Table of Contents
What are the 2026 PPC benchmarks by industry?
PPC Chief's consolidated 2026 PPC benchmark set shows average Google Ads Search performance of $5.26 CPC, 6.7% CTR, 7.5% conversion rate, and $70.11 cost per lead. The broad WordStream Search benchmark reports $4.22 CPC, 6.1% CTR, 7.0% conversion rate, and $53.52 CPA/CPL.
| Benchmark set | Avg. CPC | Avg. CTR | Avg. CVR | Avg. CPL/CPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPC Chief consolidated 2026 dataset | $5.26 | 6.7% | 7.5% | $70.11 |
| WordStream Search benchmark | $4.22 | 6.1% | 7.0% | $53.52 |
For Google Ads specific tables across 28 industries, see our Google Ads benchmarks hub.
What Are the Key PPC Metrics in 2026?
Understanding overall PPC benchmarks provides context for evaluating your campaigns. These cross-industry averages serve as baseline comparisons before diving into industry-specific data.
Across all industries, the average Google Ads Search CTR is 6.11%, average CPC is $4.22, average CPA is $53.52, and average conversion rate is 7.04%. The median ROAS across Google Ads campaigns is approximately 3.5:1.
Average CTR (cross-industry)
Source: WordStream
Average CPC (cross-industry)
Source: WordStream
Average CPA (cross-industry)
Source: WordStream
Average CVR (cross-industry)
Source: WordStream
Median ROAS
Source: Databox
Industries with rising CPCs
Source: WordStream
Key Benchmark Insights
- CPC trends: Cost per click increased for 87% of industries in 2025, averaging 10% higher (WordStream, 2025 Year-in-Review)
- Quality Score impact: Improving Quality Score from 5 to 8 can reduce CPC by 37% (Google Ads Help Centre)
- Mobile vs desktop: Mobile CPCs are typically 20-30% lower but conversion rates also vary (Store Growers, 2026)
- Seasonality: CPCs can increase 30-50% during peak seasons (Q4, Black Friday)
- Competition factor: CPCs correlate strongly with competition level and customer lifetime value
What We Actually See in Client Accounts
These are industry averages. What we see when we open a real account is different. Across 200+ audits, the single biggest waste is not bad keywords — it's conversion tracking that counts page views as conversions. The CPA looks great in the dashboard. The phone isn't ringing. If your numbers look "too good," check your conversion actions before celebrating. We find phantom conversions in roughly 4 out of 10 accounts we audit.
If your metrics fall below these benchmarks, a structured PPC management approach can close the gap — most accounts we audit have 20-40% wasted spend that can be reallocated to profitable keywords.
What Are the PPC Benchmarks for Ecommerce & Retail?
Ecommerce and retail benefit from some of the lowest CPCs in PPC, though conversion rates and margins vary significantly by product category.
Average CPC
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS
Source: PPC Chief Data
Ecommerce Sub-Categories
- Fashion & Apparel: $0.89 CPC, 2.4% CVR, high volume but lower margins
- Electronics: $1.42 CPC, 1.8% CVR, competitive with research-heavy buyers
- Home & Garden: $1.05 CPC, 2.9% CVR, seasonal patterns
- Health & Beauty: $1.28 CPC, 3.2% CVR, strong repeat purchase potential
- Sporting Goods: $0.95 CPC, 2.5% CVR, seasonal with strong brand loyalty
Ecommerce Shopping Ads
- Shopping CTR: 0.86% average (lower but high intent)
- Shopping CPC: $0.66 average (most cost-effective)
- Shopping CVR: 1.91% average (varies by category)
How Much Do Legal Services Pay Per Click?
Legal services consistently has the highest CPCs in PPC, justified by high case values. Strategic keyword targeting is essential to maintain profitability.
Average CPC (highest)
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS (highest)
Source: PPC Chief Data
Legal Sub-Categories
- Personal Injury: $100-200+ CPC for competitive terms, highest case values
- Criminal Defence: $50-150 CPC, urgent need drives conversions
- Family Law: $30-80 CPC, emotional decisions with research phase
- Immigration: $20-60 CPC, growing market with specific targeting needs
- Business Law: $25-75 CPC, longer sales cycles, higher lifetime value
Legal PPC Strategies
- Call-only campaigns: Critical for legal, urgent cases convert via phone
- Location targeting: Legal is highly local, tight geo-targeting essential
- Negative keywords: "free," "pro bono," "DIY" - protect your budget
- Ad scheduling: After-hours ads can capture urgent legal needs
How Does Your Account Compare?
