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 across all countries moved through the year with dramatic swings, repeatedly breaking from the steadier global benchmark. The category’s cost per lead (CPL) averaged $36.83 versus the global all‑industry average of $39.83, making Software Development slightly cheaper overall but far more volatile. The story arc runs from a soft end to 2024, a sharp lift in early 2025, midsummer spikes, and an October peak before a steep November reset. 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 across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
Starting at $18.09 in November 2024 and ending at $4.92 in November 2025, Software Development CPL fell 73% over the period, but the path was anything but linear. The category hit its low at $3.66 in December 2024 and its high at $80.13 in October 2025, a spread of $76.47. Average CPL for the period landed at $36.83.
Key inflection points tell the rhythm:
Volatility was the defining feature. Month‑to‑month absolute movement averaged 27.6 points for Software Development, versus just 4.23 points for the global benchmark—about 6.5x more volatile.
Seasonality presented in exaggerated form. Q4 showed whipsaw behavior: very low CPL in December 2024, a new high in October 2025, then a sharp November drop. Early Q1 typically brings a rebound after holiday noise; here, January–February indeed surged, before moderating through spring (March–May). Midsummer (June–July) marked the most expensive stretch of the year for Software Development leads, followed by an August contraction and a near‑parity September. The October spike stands out as the period’s apex, with November flipping quickly to the period’s second‑lowest print.
Against the all‑industry global benchmark, Software Development across all countries averaged 7% below market ($36.83 vs. $39.83), yet vacillated between far below and far above global levels:
Trend shape also diverged. The global series eased gradually from $41.51 in November 2024 to $28.58 in November 2025 (−31%), with modest variance. Software Development traced a choppier line, ultimately lower from start to finish (−73%) but punctuated by repeated surges.
In sum, Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per lead in Software Development across all countries show a market that is slightly cheaper than average but far more reactive month to month, with pronounced midsummer and October peaks and deep troughs in December and November. These CPL patterns complement CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance work, helping teams situate Software Development industry ad performance within a global context. Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑lead benchmarks for Software Development across all countries helps advertisers evaluate lead‑generation costs against broader 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.
Improve your Facebook ad performance
• Instant performance insights – See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.
• Data-driven creative decisions – Spot patterns to improve ROAS.
• Effortless reporting – No spreadsheets, just clear insights.
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.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries
See how much it costs to get users to install an app