Facebook Ads CPM Benchmarks for Design

Introduction

Design advertisers ran notably richer CPMs than the market this year, punctuated by a dramatic February trough and a swift rebound that kept prices elevated through the back half of the year. Median CPMs for the Design industry across all countries averaged about $38.7, roughly double the $19.8 global benchmark across all industries. The year opened solidly, cratered in February, then surged to a March peak and stayed high into Q4, with a late-year softening before a strong January 2026 finish. Volatility was the defining characteristic—far choppier than the global trend.

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 Design across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Design CPMs started at $36.6 in January 2025, plunged to a yearly low of $6.1 in February, then spiked to the annual high of $48.2 in March. From there, the median held mostly in the low-to-mid $40s: $46.0 in May, $45.4 in June, $44.6 in August, and $45.7 in September. A July dip to $31.6 and an October step-down to $34.7 were brief interruptions before a Q4 lift to $42.9 in November and $37.8 in December. The period closed at $45.6 in January 2026, up about 25% from the prior January.

Across the 13 months, the Design median CPM averaged $38.7, ranging from $6.1 (February) to $48.2 (March). Month-to-month swings averaged $12.5, signaling a highly volatile series. In contrast, the global benchmark ranged from $15.7 (January 2026) to $25.2 (November) and moved just $1.6 on average between months.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The calendar shaped a clear rhythm. After an unusually soft February, CPMs rebounded sharply into March and held elevated levels through Q2. Summer brought a brief July softness followed by a quick return to the mid-$40s in August and September. Q4 showed the familiar competitive lift: October eased, November spiked to the quarter’s high, and December cooled. Early Q1 2026 opened strong, nearly matching the spring highs.

This pattern aligns with broader Facebook Ads benchmarks where Q4 competition typically raises impression costs. The Design series, however, amplified those moves—exaggerating the trough-to-peak arc and sustaining a premium versus market levels for most of the year.

Country vs. Global

Relative to the global benchmark, Design CPMs were consistently above market—except February. February was the outlier, with Design CPMs 66% below the benchmark. Outside that month, the premium rarely dipped below +60% (July and October), commonly sat between +100% and +150% (March, May, June, August, September), and reached its widest gap in January 2026 at +189%. On average, Design CPMs ran about 96% higher than the global median.

Trend-wise, the global benchmark showed a gentle rise into Q4, peaking in November before sliding to its low in January 2026 (−11% vs. January 2025). The Design series was more forceful and more volatile—closing the period up roughly +25% year over year.

Closing

This CPM analysis captures how Facebook Ads benchmarks for the Design industry across all countries diverged from the market: higher prices, sharper swings, and a pronounced Q4 pulse. For teams tracking industry ad performance alongside CPC trends and CTR performance, these country-agnostic, country-specific ad costs signal that Design CPMs maintained a sustained premium versus global patterns throughout the period. Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-thousand-impressions benchmarks for the Design industry across all countries helps teams evaluate price dynamics relative to the global baseline.