Get a free wasted spend analysis and see exactly where your Google Ads budget is leaking.
What Are Healthcare PPC Benchmarks?
Healthcare PPC requires navigating strict advertising policies while targeting high-intent patients. CPCs are rising as competition increases.
Average CPC
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS
Source: PPC Chief Data
Healthcare Sub-Categories
- Dental: $2.50-6.00 CPC, location-dependent, strong local competition
- Cosmetic Surgery: $4.00-12.00 CPC, high procedure values
- Urgent Care: $2.00-5.00 CPC, urgent intent, mobile-heavy
- Mental Health: $1.50-4.00 CPC, growing market, sensitive targeting
- Addiction Treatment: $50-150+ CPC, heavily regulated, high value
Healthcare Compliance Notes
- Policy restrictions: Google has strict healthcare advertising policies
- Certification required: Some healthcare ads require certification
- Landing page compliance: Pages must meet healthcare-specific requirements
- HIPAA considerations: Conversion tracking must respect patient privacy
What Does B2B/SaaS PPC Cost?
B2B SaaS and technology companies face long sales cycles and high customer lifetime values, requiring different success metrics than transactional businesses.
Average CPC (B2B)
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS
Source: PPC Chief Data
SaaS-Specific Benchmarks
- CPL ranges: $70-$819 depending on software category and deal size
- Trial conversion: 15-25% of free trials convert to paid
- Sales cycle: 90+ days typical for B2B SaaS
- LinkedIn performance: $31 median CPM, $75.86 CPC, 3.11% CVR
Technology Sub-Categories
- Enterprise SaaS: $50-200 CPL, long cycles, high LTV
- SMB SaaS: $30-100 CPL, faster decisions, higher volume
- Developer Tools: $20-80 CPL, technical audience, content-driven
- Marketing Technology: $75-200 CPL, competitive market
What Are Real Estate PPC Benchmarks?
Real estate PPC is highly competitive in metropolitan areas, with moderate CPCs but expensive conversions due to long decision cycles.
Average CPC
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS
Source: PPC Chief Data
Real Estate Sub-Categories
- Residential Sales: $1.50-4.00 CPC, highly local, seasonal patterns
- Commercial Real Estate: $3.00-8.00 CPC, longer cycles, higher values
- Property Management: $2.00-5.00 CPC, recurring revenue model
- Luxury Real Estate: $5.00-15.00 CPC, affluent targeting, high values
Real Estate Strategies
- Local targeting: Real estate is inherently local - tight geo-targeting essential
- Lead nurturing: Long cycles require follow-up sequences
- Landing pages: Property-specific pages outperform generic
What Does Travel PPC Cost?
Travel benefits from relatively low CPCs and high consumer interest, though performance is highly seasonal and competitive during peak periods.
Average CPC
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS
Source: PPC Chief Data
Travel Sub-Categories
- Hotels: $1.00-3.00 CPC, date-specific, strong metasearch competition
- Airlines: $1.50-4.00 CPC, dominated by OTAs, brand bidding wars
- Tours & Activities: $0.80-2.50 CPC, destination-specific
- Car Rental: $1.00-2.50 CPC, location and date-specific
Travel Seasonality
- Peak seasons: CPCs increase 30-50% during summer and holidays
- Booking windows: Different strategies for last-minute vs advance bookings
- Mobile critical: 65%+ of travel searches on mobile
What Are Home Services PPC Benchmarks?
Home services face high demand and competition, with CPCs varying dramatically by service type and location.
Average CPC (home improvement)
Source: WordStream
Average CTR
Source: WordStream
Average CVR
Source: WordStream
Average CPA
Source: WordStream
Average ROAS
Source: PPC Chief Data
Home Services Sub-Categories
- Remodeling: $8-18 CPC, high project values ($150-400 CPL)
- HVAC: $5-15 CPC, emergency services premium pricing
- Plumbing: $4-12 CPC, urgent need drives quick conversions
- Roofing: $6-20 CPC, high ticket, insurance-driven
- Landscaping: $2-6 CPC, seasonal, lower average ticket
- Cleaning Services: $2-5 CPC, recurring potential, local focus
Home Services Strategies
- Call extensions: Critical for emergency services
- Local Service Ads: Google Guaranteed badge increases trust
- Review strategy: Reviews heavily influence local service decisions
- Seasonality: HVAC, roofing, landscaping have strong seasonal patterns
Industry Comparison Tables
These comprehensive comparison tables allow you to quickly compare key metrics across all industries.
