Cost Per Lead by Industry, 2026 Benchmarks
What should a lead cost in your industry? Sortable Google and Facebook ad benchmarks for 23 industries, drawn from the most recent large published studies, with every source linked and a free PDF to keep.
The 2026 numbers in four lines
$66.69 average cost per lead
Across all industries in WordStream by LocaliQ 2026 data. Range $26.84 to $131.63.
$27.39 average cost per lead
Across all industries in WordStream by LocaliQ 2026 data for lead campaigns. Range $12.30 to $61.56.
Arts and entertainment: $26.84
Lowest average cost per lead on Google search in the study.
Legal: attorneys and legal services: $131.63
Highest average cost per lead on Google search in the study.
Google vs Facebook cost per lead by industry
Click a column to sort. n/a means the source did not publish that industry for that platform; we do not fill gaps with guesses.
| All industries (average) | $66.69 | $27.39 | $5.42 | $0.60 | 8.18% | 8.54% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animals and pets | $31.50 | n/a | $4.06 | $0.51 | 16.22% | n/a |
| Apparel, fashion and jewelry | $97.51 | n/a | $4.44 | $0.71 | 4.50% | n/a |
| Arts and entertainment | $26.84 | $14.59 | $1.63 | $0.34 | 5.91% | 15.31% |
| Legal: attorneys and legal services | $131.63 | n/a | $9.87 | $0.69 | 5.55% | n/a |
| Auto sales and dealers | $44.26 | $35.52 | $2.27 | $0.70 | 6.01% | 4.15% |
| Auto repair, service and parts | $29.96 | n/a | $4.35 | $0.74 | 15.51% | n/a |
| Beauty and personal care (salons, spas) | $39.25 | $50.91 | $4.62 | $0.50 | 10.35% | 5.63% |
| Business services (B2B) | $93.69 | n/a | $5.87 | $0.70 | 4.85% | n/a |
| Career and employment | $67.36 | $12.30 | $5.81 | n/a | 3.05% | 5.38% |
| Dental | $72.97 | $61.56 | $8 | $0.61 | 10.67% | 6.07% |
| Education and instruction | $77.48 | $26.31 | $4.81 | $0.70 | 13.14% | 15.87% |
| Finance and insurance | $74.44 | n/a | $3.39 | $0.86 | 2.64% | n/a |
| Furniture | $106.70 | $39.25 | $3.97 | $0.64 | 2.99% | 5.66% |
| Health and fitness (gyms, studios) | $67.36 | $27.11 | $6.17 | $0.64 | 6.94% | 7.98% |
| Home services and home improvement | $90.92 | $42.95 | $8.33 | $0.63 | 8.05% | 5.32% |
| Industrial and commercial | $75.19 | $35.87 | $5.87 | $0.54 | 8.20% | 4.50% |
| Personal services | $54.60 | $38.09 | $7.17 | $0.67 | 12.34% | 6.61% |
| Physicians and surgeons | $40.04 | $32.14 | $4.76 | $0.61 | 12.43% | 6.41% |
| Real estate | $102.51 | $13.74 | $3.22 | $0.55 | 3.70% | 9.95% |
| Restaurants and food | $30.57 | n/a | $2.05 | $0.45 | 8.05% | n/a |
| Retail: shopping, collectibles and gifts | $49.40 | n/a | $4.14 | $0.59 | 4.01% | n/a |
| Sports and recreation | $44.26 | $15.49 | $2.77 | $0.59 | 7.69% | 6.75% |
| Travel | $44.70 | n/a | $2.14 | $0.42 | 5.83% | n/a |
a WordStream by LocaliQ, Google Ads Benchmarks 2026: Competitive Data & Insights for Every Industry (2026; data Apr 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026). b WordStream by LocaliQ, Facebook Ads Benchmarks 2026: NEW Data, Trends, & Insights for Your Industry (2026; data Apr 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2026). CPL is cost per lead, CPC is cost per click, CTR is click-through rate. Averages for US advertisers as published by the source; n/a means the source did not publish that industry. Facebook CPL and conversion rate come from lead campaigns, Facebook CPC and CTR from traffic campaigns.
