Facebook Ads CPM Benchmarks

Introduction

The global Facebook Ads CPM story over the last 13 months reads like a classic retail cycle: steady firming through midyear, a decisive Q4 run-up, and a sharp reset entering the new year. Median CPM opened 2025 at 17.73, climbed to a November high of 25.22, eased in December (22.04), then reset to a 13‑month low of 15.74 in January 2026. Across the period, the average CPM was 19.81, with monthly swings averaging 1.63 points — calm for much of the year, but punchy around the holidays. 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 all industries across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

Section 1: The story in the data

The period began at 17.73 in January 2025 and closed at 15.74 in January 2026, an 11% net decline driven by a post‑holiday reset. Between those bookends, CPMs advanced meaningfully: +24% from January to December 2025 (17.73 to 22.04) and +42% from January to the November peak (25.22). The lowest point was January 2026 (15.74); the highest was November 2025 (25.22), creating a range of 9.48 — nearly half of the annual average.

Momentum built in stages. February trickled up to 17.90, then March stepped higher to 19.23. A small April dip (18.57) was followed by a May rebound (19.79). Through early Q3, CPMs held a tight corridor — 19.58 in July, 20.38 in August, and 19.96 in September — signaling relative stability. The inflection arrived in Q4: October lifted to 21.69 (+1.74), November surged to 25.22 (+3.53), and December cooled to 22.04 (−3.18). The largest monthly move was the January 2026 reset to 15.74 (−6.30 from December).

On a half‑year view, H2 2025 averaged 21.48, roughly 14% above H1’s 18.82. Q4 alone averaged 22.98, about 26% higher than Q1’s 18.29 — a hallmark of year‑end demand.

Section 2: Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The rhythm aligns with familiar Facebook Ads benchmarks: softer CPMs early in the year, gradual firming into summer, and pronounced Q4 pressure as budgets concentrate ahead of peak retail moments. July to September was comparatively flat, with CPMs oscillating within roughly 0.8 points. October and November brought the year’s sharpest lifts, followed by a December cooldown and a January reset that marked the widest drop of the period. This pattern suggests CPM analysis benefits from viewing Q4 as a distinct regime, with early Q1 acting as the market’s exhale.

Section 3: Country vs. Global

Because the selection aggregates all industries and all countries, the series mirrors the global benchmark one‑for‑one. There is no variance at any point — the gap is effectively zero throughout. The global trend rose steadily through 2025 (+24% from January to December), grew choppier in Q4 with the 25.22 November spike, and then fell 29% from December to January 2026.

Closing

In sum, Facebook Ads CPM benchmarks for all industries worldwide show a measured climb through 2025, a pronounced Q4 peak, and a swift January reset. Understanding this CPM analysis within global Facebook Ads benchmarks helps contextualize country‑specific ad costs and broader industry ad performance against the prevailing worldwide pattern.