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January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Across all countries, Software Development’s cost per purchase sat well below the global Facebook Ads benchmark for most of the year, but the market didn’t move quietly. A soft start in Q1 gave way to a pronounced run-up through Q3, briefly pushing Software Development above the all‑industry baseline in September before easing into year‑end. Volatility was notably higher than the market, with larger month‑to‑month swings and a wider range 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 Software Development across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
Software Development opened at $25.16 in December 2024 and slipped to a yearly low of $23.03 in January 2025. From there, the metric climbed steadily: $32.33 in February, $34.23 in March, and $33.36–$37.61 across April–June. Momentum intensified in Q3, with $39.41 in July, $48.53 in August, and a peak of $58.80 in September. A sharp correction followed in October (down to $38.45), stabilizing into November ($36.84) and closing December at $40.74.
The pattern followed a familiar rhythm for many Meta advertisers. Performance costs were lowest in early Q1, then normalized through spring. The steepest acceleration came in late summer, with August and September marking the year’s most expensive months to convert. After September’s high, costs cooled, but remained materially above first‑half levels, keeping Q4 in the high‑$30s to low‑$40s range.
Compared to the global all‑industry benchmark, Software Development across all countries ran cheaper overall but more erratic in month‑to‑month movement.
Taken together, the Software Development segment across all countries displayed a low‑cost first half, a sharp Q3 elevation that surpassed the market once, and a controlled pullback into year‑end—contrasting with a steadier, slightly declining global benchmark. While this view centers on cost‑per‑purchase, many teams read it alongside CPM analysis, CPC trends, and CTR performance to round out industry ad performance.
Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑purchase benchmarks for the Software Development industry across all countries helps marketers interpret country‑specific ad costs, quantify volatility, and compare outcomes to 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.
It depends on your product price and margins. Most brands aim for $10 to $50. For higher-ticket products, a higher CPA may be acceptable as long as you're maintaining a strong return on ad spend.
Higher-priced products typically have a higher CPA because people take longer to convert. That's not necessarily a problem if your margin can support it. You should measure CPA in context with AOV and LTV.
Your AOV may be increasing, which helps maintain ROAS even if CPA rises. You could also be facing higher CPMs, lower conversion rates, or creative fatigue.
Manual bidding can help if you're struggling to stay within target CPA. It's best used by experienced advertisers who can monitor performance and adjust regularly. It gives more control, but also requires more effort.
Increase budget gradually, rotate creative often, and avoid overlapping audiences. Scaling too quickly can lead to audience saturation and rising CPAs.
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