Average CPC by Industry 2026: Google Ads, Indeed, Meta, LinkedIn [Real Data]
How much should you pay per click in 2026? Compare CPC across Google Ads, Indeed, Meta, and LinkedIn for 30+ industries. Real benchmarks for Ecommerce, SaaS, Legal, Healthcare, Recruiting and more.
February 2, 202614 min read
Knowing your industry's average CPC helps you set realistic budgets and spot underperforming campaigns. Whether you're in ecommerce, SaaS, or professional services, benchmarking your CPC against industry averages is the first step to understanding if your campaigns are performing well or leaving money on the table.
In this guide, we break down CPC benchmarks by industry for 2026, explain what influences your actual CPC, and show you how to use these numbers to optimize your Google Ads spend.
Why CPC Benchmarks Matter
CPC benchmarks give you a baseline. Without them, you're flying blind — you might think paying €5 per click is expensive, but in the legal industry, that's actually below average. Conversely, paying €3 per click in ecommerce might signal poor optimization.
Benchmarks help you answer three critical questions: Am I paying too much? Are my campaigns competitive? Where should I invest more (or cut back)?
CPC Benchmarks by Industry (2026)
The following benchmarks are based on aggregated data from thousands of Google Ads accounts across multiple markets. Keep in mind these are averages — your actual CPC will vary based on country, competition, quality, and other factors.
Ecommerce
Average CPC: €0.80–€2.50. Ecommerce tends to have relatively affordable CPCs due to high search volume and competition spreading across many players. However, high-value product categories (luxury goods, electronics) can push CPCs to €3-5+.
Fashion & Apparel: €0.60–€1.80
Electronics: €1.20–€3.50
Home & Garden: €0.70–€2.00
Beauty & Personal Care: €0.80–€2.20
Luxury Goods: €2.50–€6.00
SaaS & Software
Average CPC: €2.00–€8.00. SaaS CPCs are higher because customer lifetime value justifies the investment. Enterprise SaaS keywords can reach €15-20+ for highly competitive terms like 'CRM software' or 'project management tool'.
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Average CPC: €3.00–€12.00. Financial services consistently have some of the highest CPCs in Google Ads. Insurance, loans, and credit card keywords are among the most expensive in any industry.
Insurance: €8.00–€25.00
Loans & Mortgages: €5.00–€20.00
Investment & Trading: €4.00–€12.00
Fintech Apps: €2.00–€8.00
Healthcare & Medical
Average CPC: €2.00–€6.00. Healthcare CPCs vary widely depending on the specialty. Cosmetic procedures and dental implants tend to be at the higher end, while general health information keywords are more affordable.
Legal Services
Average CPC: €5.00–€15.00. Legal is consistently one of the most expensive industries for Google Ads. Personal injury and criminal defense keywords routinely exceed €20 per click in competitive markets.
Education & Online Courses
Average CPC: €1.50–€5.00. The education sector has moderate CPCs, with online courses and certifications on the lower end and university programs and MBA keywords commanding higher prices.
Real Estate
Average CPC: €1.00–€4.00. Real estate CPCs depend heavily on location. Major cities have significantly higher CPCs than rural areas. Commercial real estate keywords tend to be pricier than residential.
What Factors Influence Your Actual CPC?
The benchmark numbers above are just starting points. Your actual CPC depends on multiple variables that you can influence.
Geographic Location
CPCs in the US, UK, and Australia are generally 2-3x higher than in Southern Europe or Latin America. Even within a country, major cities have higher CPCs than smaller markets. If you advertise internationally, segment by country and set appropriate bids.
Quality Score
As we covered in our Quality Score guide, a high Quality Score (7-10) can reduce your CPC by 30-50% below the benchmark, while a low score (1-4) can inflate it by 100-400%. Quality Score optimization is often the highest-ROI activity for reducing CPC.
Device Type
Mobile CPCs are typically 20-30% lower than desktop for most industries. However, mobile conversion rates also tend to be lower, so the true cost per conversion may be similar. Analyze performance by device and adjust bids accordingly.