Facebook lead campaign figures were not published for animals and pets, apparel, fashion and jewelry, legal: attorneys and legal services, auto repair, service and parts, business services, finance and insurance, restaurants and food, retail: shopping, collectibles and gifts or travel. Print and sign shops, pest control, gyms and med spas have no category of their own; use business services or industrial and commercial for print and signs, health and fitness for gyms, and beauty and personal care plus the cosmetic surgery and dermatology rows below for med spas.
Google Ads cost per lead for home services, healthcare and real estate
The broad categories above hide big differences inside an industry. A roofing lead and a house cleaning lead are both home services, but one costs several times the other. These sub-industry figures come from the same publisher's vertical studies.
| Source | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addiction Recovery | Healthcare | $120.30 | $3.46 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Assisted Living, Elder and Home Care Services | Healthcare | $74.44 | $6.30 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Dermatology | Healthcare | $18.54 | $4.90 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Emergency Dentistry | Healthcare | $75.19 | $7.85 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Emergency Medicine | Healthcare | $41.68 | $2.29 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| General Dentistry | Healthcare | $84.77 | $7.03 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| General Practice and Family Medicine | Healthcare | $62.80 | $5.47 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Hearing Aids and Care | Healthcare | $96.54 | $8 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Hospitals and Clinics | Healthcare | $72.97 | $4.90 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Mental Health | Healthcare | $141.17 | $4.22 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Ophthalmology | Healthcare | $30.88 | $4.95 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery | Healthcare | $55.15 | $7.85 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Orthodontics | Healthcare | $71.52 | $8.76 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Physical Therapy | Healthcare | $32.79 | $4.95 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery | Healthcare | $102.51 | $5.75 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Urology | Healthcare | $111.05 | $5.64 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Air Conditioning Installation and Repair | Home services | $127.74 | $9.68 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Blinds and Window Treatments | Home services | $113.30 | $7.69 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Cleaning and Maid and Butler Services | Home services | $46.99 | $8.50 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Construction and Contractors (General) | Home services | $165.67 | $5.31 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Doors and Windows Sales | Home services | $200.34 | $8.76 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Electricians and Electrical Contractors | Home services | $93.69 | $12.18 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Garages | Home services | $81.45 | $5.75 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Handyman Services | Home services | $54.05 | $7.10 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Heating and Furnaces | Home services | $129.02 | $9.30 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Landscaping | Home services | $117.92 | $8.76 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Paint and Painting | Home services | $138.38 | $13.74 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Plumbing | Home services | $129.02 | $10.49 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Pools and Spas | Home services | $45.15 | $5.81 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Roofing and Gutters | Home services | $228.15 | $10.70 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Storage | Home services | $120.30 | $7.46 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Window Cleaning | Home services | $66.69 | $9.12 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2025 |
| Apartments and Rentals | Real estate | $99.48 | $3.10 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Homes for Sale by Agent | Real estate | $142.59 | $3.90 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Property Management | Real estate | $76.71 | $3.94 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Real Estate Broker | Real estate | $162.39 | $3.71 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
| Residential Real Estate Agent | Real estate | $157.59 | $3.19 | LocaliQ (with WordStream) 2026 |
LocaliQ (with WordStream), Healthcare Search Ads Benchmarks for 16 Specialties (2026; data Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025). LocaliQ (with WordStream), 2025 Search Ad Benchmarks for Home Services (+Expert Tips & Insights) (2025; data Apr 1, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025). LocaliQ (with WordStream), Real Estate Advertising Benchmarks (+Ideas for Better Results) (2026; data Apr 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026). Google search ads, US advertisers, averages as published.
Google Local Services Ads cost per lead by trade
Google does not publish Local Services Ads benchmarks. These figures come from agencies that manage Local Services Ads and published their own client data, so treat them as indicators, and note how much they disagree for the same trade.