CPC by Industry (Lowest to Highest)
| Industry | Avg. CPC | vs Average |
|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce | $1.16 | -73% |
| Travel | $1.53 | -64% |
| Real Estate | $2.37 | -44% |
| Healthcare | $3.17 | -25% |
| B2B/Technology | $3.33 | -21% |
| Average | $4.22 | — |
| Finance | $4.68 | +11% |
| Insurance | $5.88 | +39% |
| Home Services | $6.40 | +52% |
| Legal | $6.75 | +60% |
Conversion Rate by Industry (Highest to Lowest)
| Industry | Avg. CVR | Avg. CPA |
|---|---|---|
| Dating & Personals | 9.64% | $76.76 |
| Legal | 6.98% | $86.02 |
| Consumer Services | 6.64% | $90.70 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5.52% | $81.93 |
| Home Services | 5.11% | $66.02 |
| Travel | 4.68% | $44.73 |
| Average | 7.04% | $53.52 |
| Healthcare | 3.94% | $78.09 |
| Ecommerce | 3.58% | $45.27 |
| B2B/Technology | 3.04% | $116.13 |
| Real Estate | 2.47% | $116.61 |
ROAS by Industry (Highest to Lowest)
| Industry | Avg. ROAS | vs Average |
|---|---|---|
| Legal | 8.0:1 | +52% |
| Travel | 6.5:1 | +24% |
| Average | 5.3:1 | — |
| Healthcare | 5.0:1 | -5% |
| Home Services | 5.0:1 | -5% |
| Real Estate | 5.0:1 | -5% |
| B2B/Technology | 5.0:1 | -5% |
| Ecommerce | 4.0:1 | -25% |
How Do Google Ads Compare to Other Ad Platforms?
Google Ads is not the only PPC option. Here is how the major advertising platforms compare on cost, click-through rate, and conversion performance in 2026.
| Platform | Avg. CPC | Avg. CTR | Avg. CVR | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads (Search) | $4.22 | 6.11% | 7.04% | High-intent leads |
| Meta Ads (Facebook) | $1.72 | 1.49% | 9.21% | B2C, ecommerce |
| LinkedIn Ads | $5.26 | 0.65% | 2.35% | B2B, enterprise |
| Microsoft Ads (Bing) | $1.54 | 2.83% | 2.94% | B2B, older demographics |
| Google Ads (Display) | $0.63 | 0.46% | 0.77% | Brand awareness |
Google Ads Search delivers the highest conversion rate at 7.04% but at a higher CPC ($4.22) than Meta ($1.72) or Microsoft ($1.54). For high-intent leads, Google Search remains the most cost-effective channel per qualified lead.
Data sources & methodology
PPC benchmark figures are aggregated from third-party industry benchmark studies and cross-referenced against PPC Chief's own account data: £20M+ in managed Google Ads spend and 200K+ leads generated across 15+ years and 200+ accounts. We update the dataset annually; this benchmark set was last reviewed on May 22, 2026. Treat the numbers as directional averages: your actual costs depend on competition, location, Quality Score, match-type strategy, and seasonality.
Scope: Google Ads Search campaign benchmarks unless otherwise noted. PPC Chief's consolidated dataset and the broad WordStream Search benchmark can produce different averages, so compare like-for-like when using these figures.
Primary external sources:
- WordStream: 2026 Google Ads Benchmarks (13,000+ search campaigns across 23 industries)
- Store Growers: Google Ads Benchmarks (2026)
- Google Ads Help: official cost and bidding documentation
About This Data
These PPC benchmarks are compiled from WordStream, Store Growers, Usermaven, and aggregated client data. The data reflects 2026 Google Ads performance across thousands of accounts and was last reviewed on May 22, 2026.
Important note: Benchmarks represent averages. Your results will vary based on location, competition, ad quality, landing page experience, and account optimisation. Use these as guidelines, not targets.
Need help applying these benchmarks to your own account? Explore our PPC management services, book a free PPC strategy session, or see how these numbers map to PPC for small business accounts running leaner budgets.