Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
Global Facebook Ads benchmarks show a clear easing in cost pressure over the last 13 months, with a pronounced peak in late 2024 and a steady drift lower through 2025. The Legal category in South Africa does not have a reported monthly series for this window, so the global curve provides the clearest directional read on country-specific ad costs. Volatility was front-loaded and then faded, with a near-linear glide from Q1 into Q4 2025 and only brief, modest rebounds.
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 Legal in South Africa compared to the global benchmark.
Across the global benchmark, Facebook Ads cost-per-click (CPC) averaged about $1.13 from November 2024 through November 2025. The period began at a high of $1.44 in November 2024, slipped to $1.28 in December, and then reset to the low $1.13–$1.14 range through Q1 2025. From there, CPCs eased in small steps, reaching $1.07–$1.06 in June–July, $1.09 in August, and $1.04 in September. A brief October uptick to $1.07 gave way to the cycle’s low at $1.02 in November 2025.
The peak-to-trough move was sizable: down $0.41 (−29%) from $1.44 to $1.02. Notably, roughly 73% of that decline occurred in just two months (November to January), after which changes grew incremental. Average month-to-month absolute movement was about $0.05—roughly 4% of the period’s mean—signaling relatively mild volatility once the late-2024 spike washed out.
Quarterly pacing underscores the same narrative. Q4 2024 averaged $1.36, stepping down to $1.14 in Q1 2025, $1.11 in Q2, and $1.06 in Q3, with Q4 2025 (Oct–Nov) at $1.05. The pattern is a controlled descent rather than sharp swings, punctuated by a minor October rebound before the cycle low in November.
Seasonality is visible in the global CPC trends. Q4 2024 marked the tightest auction environment, consistent with elevated competition heading into peak retail periods. The reset in January was clear, followed by a slow, orderly easing through mid-year. Late summer into early autumn (August–September) represented the softest costs, with CPCs hovering near $1.04–$1.09. October briefly firmed, then November 2025 set the low for the period at $1.02. In short, costs peaked late, stabilized early, and edged downward into late Q3 and early Q4 2025.
For the Legal industry in South Africa, a month-by-month CPC series is not available for this timeframe, so a quantified gap versus the global benchmark cannot be measured. The comparative takeaway is therefore directional: globally, CPC trends moved from a late-2024 high toward progressively lower, more stable levels through 2025, with modest month-to-month changes after January and the lowest readings in late Q3 to early Q4 2025. Any variance specific to South Africa’s Legal category—whether above market, below average, or more volatile—cannot be stated from this dataset.
Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost-per-click helps contextualize industry ad performance and country-specific ad costs. While this review centers on CPC trends, it complements broader CPM analysis and CTR performance discussions. In summary, the global benchmark points to easing CPCs across 2025, offering directional context for evaluating Facebook Ads cost-per-click benchmarks for the Legal industry in South Africa relative to worldwide patterns.
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 Legal 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.
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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Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Instagram CPCs are generally slightly higher due to stronger purchase intent and higher competition among advertisers. But it depends on the audience and creative.
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