This page gives you the complete Google Ads benchmarks by industry: the average cost per click, click-through rate, conversion rate, and cost per lead for all 23 tracked verticals, taken directly from the WordStream by LocaliQ Search Advertising Benchmarks report. Unlike most benchmark posts, we show both the current 2026 edition and the prior 2025 edition side by side, because the two report different numbers and blending them is the most common error in this topic. Each table names its exact sample, period, and geography.
The single most useful thing to understand before reading the numbers: these are median figures, not means, deliberately calculated to reduce the distortion from a handful of extreme accounts, and they blend Google Ads and Microsoft Ads Search data across every budget size. Treat them as a directional starting line for your vertical, not a target your specific account must hit.
What are the average Google Ads benchmarks across all industries?
The all-industry Google Ads Search benchmarks are a $5.42 average cost per click, a 6.64% average click-through rate, an 8.18% average conversion rate, and a $66.69 average cost per lead, per the WordStream by LocaliQ 2026 edition covering 13,474 US campaigns from April 2025 to March 2026. Notably, cost per lead fell year over year even as click costs rose, the first CPL decline in five years, because conversion rates improved.
| All-industry metric | 2026 edition | 2025 edition | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average cost per click | $5.42 | $5.26 | Up ~3% |
| Average click-through rate | 6.64% | 6.66% | Roughly flat |
| Average conversion rate | 8.18% | 7.52% | Up |
| Average cost per lead | $66.69 | $70.11 | Down ~5% |
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, Search Advertising Benchmarks. The 2026 edition covers 13,474 US campaigns (April 2025 to March 2026, published June 2026); the 2025 edition covers 16,446 US campaigns (April 2024 to March 2025). Figures are medians and blend Google Ads and Microsoft Ads Search. (LocaliQ, WordStream 2026)
The key insight in that table is the relationship between the metrics. Cost per lead is not an independent number; it is cost per click divided by conversion rate. So even though the average click got more expensive, the average lead got cheaper, because conversion rates rose enough to more than offset the higher click cost. This is why judging an account on CPC alone is a mistake, covered in depth in our guide to why cost per lead climbs and how to fix it.
What are the Google Ads benchmarks for every industry? (2026 edition)
Here are the complete Google Ads Search benchmarks for all 23 industries in the current 2026 edition, showing average CPC, CTR, conversion rate, and cost per lead for each vertical. Find your industry’s row and compare against it rather than against the all-industry average, because the spread between verticals is enormous.
| Industry | Avg CPC | Avg CTR | Conversion rate | Cost per lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animals & Pets | $4.06 | 7.49% | 16.22% | $31.50 |
| Apparel, Fashion & Jewelry | $4.44 | 6.64% | 4.50% | $97.51 |
| Arts & Entertainment | $1.63 | 12.75% | 5.91% | $26.84 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | $9.87 | 5.87% | 5.55% | $131.63 |
| Automotive, For Sale | $2.27 | 8.28% | 6.01% | $44.26 |
| Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts | $4.35 | 5.56% | 15.51% | $29.96 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | $4.62 | 6.75% | 10.35% | $39.25 |
| Business Services | $5.87 | 6.10% | 4.85% | $93.69 |
| Career & Employment | $5.81 | 5.88% | 3.05% | $67.36 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | $8.00 | 5.66% | 10.67% | $72.97 |
| Education & Instruction | $4.81 | 7.56% | 13.14% | $77.48 |
| Finance & Insurance | $3.39 | 9.83% | 2.64% | $74.44 |
| Furniture | $3.97 | 6.57% | 2.99% | $106.70 |
| Health & Fitness | $6.17 | 5.81% | 6.94% | $67.36 |
| Home & Home Improvement | $8.33 | 6.47% | 8.05% | $90.92 |
| Industrial & Commercial | $5.87 | 6.57% | 8.20% | $75.19 |
| Personal Services | $7.17 | 7.16% | 12.34% | $54.60 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | $4.76 | 6.61% | 12.43% | $40.04 |
| Real Estate | $3.22 | 7.61% | 3.70% | $102.51 |
| Restaurants & Food | $2.05 | 6.83% | 8.05% | $30.57 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | $4.14 | 8.28% | 4.01% | $49.40 |
| Sports & Recreation | $2.77 | 8.75% | 7.69% | $44.26 |
| Travel | $2.14 | 9.32% | 5.83% | $44.70 |
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, Search Advertising Benchmarks, 2026 edition (US, thousands of Google Ads and Microsoft Ads campaigns, April 2025 to March 2026, median values). (WordStream 2026)
What are the prior-year Google Ads benchmarks by industry? (2025 edition)
Here are the complete Google Ads Search benchmarks for all 23 industries in the prior 2025 edition, provided so you can see the direction and volatility of each vertical rather than a single snapshot. Comparing the two editions isolates which industries got more expensive and which improved.
