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Facebook Ads CTR Benchmarks for Software Development in United States

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CTR (Click Through Rate) for Software Development in United States

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads click-through-rate benchmarks: summary and key takeaways

This analysis looks at click-through-rate trends for industry Software Development and target country United States compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

  • The United States Software Development median click-through-rate (CTR) averaged 1.10% over the last 12 months, materially below the global baseline average of 1.81% (about 39% lower), placing performance below market across the period.
  • Seasonality is evident: CTR rose through Q4 with a December high, then softened in Q1 and again into late summer, while the global trend dipped into February and then climbed steadily to a September peak.
  • Volatility was higher in the selected data than in the global baseline, with larger month-to-month moves.

United States Software Development CTR highlights

  • Average: 1.10%
  • High: 1.24% in December 2024
  • Low: 0.94% in September 2025
  • First-to-last change: down 16.8% from October 2024 (1.13%) to September 2025 (0.94%)
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month move of 0.09 percentage points (pp)
  • Notable moves:
  • Up: February → March +0.18 pp (+19.1%), the sharpest rebound in the series
  • Down: December → January −0.15 pp (−11.9%), marking the post-holiday reset
  • Seasonal pattern:
  • Q4 lift: October → December rose from 1.13% to 1.24%
  • Q1 softness: January–February trough at 0.95%
  • Spring recovery: March–June stabilization around 1.14%–1.19%
  • Late-summer dip: July–September sliding to the yearly low

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Baseline average: 1.81%; high 2.12% (September 2025), low 1.67% (February 2025)
  • Trend vs baseline:
  • Relative level: the United States Software Development CTR was below the global baseline in every month.
  • Direction: while the selected series peaked in December and declined into September, the global baseline dipped through February and then climbed consistently from spring to early fall.
  • Magnitude: the selected series ranged 0.30 pp between its high and low, versus a wider 0.44 pp range globally. However, month-to-month volatility was higher in the selected data (0.09 pp) than globally (0.05 pp).
  • Endpoint contrast: global CTR increased 20.1% from October to September, while the selected series fell 16.8% over the same span—clear divergence in late summer where the global benchmark hit its peak and the selected series reached its low.

Seasonal and quarterly context

  • Q4: The selected series shows a holiday-period uplift, culminating in December. The global benchmark, however, softened across late Q4 before rising in spring.
  • Q1: Both series show softer engagement into February, with the global baseline bottoming in February and the selected series recovering in March.
  • Summer to early fall: The global benchmark strengthens steadily into September, while the United States Software Development CTR drifts lower, marking the widest gap to the global average.

Understanding click-through-rate benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Software Development and United States helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

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. For campaigns targeting United States, advertisers often face higher costs due to high competition and purchasing power. 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.

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.

Key Factors Affecting 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.)

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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The data behind the benchmarks

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.

United States Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 20Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb 17Presidents' Day
May 26Memorial Day
Jun 19Juneteenth
Jul 4Independence Day
Sep 1Labor Day
Oct 13Columbus Day
Nov 11Veterans Day
Nov 27Thanksgiving Day
Dec 25Christmas Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Thanksgiving & Black Friday weekend), December (Christmas), Back-to-school (July–September), Summer travel season (Memorial Day onwards)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise around major holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, especially in travel and entertainment. Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend triggers massive spikes in retail ad competition. December ad demand typically peaks—retail campaigns require significantly higher budgets. Back-to-school promotions drive increased competition. Juneteenth may see regional engagement rise.

What is CTR and why does it matter for Facebook ads?

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.

What's the average CTR for Facebook ads in 2025?

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.

Why is my Facebook ad CTR consistently low?

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.

Is CTR still a reliable metric for ad performance in 2025?

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.