What good actually costs.
Cited CPL, CPA, CPC and ROAS figures for 9 verticals. Every number links to its primary source, use these to sanity-check your own account, or to brief a new agency.
SaaS & B2B
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPL (demo request) | $150 - $400 | Mid-market SaaS with ACV $10K-$50K. CPL on demo-attended events (offline conversion import) typically 2-3x higher than form-fill CPL. |
| Average CPC (competitive SaaS terms) | $8 - $35 | Broad SaaS keywords. Branded and long-tail terms can run $3-$8. Enterprise/security SaaS can exceed $60. |
| Average conversion rate (form-fill) | 2.9% | Across B2B SaaS Google Ads accounts. Accounts using offline conversion optimization (SQL/Closed-Won) typically see 4-6% on the correct conversion event. |
| Smart Bidding minimum conversions for Target CPA | 30+ / campaign / month | Google's stated threshold before Smart Bidding can reliably optimize. Below this threshold, manual CPC often outperforms. |
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| CPL: primary care / family medicine | $40 - $120 | Geo-targeted 10-15 mile radius. CPL on appointment-attended events typically 2-3x higher than form-fill CPL. |
| CPL: dental / orthodontic | $60 - $180 | Procedure-name keywords (Invisalign, dental implants) outperform specialty-name by 3-5x in CPL on most accounts. |
| CPL: cardiology / specialty physician | $150 - $400 | Tighter geo-targeting based on insurance network. 20-35% no-show rate should be factored into appointment-attended conversion goals. |
| CPL: plastic surgery / cosmetic | $200 - $600 | Track through to procedure-booked, not consultation-booked. Conversion gap between consultation and procedure is large in this vertical. |
| LegitScript certification cost (required for addiction treatment ads) | ~$1,995/year | Required for addiction-treatment advertising on Google. Separate certification from Healthcare Merchant certification. |
Real Estate
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| CPL: seller / vendor lead (US) | $40 - $120 | Geo-targeted to primary trading area. Seller leads are worth 5-10x buyer leads because the lifetime relationship includes commissions, lettings and referrals. |
| CPL: buyer lead (US) | $30 - $80 | Lower CPL reflects lower per-lead value. Buyer journey is 60-180 days; campaigns optimizing on form-fill miss most of the sales cycle. |
| CPL: vendor lead (UK prime London) | £120 - £250 | Prime central London and Edinburgh New Town. Implied cost-per-instruction-won is typically 3-6x the raw CPL. Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data |
| Average CPC (real estate terms, US major metros) | $8 - $25 | Head terms ('homes for sale [city]') at the expensive end. Neighborhood-specific and seller-intent terms run $4-$10. |
Legal
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPC: personal injury (US) | $50 - $150 | Most expensive vertical in Google Ads. Mass-tort and major-city terms can exceed $300 CPC. |
| Average CPL: personal injury | $200 - $600 | CPL on signed case is typically 5-10x form-fill CPL due to qualification drop-off and no-show rates. |
| Average conversion rate: legal | 4.1% | Across legal Google Ads accounts (WordStream). Personal injury accounts with offline conversion imports typically run 6-10% on signed-case events. |
Financial Services
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPC: financial services (US) | $18 - $65 | Insurance and mortgage terms are the most competitive in the vertical. Credit and lending terms run $10-$30. |
| Average conversion rate: financial services | 5.1% | Accounts using consent-mode-compliant server-side tracking and offline conversion imports typically run 7-10% on qualified lead events. |
| Negative-keyword build (day-one recommendation) | 400 - 600 terms | Financial services requires the heaviest negative-keyword investment of any vertical due to breadth of consumer vs. professional search intent overlap. |
E-commerce
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Average ROAS: e-commerce Google Ads | 200% - 500% | Healthy range for established DTC brands. New accounts in the learning phase often see 100-150% before Smart Bidding stabilises. |
| Average conversion rate: e-commerce | 3.8% | Across e-commerce Google Ads accounts. Accounts with product-feed quality scores above 90% and Performance Max brand exclusions typically run 5-8%. |
| Smart Shopping sunset date | Late 2022 | Google sunset Smart Shopping campaigns in late 2022, migrating accounts to Performance Max. Accounts that haven't manually rebuilt PMax are running Smart Shopping settings on the new campaign type. |
Home Services
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| CPL: Local Service Ads (Google Guaranteed) | $25 - $100 | LSA CPL is typically 40-70% lower than equivalent Search ad CPL because LSA is pay-per-lead rather than pay-per-click. HVAC, plumbing, roofing are covered in most US metros. Source: Google: About Local Services Ads |
| CPL: Search ads (home services) | $80 - $300 | Emergency-intent keywords (same-day HVAC, emergency plumber) run the highest CPLs but also the highest close rates. |
| Average CPC: home services (US) | $12 - $35 | Seasonal variation is significant, HVAC CPCs spike 40-60% in summer/winter. Locksmith and water-damage terms run $25-$50. |
Education
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| CPL: higher education inquiry | $40 - $200 | Accounts optimising on enrolled-paid-student events (not inquiry) typically see CPL on that event run $300-$1,200, but cost-per-enrolled drops 30-40% vs. inquiry-optimised accounts. |
| Average conversion rate: education | 3.4% | Inquiry-to-application conversion in Google Ads. Accounts with offline conversion imports (application-started, enrolled) run 5-8% on the correct downstream event. |
Travel & Hospitality
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPC: travel (US) | $1.50 - $6 | Lower CPCs than most verticals but high click volumes and long booking windows. ROAS optimisation requires at least 90-day attribution windows. |
| Average conversion rate: travel | 3.9% | Across travel and hospitality Google Ads accounts. Luxury / high-ticket travel runs 1-2%; budget travel can run 6-8%. |
Methodology note
Every benchmark on this page cites a primary source (Google, WordStream industry studies, HM Land Registry, or LegitScript). Ranges reflect the majority of accounts; high-competition markets or specialist setups may sit outside these ranges. If you believe a figure here is outdated or contradicted by a more recent primary source, email info@myleadsfactory.com and we will correct it within 5 business days.
Questions, answered
Where do these benchmarks come from?
Every figure on this page cites a primary source: Google Ads Help documentation, WordStream industry benchmark studies, HM Land Registry price paid data, and LegitScript certification pricing. They are directional ranges, not guarantees; your numbers depend on market, offer, geography and competition.
Why are the ranges so wide?
Because averages lie. A legal account targeting "personal injury lawyer" in Los Angeles and one targeting "estate planning" in a small metro live in completely different auctions. The range is the honest answer; the audit gives you the specific one.
Get your real numbers.
A free audit gives you the specific benchmarks for your account, not a blended range.