The short answer
- The average Google Ads search CTR is 6.64%, CPC is $5.42, conversion rate is 8.18% and cost per lead is $66.69 across industries in 2026.
- The figures come from LocaliQ’s 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks, built with WordStream from thousands of Google Ads and Microsoft Ads campaigns.
- Legal services have the highest CPC ($9.87) and CPL ($131.63). Arts and entertainment have the lowest CPC ($1.63) and highest CTR (12.75%).
- Cost per lead equals CPC divided by conversion rate. Fix whichever of the two is furthest from your industry’s figure.
Google Ads benchmarks by industry
LocaliQ’s 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks, produced with WordStream by LocaliQ and updated in June 2026, cover 23 business categories. They are averages from thousands of LocaliQ customers’ campaigns across Google Ads and Microsoft Ads search.
| Industry | Avg CPC | Avg CTR | Avg conversion rate | Avg 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 |
| All industries | $5.42 | 6.64% | 8.18% | $66.69 |
Source: LocaliQ, 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks. Conversion rate is leads divided by clicks.
What stands out in the 2026 data
- CTR is high everywhere. Every category averages above 5.5%. Finance and insurance (9.83%) and travel (9.32%) click well, but both convert poorly, at 2.64% and 5.83%.
- Cheap clicks do not mean cheap leads. Real estate pays $3.22 a click but $102.51 a lead, because only 3.70% of clicks convert. Furniture is similar: $3.97 a click, $106.70 a lead.
- Expensive clicks can still be efficient. Dentists pay $8.00 a click, yet a 10.67% conversion rate keeps the lead at $72.97, close to the all-industry average.
- Leads got cheaper. LocaliQ reports that cost per lead fell overall for the first time in five years, even as CPCs edged up.
How CTR, CPC, conversion rate and CPL connect
The four benchmarks are not independent. Cost per lead is the click price divided by the share of clicks that convert:
CPL = CPC / conversion rate
Check it against the all-industry figures: $5.42 / 8.18% = $66.26, within a dollar of the published $66.69 average. That identity tells you where to look when CPL is too high. Either clicks cost too much, or too few of them convert. CTR sits upstream: a stronger CTR usually earns a better Ad Rank, which can lower what you pay per click for the same position.
Work out your own numbers with the CTR calculator and the CPC calculator, then compare each against your row in the table.
Diagnose your account against the benchmarks
| Symptom vs benchmark | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| CTR well below | Ads do not match the search, or broad match is pulling in loose queries | Tighten match types, add negatives, write headlines that repeat the query |
| CPC well above | Competing on expensive head terms, or low ad quality | Shift budget to longer, more specific keywords; improve ad relevance |
| Conversion rate well below | Landing page or offer, or conversion tracking is broken | Check tracking first, then send traffic to a page built for the ad |
| CPL above, CTR and CVR fine | CPC is the problem | Bid strategy and keyword mix, not creative |
| Everything at benchmark, still unprofitable | The economics, not the account | Raise order value or lead-to-sale rate; see break-even maths |
Broken conversion tracking is the most common reason an account looks worse than benchmark. If conversion rate is suspiciously low across every campaign, check tracking before you touch bids.
Worked example: budgeting from the benchmarks
A dental practice wants 30 new patient leads a month from Google Search. Using the 2026 dental benchmarks:
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks needed | 30 leads / 10.67% conversion rate | 281 clicks |
| Monthly budget | 281 clicks x $8.00 CPC | $2,249 |
| Expected CPL | $8.00 / 10.67% | $75 |
| Daily budget | $2,249 / 30.4 days | $74 a day |
If the practice converts at 8% instead, it needs 375 clicks and $3,000 a month for the same 30 leads. A two-point conversion rate gap costs $750 a month, which is why the landing page usually deserves attention before the bids do. Run your own version with the Google Ads budget calculator.
Why your keyword CPCs may be far higher
An industry average mixes every keyword advertisers actually buy, including cheap branded, local and long-tail terms. The head terms in a category can cost many times more. The Google Ads cost guide lists median keyword CPCs by industry; for legal and insurance those run far above the $9.87 and $3.39 averages here. Use the benchmark to judge account health, and your own keyword prices to set budgets.
Benchmarks for other channels follow the same logic. Lead costs on Google, Meta and LinkedIn are compared in average cost per lead by industry, store conversion rates in ecommerce conversion rate benchmarks, and what return to aim for in what is a good ROAS. For Meta creative, format mix and how long ads run, see the Meta ad benchmarks.
Where Sprites fits
Sprites’ Google Ads agent reads your account against numbers like these, finds the search terms and keywords wasting spend, adds negatives, rewrites ads and moves budget toward what converts. Every change is staged for your approval before it goes live. Build covers Google Ads from $66 a month billed yearly, with a 7-day trial for $1; see pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average CTR for Google Ads?
The average click-through rate for search ads across industries is 6.64% in LocaliQ's 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks. It ranges from 5.56% for automotive repair to 12.75% for arts and entertainment, so compare against your own industry rather than the overall figure.
What is the average cost per click on Google Ads in 2026?
LocaliQ's 2026 benchmarks put the average search CPC at $5.42 across industries. Attorneys and legal services are highest at $9.87, followed by home improvement at $8.33 and dentists at $8.00; arts and entertainment is lowest at $1.63.
What is a good conversion rate for Google Ads?
The 2026 average is 8.18% across industries in LocaliQ's benchmarks, measured as leads divided by clicks. Animal and pet businesses average 16.22% and automotive repair 15.51%, while finance and insurance average 2.64%. Anything above your industry average is good.
What is the average cost per lead on Google Ads?
$66.69 across industries in LocaliQ's 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks. Legal services are the most expensive at $131.63 a lead, and automotive repair the cheapest at $29.96. LocaliQ notes that cost per lead fell overall for the first time in five years.
How are Google Ads benchmarks calculated?
LocaliQ and WordStream built their 2026 benchmarks from thousands of their customers' campaigns across Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, grouped into 23 business categories. CTR is clicks divided by impressions, conversion rate is leads divided by clicks, and cost per lead is spend divided by leads.
Why are my Google Ads CPCs higher than the benchmark?
Benchmarks average every keyword an advertiser buys, including cheap long-tail and branded terms. Competitive head terms in legal, insurance or software routinely cost many times the average. Price your own keyword list rather than relying on an industry average.