Facebook vs GoogleUpdated October 2026Data Jan 2025 – Sep 2026
Blended CPM Benchmark 2026 (Meta vs Google)
From January to September 2026, the median Facebook Ads account paid $37 per 1,000 impressions and the median Google Ads account $32. Google came out 14% cheaper per 1,000 impressions for the median account. Across both platforms, the median was $35.
| Platform | 2026 | 2025 | Middle half, 2026 | Most common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Ads | $37 | $34 | $25–$56 | $20–$30 |
| Google Ads | $32 | $48 | $27–$86 | $20–$30 |
| Both, blended | $35 | $34 | $25–$58 | $20–$30 |
Facebook vs Google: where ad accounts land
- Facebook Ads
- Google Ads
Across Facebook and Google, the average cost per 1,000 impressions was 19% higher in 2026
Month by month, the average cost per 1,000 impressions across both platforms from January to September 2026 was 19% higher than the same months of 2025. Facebook alone was 37% higher, and Google alone 10% higher.
Both platforms, by month
- 2025
- 2026 (to Sep)
Average across Meta and Google ad accounts active each month. Months with too few accounts are left blank. Source: HelloConversions, Meta Marketing API and Google Ads API.
| Month | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | $33.87 | $57.77 | +71% |
| Feb | $42.08 | $64.90 | +54% |
| Mar | $39.08 | $60.16 | +54% |
| Apr | $41.19 | $44.99 | +9% |
| May | $60.85 | $53.38 | −12% |
| Jun | $52.94 | $44.09 | −17% |
| Jul | $45.01 | $54.27 | +21% |
| Aug | $49.89 | $56.75 | +14% |
| Sep | $52.11 | $60.25 | +16% |
| Oct | $50.55 | not yet | |
| Nov | $59.95 | not yet | |
| Dec | $60.60 | not yet |
— means too few ad accounts that month to report.
16% lower
Median business, CRM-verified cost per lead vs the Meta-reported figure for the same spend
HelloConversions customers see a cost per lead 16% lower than Ads Manager reports
Same ad spend, more of the real leads counted. Meta's pixel misses leads that iOS privacy settings, blocked cookies and in-app browsers hide from it; the CRM still records them. The free report shows the comparison business by business.
What counts, and how it's measured
- Blended
- Every Meta and every Google ad account pooled into one distribution, each counting once per year. A business running both platforms contributes one value for each.
- Who's included
- Meta and Google ad accounts connected to HelloConversions, Jan 2025 – Sep 2026, pulled from the ad platform's own API rather than a survey. Each ad account counts once per year, unweighted, so a large account counts the same as a small one. We don't publish names or how many accounts there are, so every chart shows shares.
- Minimums
- An ad account counts toward a year with at least $1,000 in spend and 10,000 impressions, and toward a month with $250. A month with fewer than 5 qualifying ad accounts is left blank rather than shown from a handful.
- A smaller Google sample
- Fewer of these businesses advertise on Google than on Meta, so read the Google figures as directional.
- Updated monthly
- Complete months only, refreshed early each month; this page uses data through September 2026. Year-over-year changes on the monthly charts compare the same months of 2026 and 2025.
Questions
Is Facebook or Google cheaper per 1,000 impressions in 2026?
From January to September 2026, the median Facebook Ads account paid $37 per 1,000 impressions and the median Google Ads account $32. Google came out 14% cheaper per 1,000 impressions for the median account.
What is the average CPM across Facebook and Google?
Pooling every Facebook and Google ad account, the median cost per 1,000 impressions was $35 in 2026 so far, against $34 in 2025. The average was $52: a minority of accounts pay far more, which pulls it above the median.
Where does this data come from?
From Meta and Google ad accounts connected to HelloConversions, pulled straight from the ad platform's API, and from the GoHighLevel CRMs they feed. It's measured data, not a survey. We don't publish names or how many accounts there are, so every chart shows the share of ad accounts rather than counts.
How often are these benchmarks updated?
Every month, as soon as the month is complete. The numbers here run through September 2026.
Put your numbers next to both platforms
The full report puts every metric next to real GoHighLevel businesses, cost per lead and CAC included, each with the spread and the year-over-year change. Free, and it opens as soon as you submit.