Is Google Ads or Meta Ads Cheaper Per Lead in 2026?

On average, Meta (Facebook) Ads produces a cheaper cost per lead than Google Ads — $27.66 versus $66.69 — based on the two platforms' most recent published benchmark reports from WordStream. But the two figures aren't measuring identical things, so "cheaper" doesn't automatically mean "better" for a given business or budget.

The headline numbers

• Google Ads (Search, all industries): average cost per lead $66.69, average CPC $5.42, CTR 6.64%, conversion rate 8.18%
• Meta Ads (Leads objective, all industries): average cost per lead $27.66 (up 20.94% year over year), conversion rate 7.72% (down from 8.67% the prior year)

At face value, Meta's leads objective produces a lead for less than half of what Google Ads Search typically costs per lead.

Why the gap exists

Google Ads Search captures people who are already typing in a query related to what you sell, which costs more per click but tends to reach someone further along in deciding to buy. Meta's leads objective shows ads to people scrolling a feed who weren't necessarily looking for anything — cheaper to reach, but the resulting lead is often earlier-stage and less immediately sales-ready. The CPL gap is less about which platform is more "efficient" and more about which stage of intent each platform is built to capture.

Where the comparison breaks down by industry

The all-industry blend hides real category differences. Attorneys and Legal Services carry the highest CPC ($9.87) and highest CPL ($131.63) of any category in the Google Ads report — the most expensive vertical tracked on that platform. On Meta, the same Attorneys and Legal Services category converts at 10.53%, a comparatively strong conversion rate for the leads objective, which narrows the practical cost gap between the two platforms for that specific industry even though the headline all-industry numbers show Meta far cheaper.

Why you shouldn't do the cross-platform math too literally

A $27.66 Meta lead and a $66.69 Google Ads lead aren't interchangeable units — they come from different report methodologies, different campaign objectives, and different buyer intent, so subtracting one from the other doesn't tell you which platform actually makes you more money. The more reliable test is running both platforms at matched budgets for your specific category and comparing what happens to those leads after they convert — close rate and deal size, not just cost to acquire.

How to use both benchmarks together

• Use Meta to fill the top of the funnel: its lower CPL makes it a reasonable place to generate volume and build retargeting audiences
• Use Google Ads to capture ready-to-buy demand: its higher CPL reflects people already searching, which usually converts to revenue faster per lead
• Weight your budget split by your sales cycle: a business with a short, high-volume sales process leans further toward Meta's cheaper leads; a business with a long, high-value sales process can usually justify Google Ads' higher CPL

Bottom Line

Meta Ads wins on raw cost per lead in the all-industry averages, but Google Ads' higher CPL often reflects higher-intent traffic — the right platform mix depends on whether your business needs lead volume or lead quality more urgently right now.