| Industry | Avg CPC | Avg CTR | Conversion rate | Cost per lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animals & Pets | $3.97 | 6.58% | 13.07% | $31.82 |
| Apparel, Fashion & Jewelry | $4.31 | 6.77% | 3.99% | $101.49 |
| Arts & Entertainment | $1.60 | 13.10% | 4.84% | $30.27 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | $8.58 | 5.97% | 5.09% | $131.63 |
| Automotive, For Sale | $2.41 | 8.29% | 7.76% | $38.86 |
| Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts | $3.90 | 5.56% | 14.67% | $28.50 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | $5.70 | 5.71% | 7.82% | $60.34 |
| Business Services | $5.58 | 5.65% | 5.14% | $103.54 |
| Career & Employment | $5.16 | 6.57% | 4.33% | $62.80 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | $7.85 | 5.44% | 9.08% | $83.93 |
| Education & Instruction | $6.23 | 5.74% | 11.38% | $90.02 |
| Finance & Insurance | $3.46 | 8.33% | 2.55% | $83.93 |
| Furniture | $3.86 | 6.11% | 2.73% | $121.51 |
| Health & Fitness | $5.00 | 7.18% | 6.80% | $62.80 |
| Home & Home Improvement | $7.85 | 6.37% | 7.33% | $90.92 |
| Industrial & Commercial | $5.70 | 6.23% | 7.17% | $85.63 |
| Personal Services | $5.81 | 7.69% | 9.74% | $53.52 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | $5.00 | 6.73% | 11.62% | $56.83 |
| Real Estate | $2.53 | 8.43% | 3.28% | $100.48 |
| Restaurants & Food | $2.05 | 7.58% | 7.09% | $30.27 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | $3.49 | 8.92% | 3.83% | $47.94 |
| Sports & Recreation | $2.64 | 9.19% | 7.62% | $47.47 |
| Travel | $2.12 | 8.73% | 5.75% | $73.70 |
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, Search Advertising Benchmarks, 2025 edition (US, 16,446 campaigns, April 2024 to March 2025, median values). (WordStream 2025)
Which industries have the highest Google Ads cost per click?
Attorneys and legal services have the highest Google Ads cost per click at $9.87, followed by home and home improvement at $8.33 and dentists and dental services at $8.00. All five of the costliest verticals exceed $6 per click, and they share one trait: high customer lifetime value, which lets advertisers profitably bid the click up.
The five most expensive industries by CPC in the 2026 edition:
- Attorneys & Legal Services: $9.87, roughly 1.8 times the all-industry average
- Home & Home Improvement: $8.33
- Dentists & Dental Services: $8.00
- Personal Services: $7.17
- Health & Fitness: $6.17
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 edition (US). (WordStream 2026)
The reason these verticals top the table is simple economics: when a single won client is worth thousands of dollars over years, a $9.87 click on a 5.55% conversion rate still pencils out to a profitable cost per acquisition. Low-value, high-volume categories like restaurants ($2.05) and arts and entertainment ($1.63) cannot support those bids, which is precisely why their clicks stay cheap. The click cost follows the lifetime value.
Which industries have the lowest Google Ads cost per click?
Arts and entertainment has the lowest Google Ads cost per click at $1.63, followed by restaurants and food at $2.05 and travel at $2.14. These low-cost verticals also tend to have the highest click-through rates, because a high CTR improves Quality Score, which in turn lowers cost per click.
The five cheapest industries by CPC in the 2026 edition:
- Arts & Entertainment: $1.63
- Restaurants & Food: $2.05
- Travel: $2.14
- Automotive, For Sale: $2.27
- Sports & Recreation: $2.77
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 edition (US). (WordStream 2026)
Which industries convert best on Google Ads?
Animals and pets have the highest Google Ads conversion rate at 16.22%, followed by automotive repair and service at 15.51% and education and instruction at 13.14%. These high-converting verticals share strong, specific search intent: someone searching for a vet or an urgent car repair is close to acting.
