Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads CPC Benchmarks for Public Safety

Compare CPC benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type.

CPC (Cost Per Click) for Public Safety

September 2025 - August 2026

Insights

Benchmark observations based on the selected data

Introduction

Public Safety cost-per-click (CPC) moved with jagged momentum across the last 11 months, ending modestly below the global benchmark but with extreme monthly swings that tell a more turbulent story. 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 Public Safety in All countries available compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Public Safety CPCs opened at $2.09 in July 2025 and finished at $1.48 in May 2026, producing an overall decline of roughly 29% from the start to the endpoint. Across the period the median CPC averaged about $0.97 for Public Safety, versus a baseline global median of roughly $1.06 — an average shortfall of about 9% below the global CPC trend.

High and low points are dramatic: the peak was $2.09 (July 2025) and the trough was $0.29 (August 2025). Month-to-month movement was pronounced — the single largest drop came from July to August (about an 86% fall), while strong rebounds followed (January to February rose roughly 250%). The mid-to-late season run (February–May 2026) showed a steady lift from $1.21 to $1.48, a rebound of about 22% across that window and over 300% growth from the January low.

Volatility is a defining trait: the Public Safety series averaged absolute monthly changes of about $0.42, compared with baseline monthly swings near $0.08. In plain terms, Public Safety CPCs moved roughly five times more per month than the broader benchmark.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The rhythm here is uneven rather than strictly seasonal. Late summer 2025 showed a violent compression (peak to trough in July–August), then a low plateau through early winter. Activity reopened in early 2026 with a pronounced uplift — February through May recorded sustained higher CPCs relative to the winter low. Typical market patterns (Q4 pressure, Q1 soft patches) are visible but punctuated by idiosyncratic spikes and dips that dominate the signal.

Country vs. Global

When measured against the global benchmark, Public Safety CPCs oscillated between meaningfully below and meaningfully above market levels. At the narrowest gap (April 2026), CPCs were roughly 15% above the global median; at the widest gap (July 2025) they were about 95% above. Conversely, the August 2025 trough landed nearly 73% below the global CPC. Overall, the global trend was comparatively stable (+~1–2% over the period), while Public Safety was notably choppier and more prone to sudden lifts and declines.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-click benchmarks and CPC trends for Public Safety in All countries available provides a layered view of industry ad performance and country-specific ad costs against global CPC and CPM analysis.

About this data

Facebook advertising cost benchmarks

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their Facebook ad. In the Public Safety industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs through regional competition and user engagement. Campaign objectives affect costs because Facebook optimizes delivery for different goals. The data shows median values across multiple campaigns. Results can vary with ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

A small share of campaigns has extremely high CTRs. Those outliers can inflate an average. The median is the midpoint across campaigns, so it better represents a typical result.

Factors that affect 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.)

The data shows industry median benchmarks. Costs can vary with targeting, creative quality, and campaign optimization.

Review performance in Superads

Analyze Facebook ad performance

See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.

Spot creative patterns that affect ROAS.

Create reports without spreadsheets.

Get started for free

The data behind the benchmarks

The dataset includes over $3B in Facebook ad spend from thousands of ad accounts that use Superads to analyze and improve campaigns. Every data point is anonymized and aggregated. It does not expose an individual advertiser.

The dataset updates as new ad data is available.

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 2026?

CPC varies by region, industry, and campaign objective. Use the filters to compare benchmarks that match your campaign. The US is one of the more expensive markets.

What influences cost per click on Facebook?

Audience targeting, industry competition, ad relevance score, and creative performance affect CPC. Low engagement or relevance can increase CPC.

Why is my Facebook ad CPC suddenly increasing?

CPC can increase with more competition in your target audience, seasonal trends such as holidays, lower ad relevance scores, or algorithm changes. Check whether your audience is too narrow or your creative is showing fatigue.

Do desktop and mobile Facebook ads have different CPCs?

Mobile CPCs often run lower than desktop CPCs because there is more mobile inventory. Segment performance by placement to see where clicks come from.

Should I optimize my campaigns for CPC or conversions?

For most businesses, conversion optimization produces better ROI than CPC alone. CPC optimization can suit awareness campaigns or content promotion when clicks are the goal.

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 because of purchase intent and advertiser competition. Results also depend on the audience and creative.