Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks in South Africa

Introduction

South Africa’s all-industry Cost per Lead (CPL) showed a year defined by sharp whipsaws rather than a smooth seasonal arc. Against a steady global benchmark hovering around the low 40s, South Africa swung from sub‑1 levels in late 2024 to triple‑digit spikes in early and mid‑2025, then settled back near low single digits by July. The median month sat far below the world average, yet a handful of surges pulled the period’s mean well above it. 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 all industries in South Africa compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Starting near the floor at 0.91 in November 2024, South Africa’s CPL nudged to 0.94 in December, then spiked dramatically to 238.0 in January 2025. February cooled but remained elevated at 103.6, before normalizing through March–May (4.33 → 3.96 → 3.48). June brought another burst to 125.0, followed by a return to 3.75 in July. Across these nine months, the average CPL was 53.8, but the median month was just 4.0—signaling a market defined by a few outsized moves rather than consistently high costs. The high was 238.0 (January) and the low 0.91 (November), a range of roughly 237 points. Month-to-month volatility averaged an absolute 89 points, indicating exceptionally choppy conditions compared to the global trend.

By contrast, the global benchmark moved within a much tighter band. From November to July, global CPL averaged 39.2, ranging from a low of 33.35 in March to 42.37 in July. Average absolute month-to-month movement was only about 3.29 points.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Late 2024 in South Africa was unusually inexpensive for lead generation, with November–December posting sub‑1 CPLs. The market then surged at the start of 2025—peaking in January, easing in February, and returning to a low single‑digit rhythm from March through May. June’s brief surge to 125.0 stands out as an isolated shock, with July quickly re-aligning near 3.75. Globally, CPLs softened through Q1 (reaching a March low of 33.35) and climbed steadily into midyear, finishing July around 42.37. Broader seasonality—higher competition into the midyear and Q3—appears intact worldwide, while South Africa’s pattern was dominated by three outsized spikes.

South Africa vs. Global

Relative performance swung from far below market to well above it. South Africa trailed the global benchmark by 98% in November and 98% in December, then ran 566% above it in January, 157% above in February, and 204% above in June. In the normalization months, South Africa remained 87–91% below global levels (March, April, May, July). The narrowest monthly gap occurred in March (−87% vs. global), while the widest came in January (+566% above). Over the period, South Africa’s CPL ended at 3.75 in July—about 4.1x higher than November—while the global benchmark rose modestly (+2%) from 41.47 to 42.37. Averaged across the period, South Africa’s 53.8 outpaced the 39.2 global average; yet its median month (4.0) underscored how a few spikes reshaped the headline figure.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-lead benchmarks for all industries in South Africa—alongside the steadier global baseline—helps marketers interpret CPL trends, volatility, and country-specific ad costs within a broader CPM/CTR performance context. This CPL analysis illustrates how South Africa’s Facebook Ads benchmarks combined low-season values with isolated surges, diverging markedly from the global pattern.