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January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
Across all countries, Software Development shows a steady climb in Facebook Ads click-through rate (CTR) through 2025, but it does so from a lower base and with choppier month-to-month swings than the global benchmark. The category starts soft, rallies midyear, peaks in November, and eases into December—mirroring familiar seasonal momentum but with sharper inflections. 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 Software Development across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
CTR for Software Development averaged 1.39% in 2025, ranging from a low of 1.19% in February to a high of 1.57% in November. The year opened at 1.19% in January and closed at 1.48% in December, a 25% lift over the year. The path wasn’t linear: March to April delivered the sharpest single-month upswing (+0.20 points), followed by a correction in May (−0.18 points). Another notable dip hit in September (−0.17 points from August), before a strong rebound into October and a November peak. December pulled back to 1.48%, still well ahead of the early-year troughs.
Volatility averaged 0.11 points in absolute month-over-month change, indicating a more dynamic rhythm than the overall market. By comparison, the global benchmark moved by 0.07 points on average per month. Put simply, Software Development CTR rose materially year over year, but with more pronounced swings.
The first quarter set the floor, with January and February both near 1.19% and March nudging higher to 1.27%. Momentum accelerated in the spring: April jumped to 1.48%, then moderated in May (1.30%) before stabilizing at higher levels through the summer (1.45%–1.51% in June–August). September marked the most conspicuous dip of H2 at 1.33%, followed by a clean recovery in October (1.45%) and the year’s high in November (1.57%). The typical Q4 pattern—heightened competition that often reshapes CTR and CPM—played out unevenly here: strength in October–November, then a December cool-off to 1.48%.
Across halves, H2 outperformed H1: average CTR rose from 1.31% in H1 to 1.47% in H2, a 13% uplift, underscoring a stronger back half even with the September trough.
Against the global Facebook Ads benchmarks, Software Development CTR remained consistently below market. The global average CTR was 1.84%, about 24% higher than Software Development’s 1.39%. The gap narrowed most in April, when Software Development trailed by just 13% (1.48% vs. 1.70%), and widened in December to a 30% deficit (1.48% vs. 2.12%). Through the year, the category lag typically ranged from 19% to 30% below global levels, with occasional convergence during midyear surges.
Directionally, both series climbed roughly 25% from January to December, but the global trend rose more smoothly, while Software Development posted sharper month-to-month movements. The overall range was comparable in proportional terms—about a quarter of each series’ average—but the category’s higher monthly volatility made the path feel more stop-start.
These Facebook Ads benchmarks highlight CTR performance for the Software Development industry across all countries: a year of net growth, higher intra-year volatility, and a persistent gap to the global average. Understanding Facebook Ads click-through rate benchmarks for Software Development across all countries helps marketers contextualize category engagement patterns relative to global trends.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Click-Through Rate (CTR) is the percentage of impressions that resulted in a click on the Facebook ad. In the Software Development 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. 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. 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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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.
CTR (Click-Through Rate) is the percentage of people who click your ad after seeing it. It's calculated by dividing total clicks by total impressions, then multiplying by 100. A high CTR indicates your ad resonates with your audience and helps improve your relevance score, which can lower your overall costs.
The average Facebook ad CTR across industries sits around 0.90-1.10%. But there's significant variation. Your specific industry, audience targeting, and campaign objectives should determine your benchmark.
Low CTR usually stems from poor audience targeting, weak creative, or a disconnect between your ad content and audience needs. Your ad might simply not be standingo out enough. Check if your visuals grab attention, your copy addresses clear pain points, and your audience targeting aligns with people genuinely interested in your offer.
Yes—but only in context. High CTR is a signal that your creative works, but it doesn't guarantee conversions. Use it alongside other metrics like conversion rate to get the full picture.
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