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
Cost per lead in the United States ran consistently above the global benchmark across the last 12 months, with a choppy start to 2025, a steady lift through midyear, and a clear peak in September before cooling into October. The United States was also slightly more volatile than the global market, with sharper month-to-month swings and a wider spread between highs and lows. 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 the United States compared to the global benchmark.
Across all industries, United States Cost Per Lead (CPL) averaged $43.72 over the period, ranging from a low of $36.05 in March to a high of $52.10 in September. The period opened at $42.73 in November 2024 and closed at $48.29 in October 2025—an overall rise of 13%.
The early-year rhythm was uneven. December eased slightly to $41.72, January dipped further to $36.76, then February rebounded to $43.31. March saw the sharpest single-month pullback (−$7.26, −16.8% vs. February) to the annual low, before CPL climbed back to $40.58 in April and advanced steadily through summer: $43.49 in May, $45.05 in June, and $47.15 in July. August plateaued at $47.34, then September marked the peak at $52.10, followed by a notable October cool-off to $48.29 (−7.3% month over month).
Volatility in the United States averaged a $3.60 month-to-month absolute move—about 8% of the period average—indicating moderate but noticeable swings, particularly around the Q1 dip-and-surge and the Q3 run-up.
The seasonal shape shows a familiar trough around late Q4 into early Q1, a rebound across Q2, and elevated CPLs in Q3 as auctions intensify. In this cycle, Q1 averaged $38.71, Q2 lifted to $43.04, and Q3 rose further to $48.86 before October eased to $48.29. The step-up from the first half (Nov–Apr average: $40.19) to the second half (May–Oct average: $47.24) was pronounced, a 17% increase. The high point arrived in September rather than deep in Q4, with October showing a seasonal reset rather than an escalation.
Against the global baseline, the United States carried a consistent premium. The global average CPL was $40.94, versus $43.72 in the United States—about 7% higher. Every month in the United States ran above the global level, with the gap narrowest in November and January (around 3%) and widest in July (about 11%). The premium generally widened midyear: as the global trend rose steadily (+9% from November to October), the United States climbed faster (+13%) and with slightly greater variability. Average monthly volatility measured $3.60 in the United States versus $3.22 globally, indicating a roughly 12% higher swing than the global benchmark.
In short, Facebook Ads benchmarks for Cost Per Lead across all industries in the United States point to a market that is consistently above global levels, with a Q1 dip, a strong Q2 rebuild, and a Q3 crest culminating in September. This country-specific ad cost view complements broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance, giving marketers a clear read on industry ad performance and CPL dynamics in the United States relative to worldwide patterns.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. For campaigns targeting United States, advertisers often face higher costs due to high competition and purchasing power. 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.
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Late November (Thanksgiving & Black Friday weekend), December (Christmas), Back-to-school (July–September), Summer travel season (Memorial Day onwards)
CPM and CPC might rise around major holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, especially in travel and entertainment. Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend triggers massive spikes in retail ad competition. December ad demand typically peaks—retail campaigns require significantly higher budgets. Back-to-school promotions drive increased competition. Juneteenth may see regional engagement rise.
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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