Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads CPC Benchmarks for Gaming

Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type

CPC (Cost Per Click) for Gaming

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • Overall level: Gaming CPC across all countries averaged $1.18, about 4% above the global baseline ($1.14). However, it sat below the baseline in 8 of 12 months and was pulled up by a sharp Q3 surge.
  • Volatility: Exceptionally high. Average month-to-month change was ~47% for Gaming vs ~7% globally. July fell 58% MoM, then August jumped 336% MoM.
  • Seasonality: The global baseline shows the typical Q4 lift (peak in November), easing into Q1–Q3. Gaming diverged: it trended down through Q4 and Q1–Q2, then spiked in Q3.
  • Direction of travel: From the first month (Oct-2024) to the last (Sep-2025), Gaming CPC rose 19%, while the baseline fell 19%.

Context and scope

This analysis looks at cost-per-click (CPC) trends for industry Gaming and target country all countries available compared to the global trend. Figures are monthly medians.

Gaming CPC trends (selected data)

  • Average: $1.18 across the period.
  • High/low: Peak in Aug-2025 at $2.14; trough in Jul-2025 at $0.49 (a 4.4x swing between low and high).
  • First-to-last change: +19% from Oct-2024 ($1.40) to Sep-2025 ($1.67).
  • Volatility: Average absolute MoM change ~47%.
  • Seasonal shape:
  • Q4 2024 average: $1.31 (declining from Oct to Dec, −14% from Oct to Dec).
  • Q1 2025 average: $0.97 (lower vs Q4).
  • Q2 2025 average: $1.02 (still subdued).
  • Q3 2025 average: $1.43 (sharp surge, led by August).
  • Notable months:
  • Jul-2025: $0.49 (series low, −58% vs Jun).
  • Aug-2025: $2.14 (series high, +336% vs Jul).
  • Sep-2025: $1.67 (remains elevated after August).

Global baseline CPC (for context)

  • Average: $1.14.
  • High/low: Peak in Nov-2024 at $1.47; low in Sep-2025 at $0.95.
  • First-to-last change: −19% from Oct-2024 to Sep-2025.
  • Volatility: Average absolute MoM change ~7%.
  • Seasonal shape: Clear Q4 lift (notably November), then gradual easing through Q1–Q3, with the lowest point in September.

Selected vs baseline: how Gaming compares

  • Overall: Slightly above market on average (+4%), but more volatile (≈7x the MoM volatility).
  • By quarter:
  • Q4 2024: In line with overall trends by level (Gaming $1.31 vs global $1.32) but with a different shape (Gaming declined into December while the market peaked in November).
  • Q1–Q2 2025: Below average (Gaming $0.97–$1.02 vs global $1.14–$1.09).
  • Q3 2025: Above market (Gaming $1.43 vs global $1.02), driven by August.
  • Monthly contrasts:
  • Nov-2024: Gaming $1.31 vs $1.47 globally (about 11% below market during the holiday peak).
  • Jul-2025: Gaming $0.49, about 53% below market ($1.05).
  • Aug-2025: Gaming $2.14, roughly 2x the global level ($1.06).
  • Sep-2025: Gaming $1.67, ~75% above market ($0.95).

Understanding cost-per-click benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Gaming and all countries available helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their Facebook ad. In the Gaming 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.

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.

What exactly is CPC in Facebook Ads?

CPC (Cost Per Click) is what you pay each time someone clicks on your ad, on any Facebook Ads placement. It's calculated by dividing your total spend by the number of clicks received. Facebook Ads lists Clicks, Link Clicks and Outbound Clicks separately. The former is the sum of all types of clicks (including, for example, clicks to your profile page, to a link or to a comment).

What's considered a good CPC for Facebook ads in 2025?

The truth is that varies, so play with our tool to get some benchmarks that are relevant to you. CPC values are highly dependent on the region, industry and campaign objective. The US is one of the most expensive markets.

What influences cost per click on Facebook?

Several factors affect CPC: your audience targeting, competition in your industry, ad relevance score, and creative performance. If your ad isn't getting engagement or relevance is low, CPC tends to spike.

Why is my Facebook ad CPC suddenly increasing?

CPC spikes usually happen because of increased competition in your target audience, seasonal trends (like holidays), poor ad relevance scores, or algorithm changes. Check if your audience targeting has become too narrow or if your creative is showing fatigue.

Do desktop and mobile Facebook ads have different CPCs?

Yes, there's a noticeable difference between platforms. Mobile CPCs often run lower than desktop. How many times do check Instagram on your phone and how often do you open it in your computer? There's simply much more mobile inventory. Tip: segment your performance data by placement to understand where your clicks are coming from. Spoiler: it's likely all mobile.

Should I optimize my campaigns for CPC or conversions?

For most businesses, optimizing for conversions will deliver much better ROI than focusing purely on CPC. A low CPC is meaningless if those clicks don't convert. However, if you're running awareness campaigns or some kind content promotion, CPC optimization might potentially make sense, although most experts have switched to conversion optimization by now.

Why do my CPC benchmarks differ from published industry averages?

Your specific audience targeting, creative quality, bidding strategy, and account history all influence your CPC. Industry averages provide a reference point, but your historical performance is a more reliable benchmark for setting expectations and measuring improvement.

Are CPCs cheaper on Instagram or Facebook?

Instagram CPCs are generally slightly higher due to stronger purchase intent and higher competition among advertisers. But it depends on the audience and creative.