The five highest-converting industries in the 2026 edition:
- Animals & Pets: 16.22%
- Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts: 15.51%
- Education & Instruction: 13.14%
- Physicians & Surgeons: 12.43%
- Personal Services: 12.34%
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 edition (US). (Search Engine Journal / LocaliQ)
At the other end, the lowest-converting verticals are finance and insurance (2.64%), furniture (2.99%), and career and employment (3.05%), often because these involve longer consideration cycles or comparison shopping before a decision.
Which industries have the highest and lowest cost per lead?
Attorneys and legal services have the highest Google Ads cost per lead at $131.63, while arts and entertainment has the lowest at $26.84. Cost per lead depends on both the click cost and the conversion rate, so a vertical can have a moderate CPC but a high CPL if it converts poorly, and vice versa.
The pattern is revealing. Finance and insurance has a relatively cheap click at $3.39, but because it converts at only 2.64%, its cost per lead climbs to $74.44. Animals and pets has a higher click at $4.06, but its 16.22% conversion rate drives its cost per lead down to just $31.50. This is the clearest possible demonstration that conversion rate, not click price, is what actually controls your cost per lead.
Highest cost per lead (2026 edition): Attorneys & Legal Services ($131.63), Furniture ($106.70), Real Estate ($102.51), Apparel ($97.51), Business Services ($93.69).
Lowest cost per lead (2026 edition): Arts & Entertainment ($26.84), Automotive Repair ($29.96), Restaurants & Food ($30.57), Animals & Pets ($31.50), Beauty & Personal Care ($39.25).
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 edition (US). (ReportsMate / LocaliQ)
Which industries saw the biggest cost changes year over year?
Real estate saw the biggest year-over-year cost-per-click increase, up about 27% from $2.53 to $3.22, while education and instruction saw the biggest decrease, down 22.8% from $6.23 to $4.81. Comparing the two editions shows where competition intensified and where it eased.
Biggest CPC increases (2025 to 2026 edition):
- Real Estate: up about 27% ($2.53 to $3.22)
- Health & Fitness: up about 23% ($5.00 to $6.17)
- Personal Services: up about 23% ($5.81 to $7.17)
- Attorneys & Legal Services: largest dollar increase ($8.58 to $9.87)
Biggest CPC decreases:
- Education & Instruction: down 22.8% ($6.23 to $4.81)
- Beauty & Personal Care: down about 19% ($5.70 to $4.62)
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, comparing 2025 and 2026 editions (US). (WordStream 2026)
A rising CPC in your category is a signal to defend your conversion rate, not simply to raise your budget. If competition is pushing click costs up across your vertical, the advertisers who stay profitable are the ones improving conversion rate and cost per lead faster than the click inflates.
What are the most expensive Google Ads keyword categories?
The most expensive Google Ads keyword category is insurance, at an average $54.91 per click, followed by gas and electricity at $54.62 and mortgage at $47.12. These are peak commercial terms, not blended account averages, so they run roughly ten times higher than any industry benchmark, and financial and legal products dominate the list because a single converted customer is worth years of revenue.
The ten most expensive keyword categories by average CPC:
| Rank | Keyword category | Avg CPC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $54.91 |
| 2 | Gas/Electricity | $54.62 |
| 3 | Mortgage | $47.12 |
| 4 | Attorney | $47.07 |
| 5 | Claim | $45.51 |
| 6 | Loans | $44.28 |
| 7 | Lawyer | $42.51 |
| 8 | Conference Call | $42.05 |
| 9 | Donate | $42.02 |
| 10 | Degree | $40.61 |
Source: WordStream, The 20 Most Expensive Keywords in Google Ads. These are keyword-category averages for peak commercial terms and are kept separate from account-level industry averages because the two are not directly comparable. (WordStream)
How should you use these Google Ads industry benchmarks?
Use these Google Ads industry benchmarks as a directional reference for your vertical, not as a grade, and always judge your account on cost per lead and conversion rate rather than headline CPC. A high industry CPC is normal for high-value verticals and is not a problem if your conversion rate supports it.
The practical sequence when your numbers look off against the benchmark:
- Compare cost per lead, not CPC. A $9 click that converts beats a $3 click that does not. Find your industry’s CPL column and measure against that first.
- If your CPL is above the benchmark, it is usually a conversion problem, which is fixable. Moving conversion rate from 3% to 5% cuts your effective cost per acquisition by about 40% with no change in click price.
