See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
Software Development lead costs ran hot and cold across all available countries, swinging far wider than the market while ending the period at a year-high. Median Cost Per Lead (CPL) started low in November 2024 at $18.09, cratered to $3.66 in December, then surged through mid-year and peaked at $78.37 by October 2025. Against the steadier global benchmark, this industry-level view shows sharper surges in early summer and a decisive Q4 lift.
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 Software Development in all countries compared to the global benchmark.
Across November 2024 to October 2025, Software Development CPL averaged $39.35, ranging from a low of $3.66 in December to a high of $78.37 in October. The period opened at $18.09 (November) and closed 333% higher at $78.37 (October). Key inflection points punctuated the year: an abrupt December drop (−80% vs. November), a tenfold January rebound, another sharp decline in March (−59% vs. February), a dramatic early-summer climb (May to June +199%), a July plateau (+1.5% vs. June), an August reset (−72% vs. July), and a two-step Q4 surge (+123% in September, +71% in October).
Volatility was pronounced. The average month-over-month absolute move was roughly $23.14 for Software Development CPL—about seven times the global market’s $3.22 monthly change. In plain terms, the industry’s CPL across all countries oscillated far more than the benchmark, with swings clustered around December, June–July, and August–October.
The year traced a clear rhythm. Q4 bookended extremes: a December trough of $3.66 and an October peak of $78.37, signaling high dispersion during the holiday-to-peak season window. Early Q1 (January–February) brought a strong rebound (from $3.66 to $50.37), while late Q1 into late spring (March–May) moderated into a softer band near $20–$24. Early summer was the breakout period, with June–July sustaining elevated CPLs above $72 before an August cooldown near $20. The market then re-accelerated into September and October, closing the year at its most expensive point for leads.
While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance often shape broader Facebook Ads benchmarks, this view isolates CPL and shows that Software Development lead acquisition costs are especially sensitive to seasonal pulses—softening in late winter/spring, spiking into early summer, and re-lifting in Q4.
Relative to the global benchmark (average $40.94), Software Development across all countries averaged slightly lower at $39.35 (about 4% below), but moved much more erratically. The global series rose gently across the year (+9% from November to October), while Software Development was choppier (+333% over the same span).
The gap to market varied widely:
Overall, Software Development spent five months above market (January, February, June, July, October) and seven months below or near parity.
Taken together, these Facebook Ads benchmarks highlight a highly variable Cost Per Lead profile for Software Development across all countries—below the global average overall, but marked by dramatic seasonal surges, especially in early summer and late Q3 into Q4. Understanding Cost Per Lead benchmarks for the Software Development industry across all countries helps advertisers gauge country-specific ad costs and compare industry ad performance against global patterns.
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 Software Development 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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.
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