How costs compare with Google Ads

LinkedIn Ads has a fame for being costly. The info helps that initially look.

Throughout the shopper accounts analyzed for this examine, LinkedIn’s common CPC was $11.12 in contrast with $5.45 on Google Adverts.

Nonetheless, that comparability doesn’t inform the entire story.

After we evaluate the price of reaching new, high-intent B2B consumers, the hole narrows significantly. Non-branded Google Search campaigns averaged a $12.48 CPC, whereas comparable LinkedIn prospecting campaigns averaged $13.94.

To see how LinkedIn CPCs evaluate with Google Adverts throughout marketing campaign sorts and industries, I analyzed greater than $700,000 in LinkedIn advert spend and CPC information from the identical accounts on Google Adverts.

What’s included on this evaluation

I seemed particularly at CPC and efficiency information for shoppers who had lively campaigns on each LinkedIn Adverts and Google Adverts over the previous yr.

The inquiries to reply:

• What are the true CPCs we’re seeing?
• Do CPCs differ by advert set goal and business?
• How do these CPCs evaluate with these on Google Adverts?

For LinkedIn Adverts, I analyzed greater than $700,000 in spend throughout 63,000+ clicks and eight.1 million impressions.

Purchasers fell into two essential enterprise classes:

• B2B SaaS (roughly 97% of spend)
• Skilled companies.

I checked out CPCs by advert set goal and by enterprise class.

In Google Adverts, I pulled CPC information for a similar shopper accounts throughout branded search, non-branded search, Demand Gen, and show marketing campaign sorts.

Shopper names are withheld. The date vary for this evaluation was Might 2025 via Might 2026.

LinkedIn is dearer at first look, however the comparability is extra nuanced

LinkedIn’s blended common CPC throughout all aims was $11.12. Google’s blended common CPC throughout all marketing campaign sorts was $5.45.

On the floor, LinkedIn prices about twice as a lot per click on.

There’s an enormous caveat, although. On Google Adverts, a big portion of these clicks comes from show ($0.89 common CPC) and branded search ($1.71 common CPC). Each techniques are inherently low-cost since you’re both fishing in low-intent waters (show) or capturing searches on your personal model identify.

Nonetheless, if we take a look at the price of reaching new, high-intent audiences, the CPC hole begins to shut.

• The typical CPC for Google Adverts non-branded search throughout shoppers on this examine was $12.48.
• On LinkedIn Adverts, the typical CPC for prospecting campaigns (excluding retargeting) with lead technology, web site conversion, or web site go to aims was $13.94.

I selected these aims as a result of they most intently characterize high-intent direct-response campaigns, placing LinkedIn on extra equal footing with non-branded search.

When evaluating the price of reaching a brand new viewers, LinkedIn isn’t far more costly. We’re taking a look at $12 CPCs on Google and $14 CPCs on LinkedIn. LinkedIn nonetheless prices extra, nevertheless it’s now not double the worth of Google.

LinkedIn CPCs fluctuate broadly by goal

One attention-grabbing discovering on this information set is the vary of CPCs throughout LinkedIn advert aims:

• Web site visits: $6.75
• Model consciousness: $8.34
• Web site conversions: $4.84
• Engagement: $4.45
• Lead technology: $31.29
• Video views: $71.43

Lead technology campaigns, the place LinkedIn’s lead gen types seize contact data straight inside the platform, price almost 5 instances extra per click on than web site go to campaigns. 

Provided that these marketing campaign sorts sometimes have a lot greater conversion charges than advertisements that drive site visitors to an internet site or touchdown web page, the upper CPC is less complicated to justify.

Full breakdown of CPCs by marketing campaign goal:

One factor that basically jumps out on this desk is that video views have terribly excessive CPCs. Nonetheless, price per view (CPV) is the extra related metric for these campaigns, making the CPC considerably deceptive in isolation.

In the event you’re operating LinkedIn and optimizing for click on quantity or website site visitors, price range for CPCs within the $6-8 vary. In the event you’re operating lead gen advertisements (which, in my expertise, are likely to have a lot greater conversion charges and powerful lead high quality), plan for $30+ CPCs.