- If your CPC is above the benchmark, tighten match types and negatives before touching bids, and shift budget toward high-intent, high-converting keywords.
- Remember the benchmarks are medians that blend platforms and budgets, so treat them as a starting line, not a target. Your own account’s trend over time matters more than the industry line.
The deeper point across all this data is that the industries paying the most per click are not overpaying; they are bidding rationally against high customer value. What separates winning accounts within any vertical is measurement discipline: knowing your true cost per qualified lead and optimizing toward it. That is why we treat conversion tracking as the foundation of every account, as explained in our guide to why Google Ads generates bad leads and how to fix it.
For the full picture of Google Ads costs, revenue, ROI, and market share beyond these industry benchmarks, see our complete Google Ads statistics reference.
Methodology and data notes
These benchmarks come from the WordStream by LocaliQ Search Advertising Benchmarks report, the most-cited account-level dataset in the industry, chosen over one-off blog estimates because it is a recurring study on real advertiser data with a disclosed sample and period. Two editions are used: the 2026 edition (13,474 US campaigns, April 2025 to March 2026, published June 2026) and the 2025 edition (16,446 US campaigns, April 2024 to March 2025). Keyword-category CPCs come from WordStream’s separate Most Expensive Keywords study and are kept distinct from account-level industry averages.
Important limitations, stated plainly:
- The figures are medians or aggregates that mask wide within-industry variance, so your specific account can reasonably sit well above or below its industry line.
- They are US-centric and drawn from one ad-management provider’s customer base, so they may not represent every market or budget level.
- They blend Google Ads and Microsoft Ads Search data.
- Industry definitions and sample composition shift between editions, which makes year-over-year deltas approximate rather than exact.
- Conversion and lead definitions vary by advertiser, which affects conversion-rate and cost-per-lead comparability.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average Google Ads cost per click by industry? The all-industry average is $5.42, but it ranges from $1.63 in arts and entertainment to $9.87 in legal services, a nearly sixfold spread, per the WordStream by LocaliQ 2026 edition of 13,474 US campaigns. The costliest verticals (legal, home improvement, dental) combine high customer value with intense competition. Always compare against your specific industry rather than the all-industry average.
Which industry has the highest Google Ads cost per click? Attorneys and legal services, at $9.87 per click in the 2026 edition, roughly 1.8 times the all-industry average. It is followed by home and home improvement at $8.33 and dentists and dental services at $8.00. These verticals can sustain high click costs because a single won client is worth thousands of dollars over time.
Which industry has the best Google Ads conversion rate? Animals and pets, at 16.22% in the 2026 edition, followed by automotive repair and service at 15.51% and education and instruction at 13.14%. These verticals benefit from strong, specific search intent. The lowest-converting verticals are finance and insurance (2.64%) and furniture (2.99%), which involve longer consideration cycles.
What is a good conversion rate for my industry on Google Ads? A good conversion rate is one at or above your specific industry’s benchmark, which ranges from about 2.6% in finance and insurance to 16.2% in animals and pets. The all-industry average is 8.18% in the 2026 edition. Judge your rate against your vertical’s line in the table above, not against the all-industry average, because the variation is enormous.
Why is legal the most expensive Google Ads industry? Because legal services combine very high customer lifetime value with intense local competition. A single legal matter can be worth thousands of dollars, so law firms can profitably bid $9.87 per click even at a 5.55% conversion rate. The pattern holds across the costliest verticals: click cost follows customer value.
What is the most expensive keyword on Google Ads? At the keyword-category level, insurance is the most expensive at an average $54.91 per click, followed by gas and electricity at $54.62 and mortgage at $47.12, per WordStream’s Most Expensive Keywords study. These are peak commercial terms roughly ten times higher than any blended industry average, dominated by financial and legal products where one customer is worth years of revenue.
Are these Google Ads benchmarks accurate for my country? These specific benchmarks are US-centric, drawn from US Google Ads and Microsoft Ads campaigns, so they are most accurate for US accounts. They are directional for other markets but may not reflect local competition, currency, or search behavior. Treat them as a reference point and weight your own account’s actual performance more heavily than any external benchmark.
How often are these benchmarks updated? The WordStream by LocaliQ Search Advertising Benchmarks report is published annually, with the 2026 edition released in mid-2026 covering campaigns through March 2026. This page shows both the current and prior editions so you can see direction and volatility, and it is reviewed and refreshed as new editions are published.
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