Measuring Performance: Google Ad vs Facebook Ad Benchmarks in 2025
If you’re running digital ad campaigns on Google or Facebook, knowing how your results stack up to industry benchmarks is essential. Not only does it help validate your strategy, but it also reveals opportunities to refine targeting, messaging, and budget allocation. In 2025, both platforms will continue to dominate the paid media landscape, but their performance dynamics will evolve.
WordStream has published updated benchmarks for both Google Ads and Facebook Ads, allowing advertisers to compare metrics across both ecosystems using current data. Whether you’re focused on search intent or social reach, understanding how your campaigns compare to industry averages can help you improve efficiency, justify investment, and optimize for results.
Table of Contents
Two Ad Giants, Two Different Journeys
Before analyzing metrics, it’s essential to understand that Google and Facebook represent fundamentally different user mindsets.
Google Ads
Google Ads, especially search campaigns, target users in high-intent moments. When someone types a query like roofing contractor near me or buy CRM software, they’re already showing interest. Your ad captures demand at the point of action. That’s why CTR is generally high, the CPC is higher, and the conversion potential is strong.
Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads operate in a passive environment. Users are not searching. They’re scrolling through a feed, watching videos, or engaging with friends. Your ad must interrupt that behavior and spark interest. It needs to be visual, emotionally resonant, and highly targeted. CTRs are lower, but CPCs are often cheaper; however, conversion rates depend on campaign structure and creative effectiveness.
Benchmarks help clarify how these platforms perform on average; however, their application depends on your specific objectives.
Google Ads Benchmarks in 2025
WordStream’s 2025 Google Ads benchmarks are based on more than 16,000 U.S. advertisers running campaigns between April 2024 and March 2025. These are the all-industry averages across search and display formats:
- Click-through rate (CTR): 6.66 percent
- Cost per click (CPC): $5.26
- Conversion rate (CVR): 7.52 percent
- Cost per lead (CPL): $70.11
Performance varies considerably by industry. For example:
- CTRs are highest in Arts and Entertainment at 13.1 percent and lowest in Dental campaigns at 5.44 percent.
- CPCs are steepest in Legal services at around $8.58, while categories like Arts and Entertainment benefit from clicks under $2.
- Automotive Repair and similar local service categories continue to enjoy strong CVRs and the lowest CPLs, often under $30.
- At the high end, CPLs exceed $130 in sectors like Legal and Furniture.
These figures show that while Google Ads costs are increasing in many sectors, conversion performance is also improving. Advertisers who fine-tune ad relevance, landing page experience, and keyword strategy can still outperform rising costs.
Source: WordStream
Read Wordstream’s Google Ads Benchmarks
Facebook Ads Benchmarks in 2025
WordStream’s 2025 Facebook Ads report is based on over 1,000 active campaigns and splits performance by objective.
The two primary categories reported are Traffic campaigns and Lead campaigns. Each has distinct benchmarks reflecting its goal.
Traffic Campaigns
These campaigns are optimized for link clicks and site visits. The average performance across all industries is as follows:
- CTR: 1.71 percent
- CPC: $0.70
Facebook CTRs increased in 71% of industries compared to the previous year, and CPCs dropped in 48% of categories. This suggests stronger engagement and more efficient reach when the creative is well-matched to the audience.
Lead Campaigns
These campaigns prioritize form submissions and on-platform conversions. The reported benchmarks are:
- CTR: 2.59 percent
- CPC: $1.92
- CVR: 7.72 percent
The conversion rate improvement is notable, showing that Facebook can drive qualified leads at a lower CPC than Google, albeit with more variation in lead quality and follow-through. Compared to prior years, 66 percent of industries improved their conversion rates in Lead campaigns, even as CPCs remained stable or declined slightly.
Read Wordstream’s Facebook Ads Benchmarks
Comparing Google and Facebook in 2025
The table below compares average benchmark data for both platforms using the most recent available metrics. This side-by-side view enables advertisers to evaluate performance across channels, recognizing that each platform plays a distinct role in the buyer’s journey.
| Metric | Google Ads | Facebook Ads (Leads) | Facebook Ads (Traffic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTR | 6.66% | 2.59% | 1.71% |
| CPC | $5.26 | $1.92 | $0.70 |
| Conversion Rate (CVR) | 7.52% | 7.72% | N/A |
| Cost Per Lead (CPL) | $70.11 | N/A | N/A |
Interpreting these numbers depends entirely on your goals. If you’re looking for high-intent traffic and better-qualified leads, Google Ads will likely outperform, despite the higher CPC and CPL. If you’re aiming for scalable reach, rapid testing, and volume at lower cost, Facebook offers better efficiency and engagement when your creative is effective and your funnel is well-structured.
How to Apply These Benchmarks
Use benchmarks to gauge your performance, not to dictate it. Your goals, audience, and funnel complexity will influence whether your metrics should be above or below average.
For Google Ads, use these benchmarks to guide expectations for cost per lead and CTR. Monitor Quality Score, test keyword match types, and refine landing page UX to maximize efficiency. High CPCs are justifiable if your lifetime customer value supports them.
For Facebook Ads, focus on creative testing, audience segmentation, and multi-step conversion paths. A low CPC does not guarantee value if post-click engagement is weak. Invest in retargeting and on-platform lead forms to reduce friction and improve lead quality.
For multi-platform advertisers, think about sequencing. Facebook can drive awareness and audience building, while Google captures bottom-funnel demand. Benchmarks help you track the effectiveness of each stage in this journey.
Final Thoughts
In 2025, both Google Ads and Facebook Ads will remain central to performance marketing strategies, serving distinct purposes. Google offers intent, reliability, and lead quality at a premium. Facebook offers volume, segmentation, and creative testing at scale.
If your results are well above benchmark, you’re likely doing something right. If you’re below, benchmarks give you a direction for optimization. Either way, the key is not to chase averages, but to benchmark against your own improvement over time.
For full details on each dataset, explore WordStream’s reports:
Wordstream’s Google Ads Benchmarks Wordstream’s Facebook Ads Benchmarks
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