Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Software Development in Australia

See how your purchase costs compare. Explore ecommerce conversion cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Purchase for Software Development in Australia

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Cost per purchase benchmarks: Software Development in Australia vs. global

This analysis looks at cost per purchase trends for industry Software Development and target country Australia compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Main takeaways

  • Overall level: Australia’s Software Development cost per purchase averaged 45.59, about 7.4% below the global baseline (49.24). It was lower than the baseline in 7 of 11 months.
  • Volatility: The selected series was markedly more volatile (average month-over-month absolute change of 21.5%) than the global trend (4.7%).
  • Highs and lows: Australia peaked in February 2025 at 64.73 and bottomed in October 2024 at 28.18, a wide range of 36.56 versus the baseline’s 10.69.
  • Seasonality: A pronounced Q4 and early Q1 lift was visible, consistent with typical holiday effects where costs often rise in Q4 and remain elevated into January–February.

Selected data overview (Software Development, Australia)

  • Average across period: 45.59
  • High: 64.73 in February 2025
  • Low: 28.18 in October 2024
  • First-to-last change: +42.5% (28.18 in October 2024 to 40.13 in August 2025)
  • Volatility:
  • Average month-over-month absolute change: 21.5%
  • Notable swings:
  • November → December 2024: +66.7%
  • January → February 2025: +21.5% (to the period high)
  • February → March 2025: −33.0%
  • June → July 2025: +23.8%, followed by July → August: −22.4%

Seasonal patterns:

  • Q4 2024 average: 36.97 (substantially below global)
  • Q1 2025 average: 53.81 (slightly above global)

This indicates costs rose into December and stayed high into Q1 before normalizing.

Comparison with the global baseline

  • Baseline average across same months: 49.24
  • High: 53.89 in February 2025
  • Low: 43.19 in November 2024
  • First-to-last change: −2.1% (46.67 in October 2024 to 45.69 in August 2025)
  • Volatility: 4.7% average month-over-month absolute change
  • Relative positioning by month:
  • Above market (higher than global): December 2024, January 2025, February 2025, July 2025
  • Below market: all other months
  • Average gap vs. baseline: −3.65 across the period.
  • Seasonal lens:
  • Q4 (Oct–Dec) average: selected 36.97 vs. baseline 47.13 (selected 21.6% lower)
  • Q1 (Jan–Mar) average: selected 53.81 vs. baseline 52.94 (selected 1.6% higher)

What this means for benchmarking

  • Australia’s Software Development cost per purchase generally tracked below the global market, with sharper seasonal spikes and deeper troughs.
  • Costs rose into late Q4 and early Q1 (especially February), then moderated into mid-year, broadly in line with global seasonality but with larger swings.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Software Development and Australia helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

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. For campaigns targeting Australia, advertisers typically see good engagement rates despite moderate costs. 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.

Why we use median instead of average

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.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

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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The data behind the benchmarks

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.

Australia Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 27Australia Day (observed)
Apr 18‑21Easter weekend
Apr 25Anzac Day
Jun 9King's Birthday
Oct 6Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late December (Christmas and Boxing Day), Early December (Cyber Monday), January (Back-to-school), May (Mother's Day)

Potential Advertising Impact

Ad costs could spike around major holidays, especially Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas. Increased budgets and earlier scheduling may be necessary. Retailers should consider planning promotions around back-to-school and Mother's Day to maximize campaign effectiveness.

What's a healthy cost per purchase for ecommerce brands?

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.

How does product price impact CPA benchmarks?

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.

Why are my purchase costs going up despite stable ROAS?

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.

Should I use manual bidding to control CPA more effectively?

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.

How do I scale spend without letting CPA skyrocket?

Increase budget gradually, rotate creative often, and avoid overlapping audiences. Scaling too quickly can lead to audience saturation and rising CPAs.