| Trade | Cost per lead | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| All home services (blended) | $53 | February 2026 | SearchLight Digital |
| Appliance Repair | $34.35 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Carpet Cleaning | $35.49 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Cleaning Services | $33.21 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Dog Training | $30 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Drain / Sewer | $59 | February 2026 | SearchLight Digital |
| Drywall Repair (handyperson) | $34 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Electrical | $43.15 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Electrical | $39 | February 2026 | SearchLight Digital |
| Estate Lawyer | $45 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Fencing Pro | $71 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| General contractors (all trades) | $54 | February 2026 | SearchLight Digital |
| Handyman | $38.51 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| HVAC | $51 | February 2026 | SearchLight Digital |
| HVAC | $80 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Junk Removal | $33.14 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Landscaper | $39 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Landscaping | $37.29 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Locksmith | $34 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Painter | $40 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Painting | $33.06 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Personal Injury | $249 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Plumbing | $66.17 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Plumbing | $57 | February 2026 | SearchLight Digital |
| Plumbing | $69 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Roofer | $162 | 2025 (period not stated) | The Media Captain |
| Roofing | $106.87 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Tree Services | $37.77 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Water Damage | $215.31 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
| Window Repair | $59.99 | 2026 | 99 Calls |
Local Services Ads charge per lead (mostly calls and messages), so these are not comparable one to one with search ad cost per lead, which counts form fills and tracked calls from clicks you paid for.
Instagram, LSA, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube
Large industry-by-industry studies are only published for Google search and Meta. For the other platforms, these are the most useful published figures we found, with their sources.
| Platform | Published figure | What it measures | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPC $0.54-$0.69; CPM $1.22-$2.80 (typical ranges) | All industries, Instagram placements | Strike Social 2025 | |
| Instagram (B2B) | CPL $138; CPC $2.82 (medians) | B2B advertisers, 2025 campaigns | Metadata.io 2026 |
| Google Local Services Ads | CPL $53 (blended) | Home services, 888 contractors, February 2026 | SearchLight Digital 2026 |
| TikTok | Cost per purchase $17.07; CPM $4.08 (medians) | Ecommerce brands, Aug 2025 to Jul 2026 | Triple Whale 2026 |
| CPL $202; CPC $9.39 (medians) | B2B advertisers, 2025 campaigns | Metadata.io 2026 | |
| CPC $3.94 (median, sponsored content) | All industries | Closely 2025 | |
| YouTube | Cost per view $0.05-$0.10 (skippable in-stream), $0.10-$0.30 (Shorts); CPM $5-$10 | All industries, typical ranges | Store Growers (Dennis Moons) 2026 |
| Nonprofits, by platform | CPL: Meta $3.64, TikTok $10.69, Google Search $54.28 (medians) | US nonprofits, 2025; a lead is an email sign-up | M+R Benchmarks 2026 |
Get the 2026 Cost Per Lead Benchmarks PDF
Everything on this page in a 7-page PDF you can print, share with a partner or bring to your next agency call.
- Google and Facebook tables for 23 industries
- Instagram, Local Services Ads, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube figures
- Budget math: how many leads $500 to $5,000 a month buys
- How to work out the cost per lead you can afford
- Every source with its link and year
Why your cost per lead will not match the average
- Lead definitions differ. Studies count form fills and sometimes calls. Your CRM may count only qualified leads, which always cost more.
- Local competition sets the price. A plumber in a dense metro pays more per click than one in a small town, and a personal injury lawyer pays more than almost anyone.
- The offer changes everything. A free estimate with a real arrival window converts very differently from a contact us form.
- Tracking errors make costs look better or worse. Counting page views or duplicate forms as leads makes cost per lead look cheap; missing calls makes it look expensive.
- Averages hide spread. Published averages mix small and large advertisers. Half of advertisers in any industry do better than the average and half do worse.
The useful question is not whether you beat the average, but whether your cost per customer leaves a profit. Our estimator helps you work that out.
Where these numbers come from
We compiled this page on October 15, 2026 from published 2025 and 2026 studies. Industry figures for Google search and Meta come from the largest public studies we found that report the same metrics for every industry. Figures are averages for US advertisers as published; we did not adjust, blend or estimate any value, and we show n/a where a source did not publish an industry.
Where industries are named differently between sources, we matched them to the closest label and note it in the table. Print and sign shops have no published benchmark of their own; the nearest published categories are business services and industrial and commercial.
- WordStream by LocaliQ, Google Ads Benchmarks 2026: Competitive Data & Insights for Every Industry (2026). data Apr 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026; 13,474 US search campaigns (Google Ads + Microsoft Ads), min 52 per subcategory.