Seasonality
CPCs spike during peak seasons: Q4 for ecommerce (Black Friday, Christmas), tax season for financial services, and enrollment periods for education. Build seasonality into your budget planning to avoid underspending during opportunities or overspending during expensive periods.
Competition Level
More advertisers bidding on the same keywords drives up CPCs. Monitor Auction Insights to track competitor activity. New competitors entering your market or existing ones increasing budgets can cause sudden CPC increases.
Get personalized CPC benchmarks for your industry, country, and campaign setup
How to Use CPC Benchmarks Effectively
Compare your actual CPC against your industry benchmark — if you're significantly above, investigate Quality Score and negative keywords
Set realistic budgets based on benchmark CPCs and your target click volume
Identify opportunities in lower-CPC sub-niches within your industry
Factor in conversion rates — a higher CPC might be worthwhile if the keyword converts better
Track CPC trends over time to spot seasonal patterns and competitive shifts
CPC Benchmarks Beyond Google Ads: Indeed, Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok
While Google Ads dominates paid search, many advertisers run campaigns across multiple platforms. Understanding CPC benchmarks for each platform helps you allocate budget effectively.
Indeed (Job Advertising)
Average CPC on Indeed ranges from $0.25 to $1.50 for most industries in 2026. Indeed uses a pay-per-click model for sponsored job posts, with CPC varying by job title competitiveness, location, and industry.
IT & Technology: $0.50-$1.50
Healthcare & Nursing: $0.40-$1.20
Retail & Hospitality: $0.25-$0.60
Finance & Accounting: $0.60-$1.30
Construction & Trades: $0.30-$0.80
Marketing & Creative: $0.45-$1.10
Indeed CPCs are generally lower than Google Ads because the auction is less competitive. However, the intent is different: Indeed users are looking for jobs, not products or services. If you're running recruitment ads, Indeed typically offers better value than Google Ads for job-related keywords.
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
Average CPC on Meta Ads in 2026 ranges from $0.40 to $3.50 depending on industry, objective, and audience targeting. Meta uses a different auction model than Google, so direct CPC comparisons require context.
Ecommerce: $0.50-$1.80
SaaS & Technology: $1.20-$3.50
Education: $0.60-$2.00
Financial Services: $1.50-$4.00
Real Estate: $0.80-$2.50
Local Services: $0.40-$1.20
LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn consistently has the highest CPC among major advertising platforms, averaging $5-$12 per click in 2026. This reflects the platform's professional audience and B2B targeting capabilities.
B2B SaaS: $8.00-$15.00
Recruiting: $5.00-$10.00
Financial Services: $6.00-$12.00
Education (MBA/Executive): $7.00-$14.00
IT Services: $6.00-$11.00
TikTok Ads
TikTok remains the most affordable major ad platform in 2026 for CPC campaigns, with averages of $0.20-$1.00. However, TikTok is primarily used for awareness and engagement rather than direct response, so comparing CPC directly with Google Ads is misleading.
CPC Trends for 2026
Several trends are shaping CPC dynamics in 2026. Privacy changes continue to affect targeting precision, which can increase CPCs as targeting becomes less granular. AI-powered Smart Bidding is becoming more prevalent, leading to more efficient auctions but also more sophisticated competition.
Performance Max campaigns are changing the game for ecommerce advertisers, often achieving lower CPCs than traditional Search campaigns but with less control over individual keyword bids. We recommend running both and comparing performance.
Calculate Your CPC Budget
To estimate your monthly Google Ads budget, multiply your target clicks by the expected CPC for your industry. For example, if you need 500 clicks per month and your industry average CPC is €3, budget at least €1,500/month.
Don't forget to account for testing: allocate 15-20% of your budget for experimenting with new keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. This investment in learning will reduce your CPC over time.
Use our ROAS calculator to determine if your CPC is profitable at your conversion rate
Key Takeaways
CPC benchmarks vary dramatically by industry — from €0.80 in ecommerce to €15+ in legal
Your actual CPC depends on Quality Score, location, device, competition, and seasonality
Use benchmarks as guidelines, not rules — focus on profitability, not just CPC
Track trends over time and adjust budgets for seasonal fluctuations
Tools like AdPredictor provide personalized benchmarks based on your specific setup
