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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Venture Capital & Investment in South Africa

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Cost Per Purchase for Venture Capital & Investment in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads cost-per-purchase benchmarks: Venture Capital & Investment in South Africa vs global

This analysis looks at cost-per-purchase trends for industry Venture Capital & Investment in South Africa compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Key takeaways

  • No in-market readings were available for Venture Capital & Investment in South Africa during the period, so direct country-to-global comparisons cannot be computed.
  • Globally, cost-per-purchase averaged 47.73 over the last 13 months, peaking in February 2025 (53.89) and bottoming in September 2025 (32.29).
  • From the first to the last month, the global benchmark declined 30.7%, with the sharpest drop in September 2025 (-29.3% month over month).
  • Seasonality is evident: a December spike follows a softer November, with elevated levels persisting into Q1 and a gradual easing through mid-year.
  • Month-to-month volatility in the global series averaged a 6.4% absolute change (about 2.99 in cost units), indicating moderate variability with one outsized decline late in the series.

Selected dataset: Venture Capital & Investment, South Africa

  • Data availability: No monthly cost-per-purchase values were recorded in the selected dataset for this period.
  • Implication for comparison: With no observed values, we cannot determine whether South Africa is above market, below average, or in line with overall trends.

Global baseline overview (all industries/countries)

  • Average: 47.73
  • High: 53.89 (February 2025)
  • Low: 32.29 (September 2025)
  • Range: 21.60
  • First-to-last change: -30.7% (from 46.60 in September 2024 to 32.29 in September 2025)
  • Notable spikes/dips:
  • December 2024: +19.3% versus November, a clear Q4 holiday uptick.
  • June 2025: -7.9% versus May, marking a mid-year step-down.
  • September 2025: -29.3% versus August, the largest single-month decline in the series.
  • Volatility:
  • Average absolute month-to-month movement: 6.4% (≈2.99 in cost units).
  • Excluding September 2025, variability was steadier, with most monthly shifts between 1% and 8%.

Seasonal and trend patterns

  • Q4 pattern: Costs tightened in November but surged in December, consistent with holiday-driven competition.
  • Q1 elevation: January and February remained high, reaching the period peak in February.
  • Gradual normalization: March to August showed a gentle downtrend with small, mostly negative monthly changes.
  • Late-series compression: A pronounced drop in September 2025 pulled the series below its earlier levels.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Positioning for Venture Capital & Investment in South Africa cannot be assessed due to no in-market readings.
  • The global baseline provides directional context for typical Facebook Ads cost-per-purchase levels and seasonality during the period.

Understanding cost-per-purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in Venture Capital & Investment and South Africa 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 Venture Capital & Investment industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting South Africa, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. 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.

South Africa Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Mar 21Human Rights Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Family Day
Apr 27Freedom Day
May 1Workers' Day
Jun 16Youth Day
Aug 9National Women's Day
Sep 24Heritage Day
Dec 16Day of Reconciliation
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Day of Goodwill

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise during long weekends like Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, and Heritage Day as leisure and travel-related media consumption increases. Retail CPMs may spike in late November–December for holiday shopping. Youth Day and National Women's Day might drive regional campaigns. Weekend extensions across public holidays may benefit weekend campaigns.

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.