Google Ads Benchmarks 2026 by Industry
CPC, CTR, conversion rate and cost per lead — real data from 13,000+ campaigns
Updated data from April 2025 to March 2026 based on over 13,000 Search campaigns across 23 industries. Know exactly how much your competition pays per click, what conversion rate is normal in your vertical, and whether your cost per lead is above or below average. Source: WordStream / LocaliQ.
23 industries covered
From legal and healthcare to ecommerce, automotive, education, personal services and more. Each with 4 key metrics.
Average CPC $5.42 USD
Cost per click rose 12% year over year. Legal remains most expensive ($9.87) and entertainment cheapest ($1.63).
CVR improved in 87% of industries
Average conversion rate is 8.18%. Pets leads with 16.22% and finance closes at 2.64%.
CPL dropped for the first time in 5 years
Average cost per lead is $66.69. Cheapest leads: entertainment ($26.84). Most expensive: attorneys ($131.63).
Google Ads 2026 Global Averages
These are the averages across 23 industries analyzed in Search campaigns:
CPC rose 12% year over year (from $2.64 to $2.96 in pure Search), but cost per lead dropped for the first time in 5 years thanks to conversion rate improvements.
Full Table: Benchmarks by Industry
| Industry | CTR | CPC | CVR | CPL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts & Entertainment | 12.75% | $1.63 | 5.91% | $26.84 |
| Automotive — Repair, Service & Parts | 5.56% | $4.35 | 15.51% | $29.96 |
| Automotive — For Sale | 8.28% | $2.27 | 6.01% | $44.26 |
| Animals & Pets | 7.49% | $4.06 | 16.22% | $31.50 |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewellery | 6.64% | $4.44 | 4.50% | $97.51 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 5.87% | $9.87 | 5.55% | $131.63 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 6.75% | $4.62 | 10.35% | $39.25 |
| Business Services | 6.10% | $5.87 | 4.85% | $93.69 |
| Career & Employment | 5.88% | $5.81 | 3.05% | $67.36 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 5.66% | $8.00 | 10.67% | $72.97 |
| Education & Instruction | 7.56% | $4.81 | 13.14% | $77.48 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9.83% | $3.39 | 2.64% | $74.44 |
| Furniture | 6.57% | $3.97 | 2.99% | $106.70 |
| Health & Fitness | 5.81% | $6.17 | 6.94% | $67.36 |
| Home & Home Improvement | 6.47% | $8.33 | 8.05% | $90.92 |
| Industrial & Commercial | 6.57% | $5.87 | 8.20% | $75.19 |
| Personal Services | 7.16% | $7.17 | 12.34% | $54.60 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 6.61% | $4.76 | 12.43% | $40.04 |
| Real Estate | 7.61% | $3.22 | 3.70% | $102.51 |
| Restaurants & Food | 6.83% | $2.05 | 8.05% | $30.57 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | 8.28% | $4.14 | 4.01% | $49.40 |
| Sports & Recreation | 8.75% | $2.77 | 7.69% | $44.26 |
| Travel | 9.32% | $2.14 | 5.83% | $44.70 |
Key Trends 2026
1. CPL dropped for the first time in 5 years
The improvement didn't come from cheaper clicks (CPC rose 12%), but from better conversion rates. 87% of industries improved their CVR compared to 2025.
2. AI bidding drives 78% of all spend
Advertisers using AI-powered bidding strategies report 22% lower cost per conversion compared to manual CPC. Smart Bidding is no longer optional — it's the standard.
3. Responsive Search Ads + AI assets
Average Search CTR rose to 3.52% (up for 3 consecutive years), driven by RSAs with AI-generated assets filling more headline and description slots.
How to Use These Benchmarks
Methodology
WordStream / LocaliQ analyzed over 13,000 Search Ads campaigns across 23 industries, between April 2025 and March 2026. Data includes Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. Reported metrics are spend-weighted averages.
