail’s sharp fluctuations.
  • Trend: baseline rises from 31.12 in Oct 2024 to 37.03 in Aug 2025 (+19.0%), broadly steady with mild Q4 elevation and stable Q2–Q3.

Seasonal patterns and timeline highlights

  • Q4: Costs typically increase during holiday periods. The baseline peaks in November and remains elevated in December. Germany Retail shows a December upswing (153.55) after a softer November.
  • Q1: Both series ease in January, aligned with post-holiday seasonality.
  • Q2–Q3: The baseline remains consistent, while Germany Retail diverges with an extreme June spike, a July trough, and an August recovery.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Retail and Germany 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 Retail industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting Germany, 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.

Germany Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday
May 1Labour Day
May 29Ascension Day
Jun 9Whit Monday
Oct 3German Unity Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), Christmas shopping (late December), Back-to-school (August/September), Spring promotions (Easter period)

Potential Advertising Impact

Media consumption might rise during Easter, Ascension Day, and Pentecost, especially for travel campaigns. Late November and December bring pronounced spikes in retail advertising. German Unity Day often triggers localized campaigns. Regional holidays may create unique local competition. Sunday/holiday retail restrictions may contract ad inventory.

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.