Benchmarks · As of 2026 · DACH

What does Google Ads cost in your industry?

CPC, click-through rate, conversion rate and cost per lead for 14 industries in the DACH region — plus a live comparison that tells you whether your campaigns are above or below the market.

  • 1 Mio. €+ Werbebudget verantwortet
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  • 120+ Kunden im DACH-Raum

Benchmark table 2026

14 industries compared

Reference values for the Google Search Network in the DACH region. Derived from my own consulting practice (over €1M in managed budget) and the LocaliQ/WordStream Search Advertising Benchmarks 2026, adapted to German-speaking price levels. Individual markets and regions can deviate significantly.

Industry Avg. CPC (range) Avg. CTR Avg. conv. rate Avg. cost/lead (range)
Plumbing / Bathroom Renovation
2.80 € 1.50 €–5.00 €
5.5 % 6.5 %
45 € 25–80 €
Electrical / Solar PV
2.40 € 1.20 €–4.50 €
5.0 % 6.0 %
40 € 22–75 €
Roofing / Carpentry
2.20 € 1.20 €–4.00 €
5.5 % 7.0 %
35 € 20–65 €
Windows & Doors
2.30 € 1.20 €–4.20 €
5.5 % 6.0 %
42 € 24–80 €
Moving / House Clearance
2.00 € 1.00 €–3.50 €
7.0 % 8.0 %
25 € 15–45 €
Automotive / Dealership / Repair
1.60 € 0.80 €–3.00 €
6.5 % 4.5 %
35 € 20–60 €
Dentistry / Aesthetics
3.20 € 1.80 €–6.00 €
5.0 % 6.0 %
55 € 30–95 €
Lawyers
5.50 € 3.00 €–12.00 €
4.5 % 5.0 %
110 € 60–200 €
Finance / Insurance
4.80 € 2.50 €–10.00 €
5.0 % 4.5 %
105 € 55–190 €
Real Estate
2.60 € 1.40 €–5.00 €
6.0 % 4.0 %
65 € 35–120 €
B2B / Software
4.20 € 2.20 €–8.50 €
4.0 % 3.5 %
120 € 65–220 €
E-Commerce / Shopping
0.90 € 0.40 €–2.00 €
7.5 % 2.5 %
35 € 18–70 €
Hospitality / Tourism
1.20 € 0.60 €–2.50 €
8.0 % 3.5 %
35 € 18–65 €
Coaching / Weiterbildung
2.90 € 1.50 €–5.50 €
5.5 % 5.0 %
60 € 32–110 €
Fitness / Health
1.50 € 0.80 €–3.00 €
6.5 % 5.5 %
28 € 15–55 €

Source: visnakovs.de — use is expressly permitted with attribution & a link. Derivation & international comparison data in the methodology.

Live comparison

How are your campaigns doing?

Pick your industry, enter your own numbers — you instantly see where you stand. Your figures stay in your browser.

From click to deal

Leads are not the goal — deals are. Enter your close rate and see what a won deal really costs you.

30 %

100 clicks

Ad budget

→ Inquiries

→ Deals

Whether this cost per deal pays off depends on deal value & margin — work it out in the ROAS calculator.

Methodology

How these benchmarks come about

The values combine three sources: my own campaign data from consulting practice (over €1M in managed budget, focused on lead gen & local service providers), the LocaliQ/WordStream Search Advertising Benchmarks 2026 and Keyword Planner data for typical industry keywords in the DACH region.

The LocaliQ study is the largest regularly published primary source (thousands of campaigns across Google & Microsoft Ads) — but it measures the US market in US dollars. The numbers therefore cannot be compared directly: different competitive density, different click prices, different wage levels. US overall average 2026: CPC $5.42, CTR 6.64 %, conv. rate 8.18 %, CPL $66.69 — individual outliers: lawyers CPC $9.87, construction CPL $166, roofers CPL $228. Rule of thumb from practice: German search CPCs are usually 30–50 % below the US figures, but the relationships between industries are very similar — and it is exactly these relationships, calibrated against real DACH accounts, that sit in the table above.

Important for context: benchmarks are a compass, not a verdict. A "too high" CPC in a high-margin niche can be highly profitable, while a "good" CPC with bad tracking is worthless. Always check your economics with the break-even ROAS calculator — and use the search terms analysis to see how much of your budget evaporates without conversions.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the benchmarks

Where do these benchmark values come from?

They are reference values for the Google Search Network in the DACH region — derived from my consulting practice with over €1M in managed ad budget and international benchmark studies, adapted to German price levels. They do not replace your own measurement, but they give you an honest point of reference.

My CPC is well above the benchmark — am I doing badly?

Not necessarily. Competitive regions (big cities), narrow audiences or premium keywords cost more. What matters is not the CPC, but what a conversion costs and what it is worth to you — that is exactly what the break-even ROAS calculator is for.

What is a good cost-per-lead value?

The one at which you are profitable: deal value × margin × close rate must exceed the CPL. A tradesperson with €18,000 projects can easily pay €150 per lead — a gym with €40 memberships cannot.

Why do CTR and conversion rate vary so much by industry?

Search intent and urgency: someone searching for "burst pipe emergency service" clicks and converts immediately. Someone searching for "compare accounting software" researches for weeks. That is why you should only compare yourself with your own industry.

May I use or link to the table?

Yes, gladly — with attribution and a link to this page. The values are updated annually (current as of 2026).

Your numbers are worse than the benchmark?

Usually it comes down to structure, search-term hygiene or broken tracking — all fixable. In the free audit I show you where your account is leaving money on the table.

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