- WordStream by LocaliQ, Facebook Ads Benchmarks 2026: NEW Data, Trends, & Insights for Your Industry (2026). data Apr 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2026; 1,377 US traffic-objective campaigns (min 11 per subcategory) + 452 US leads-objective campaigns (min 4 per subcategory).
- LocaliQ (with WordStream), 2025 Search Ad Benchmarks for Home Services (+Expert Tips & Insights) (2025). data Apr 1, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025; 3,211 US home-services search campaigns, min 103 per category.
- LocaliQ (with WordStream), Healthcare Search Ads Benchmarks for 16 Specialties (2026). data Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025; 3,542 US healthcare search campaigns, min 43 per subcategory.
- LocaliQ (with WordStream), Real Estate Advertising Benchmarks (+Ideas for Better Results) (2026). data Apr 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026; 894 US real-estate search campaigns, min 11 per subcategory.
- 99 Calls (LSA management agency), Google LSA Cost Per Lead by Industry: 2025 vs. 2026 (2026). data "2025" vs "2026" periods (exact months not stated); 99 Calls-managed LSA campaigns; categories with at least 30 leads in both periods. Agency-published client data.
- SearchLight Digital, Google Local Service Ads Cost Per Lead by Trade (2026) (2026). data Feb 1 to Feb 28, 2026 (single month, heating season); 888 home-services contractors, $6.72M LSA spend, 126,650 leads. Agency-published; one month of data.
- The Media Captain (agency), Local Service Ads Stats & Cost Per Lead Data for 11 Industries (2025). data period not stated; 100+ agency clients. Agency-published client data; period not stated.
- Metadata.io, What LinkedIn Ads Cost in 2025: $202 a Lead Across 138 B2B Advertisers (Metadata 2026 B2B Paid Media Benchmark) (2026). data 2025 calendar-year campaigns; $57.6M 2025 ad spend across 153 B2B advertisers (138 on LinkedIn, 71 Facebook, 49 Instagram, 56 Google Ads). B2B advertisers only; medians.
- Strike Social, How much does it cost to advertise on Instagram? (2025 Update) (2025). data period not stated; "thousands of campaigns" (not quantified). Typical ranges from the publisher's own campaigns.
- Triple Whale, TikTok Ads Benchmarks by Industry (Updated 2026 Data) (2026). data Aug 1, 2025 to Jul 31, 2026 (prior-year column Aug 1, 2024 to Jul 31, 2025); 5,900+ ecommerce brands using Triple Whale. Ecommerce brands only; cost per purchase, not per lead.
- Store Growers (Dennis Moons), YouTube Ads Benchmarks (2026) (2026). data Mixed: cites Strike Social 2024/2025, Inceptly 2025, Lenos Dec 2025, AdConversion 2023-2024; Secondary compilation; underlying samples vary. Secondary compilation of several studies.
- Closely (closelyhq.com), LinkedIn Ad Benchmarks 2025: CPC, CPM, and CTR by Industry (2025). data period 2025; Not stated; aggregates numbered third-party sources. Secondary roundup; mostly ranges.
- M+R, M+R Benchmarks 2026: Advertising (2026). data Calendar year 2025; US nonprofit participants in the M+R Benchmarks study (count not on this page). Nonprofits only; a lead is an email sign-up.
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Questions about cost per lead
What is the average cost per lead on Google Ads?
$66.69 across all industries in WordStream by LocaliQ 2026 data for Google search ads, ranging from $26.84 to $131.63 by industry.
What is the average cost per lead on Facebook ads?
$27.39 across all industries in WordStream by LocaliQ 2026 data for Meta lead campaigns, ranging from $12.30 to $61.56 by industry.
Which industry has the highest cost per lead?
On Google search, legal ($131.63 per lead) had the highest average cost per lead in the study. Industries where one customer is worth thousands of dollars, such as legal and some home services, usually pay the most.
Are Facebook leads cheaper than Google leads?
Usually per lead, yes, in most industries in the published data. But search leads come from people already looking, so they often close at a higher rate. Compare the two on cost per customer, not cost per lead.
Is there a benchmark for print shops and sign companies?
Not a published one we could find. The closest published categories are business services and industrial and commercial. As a print and sign business ourselves, we track our own costs and plan from those.
How often is this page updated?
When a new edition of a source study is published. The date at the top of the page shows the last update.
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