LinkedIn CPCs additionally fluctuate by business

The 2 enterprise classes within the information confirmed notably totally different CPC profiles on LinkedIn:

• B2B SaaS: $11.02 common CPC (on $681,000 spend)
• Skilled companies: $15.25 common CPC (on $23,000 spend)

One factor to notice is the distinction in complete spend between the 2 sectors. B2B SaaS had a a lot wider mixture of marketing campaign sorts, which probably influenced the CPC development. The skilled companies campaigns additionally used very particular concentrating on which will have contributed to their greater CPCs.

B2B SaaS CPCs by marketing campaign goal:

Skilled companies CPCs by marketing campaign goal:

Curiously, the CPC for lead gen campaigns in skilled companies was decrease than for web site go to campaigns. When evaluating industries, lead gen CPCs in skilled companies have been additionally a lot decrease than lead gen CPCs in B2B SaaS.

In the event you’re knowledgeable companies agency utilizing LinkedIn, think about $15-$20 CPCs when planning your marketing campaign price range. For B2B SaaS, plan for a a lot wider vary, from roughly $7-$35, relying on the marketing campaign goal. 

How does this evaluate with Google Adverts?

The traits are fairly constant throughout channels. Skilled companies nonetheless has greater CPCs than B2B SaaS on this information set. If we’re evaluating solely non-branded search between the 2 industries, the CPCs are nearer, however skilled companies nonetheless comes out greater.

Breakdown of Google CPCs by marketing campaign sort: 

What ought to your LinkedIn Adverts price range be?

Your concentrating on may have a huge effect in your CPCs and price range necessities, however right here’s a sensible framework primarily based on this information:

Minimal viable price range: $3,000-$5,000/month

Beneath this stage, you’re unlikely to generate sufficient site visitors to drive significant lead quantity or conversions. It is going to most likely be sluggish going on the subject of figuring out significant traits, however you’ll at the very least be within the sport. You’ll most likely solely be capable of run one or two campaigns.

Testing and studying: $5,000-$10,000/month 

That is probably sufficient price range to run two or three aims, launch extra campaigns, check inventive and audiences, and generate statistically significant lead quantity.

Scaling: $10,000+/month

At this stage, you possibly can run always-on model consciousness and thought management campaigns alongside lead gen and web site go to campaigns, help occasion registrations and different advertising initiatives, and experiment with extra refined list-targeted campaigns and retargeting. You’ll be capable of run direct-response initiatives alongside brand-building efforts.

For B2B SaaS or skilled companies corporations with an ACV above $20,000, I’d not often suggest beginning LinkedIn with lower than $5,000 monthly. The economics of a single closed deal value $30,000-$50,000 in ACV can justify important funding, even at a $500+ CPL, if the pipeline high quality is there.

What’s the proper channel combine for B2B?

I like to recommend the next strategy to most of our B2B shoppers:

Use Google Adverts and Microsoft Adverts for intent seize

Non-branded search catches consumers who’re actively researching. Branded search and remarketing are lower-cost and important. If somebody is looking for your class key phrases, you have to be there.

We additionally leverage Demand Gen and Efficiency Max the place it is smart to fill gaps and help model consciousness.

Use LinkedIn Adverts for audience-led demand technology

In case your supreme buyer profile is extremely particular — for instance, VP-level decision-makers at mid-market SaaS corporations — LinkedIn’s concentrating on is what you’re searching for. No different platform allows you to attain that sort {of professional} viewers at scale.

Run each in parallel

That is the strongest setup. Google captures current demand. LinkedIn creates new demand and retains your model seen to the precise consumers you need in your pipeline.

Why LinkedIn is definitely worth the greater CPCs

LinkedIn is dearer than Google on a uncooked CPC foundation, however if you evaluate apples to apples (each platforms reaching chilly, certified B2B consumers), the hole narrows considerably.

Whereas CPCs may be greater, the funding is commonly worthwhile if you may get in entrance of your goal prospects early within the decision-making course of. That’s simpler over the long run than relying solely on high-intent key phrases after consumers have already narrowed their checklist of options.

The best state of affairs is on your model to change into an lively participant within the decision-making course of, shaping the narrative as an alternative of letting rivals do it for you.

My take is to make use of LinkedIn Adverts to construct intent and inform your story, and use Google Adverts and Microsoft Adverts to seize intent. The price range will rely in your concentrating on, however it’s best to be capable of afford at the very least 100 clicks monthly. In any other case, you’re spending cash on advertisements with out giving the system sufficient information to work with.