Top 10 Digital Advertising Revenue per Click and CPM Benchmarks in 2027
By Kory White · Updated Nov 2026 · 5 min read
Direct answer
Paid search cost per click is the top digital advertising benchmark in 2027, followed by Alphabet and Meta pricing from their filings. WordStream put the 2026 average Google Ads cost per click at $5.42, Triple Whale a median Meta CPM of $15.06, Kiin a median LinkedIn CPM of $36.23, and Adwave citing eMarketer about $26 for connected TV. In Q3 2026 Alphabet reported cost-per-click up 4% and Meta average price per ad up 14%, percentages rather than dollar prices. Where no price is published, this page says so.
Alphabet: cost-per-impression is impression-based and click-based revenues divided by total impressions on Google Network properties such as AdMob, AdSense and Google Ad Manager
Tracking pricing on display inventory sold through Google Network publishers
Snap: average cost per advertising impression, the price behind advertising revenue alongside impressions volume
Watching how Sponsored Snaps delivery has moved pricing
Pick by what you want
Best overall
Google Ads Search Cost per Click
Best for display pricing
Alphabet Network Cost-per-Impression Change
Best for social
Meta Ads Ecommerce CPM
Best for B2B
LinkedIn Ads CPM
Best for video
Connected TV CPM
The ranking
1
Google Ads Search Cost per Click
Photo: Louis Dubruel / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe headline price of a paid click.
Definition: WordStream: cost per click is the first budget-related metric advertisers watch, the price paid for each click on a search adWordStream, 2026: Average cost per click in Google Ads of $5.42, from 13,474 US search campaigns running April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026Highest industries: Attorneys and Legal Services $9.87, Home and Home Improvement $8.33, Dentists and Dental Services $8.00Lowest industries: Arts and Entertainment $1.63, Restaurants and Food $2.05, Travel $2.14Method note: WordStream says its averages are technically median figures, in USD, with at least 52 active campaigns per subcategory; page last updated September 16, 2026
WordStream reported an average Google Ads cost per click of $5.42 for 2026, from 13,474 US search campaigns. Attorneys and Legal Services were highest at $9.87 and Arts and Entertainment lowest at $1.63. WordStream says its averages are technically medians.
Go ifBudgeting what a click on a search ad costs by industry
Skip ifYou need a market-wide price; this is a vendor sample of US campaigns
Why #1 over #2: It is the only pick that states a dollar price for a click on the largest search engine.
2
Alphabet Cost-per-Click Change
Photo: Asoundd / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe direction of Google search pricing.
Definition: Alphabet: cost-per-click is click-driven revenues divided by total paid clicks, the average amount charged advertisers for each user engagementAlphabet, Q3 2026: Google Search & other cost-per-click up 4% year over year, with paid clicks up 8%Alphabet, nine months 2026: Cost-per-click up 4% and paid clicks up 11% for the nine months ended September 30, 2026Dollar figure: Not published: Alphabet reports only the percentage change in cost-per-click, not an average price
Alphabet reported Google Search and other cost-per-click up 4% year over year in Q3 2026 and for the nine months, with paid clicks up 8% for the quarter. The filing gives no dollar average.
Go ifSeeing whether Google search clicks are getting more or less expensive overall
Skip ifYou need a dollar CPC; Alphabet publishes only the change
Why #2 over #3: It is a company filing, but it states a change where WordStream states a price.
3
Alphabet Network Cost-per-Impression Change
Photo: Runner1928 / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe closest filing to a display CPM trend.
Definition: Alphabet: cost-per-impression is impression-based and click-based revenues divided by total impressions on Google Network properties such as AdMob, AdSense and Google Ad ManagerAlphabet, Q3 2026: Google Network cost-per-impression up 14% year over year, while impressions fell 14%Alphabet, nine months 2026: Cost-per-impression up 11% and impressions down 11% for the nine months ended September 30, 2026Dollar figure: Not published: Alphabet reports only the percentage change, not a dollar CPM
Alphabet reported Google Network cost-per-impression up 14% in Q3 2026 and up 11% for the nine months, while impressions fell 14% and 11%. It is the filing nearest a display CPM, and it states no dollar value.
Go ifTracking pricing on display inventory sold through Google Network publishers
Skip ifYou need the price of a thousand impressions; Alphabet gives no dollar CPM
Why #3 over #4: It covers display and publisher inventory, which Meta price per ad does not.
4
Meta Average Price per Ad
Photo: LPS.1 / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe largest social platform price signal.
Definition: Meta reports average price per ad beside ad impressions delivered, which it counts when an ad is displayed to a userMeta, Q3 2026: Average price per ad up 14% year over year across the Family of Apps, with ad impressions up 10%Meta, Q1 2026: Average price per ad up 12% year over year, with ad impressions up 19%Dollar figure: Not published: Meta reports only the percentage change in price per ad
Meta reported average price per ad up 14% year over year in Q3 2026 with ad impressions up 10%. In Q1 2026 the price rose 12% and impressions 19%. Meta states no dollar CPM.
Go ifSeeing how fast prices are rising across Facebook and Instagram combined
Skip ifYou need a dollar CPM; Meta states a percentage change only
Why #4 over #5: It is first-party data from the platform itself, unlike the Triple Whale panel.
5
Meta Ads Ecommerce CPM
Photo: Austin McKinley / CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA dollar CPM for Meta ecommerce advertisers.
Definition: Triple Whale: cost per mille (CPM) is the cost to reach 1,000 peopleTriple Whale, August 2025 to July 2026: Median Meta Ads CPM of $15.06, versus $13.30 a year earlier, up 13.24%Highest industry: Health and Wellness at a median CPM of $21.80Lowest industry: Baby at a median CPM of $11.50Scope: Brands using Triple Whale across 17 industries, covering Facebook and Instagram; published August 17, 2026
Triple Whale reported a median Meta Ads CPM of $15.06 for August 2025 to July 2026, up 13.24% from $13.30. Health and Wellness had the highest industry median at $21.80 and Baby the lowest at $11.50.
Go ifBenchmarking what ecommerce brands pay to reach 1,000 people on Meta
Skip ifYou are not an ecommerce brand; the panel is Triple Whale customers
Why #5 over #6: It gives a dollar CPM for Meta, which the filing does not, but only for Triple Whale brands.
6
LinkedIn Ads CPM
Photo: LPS.1 / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe premium B2B CPM.
Definition: Kiin: CPM is the cost per 1,000 impressions, here the median across LinkedIn advertiser accountsKiin, 12 months to September 2026: Median CPM of $36.23 across 944 accounts, all feed formats except lead gen, LinkedIn Audience Network excludedKiin, thought leader ads: Median CPM of $65 across 212 accountsKiin, default CPC: Median LinkedIn default cost per click of $4.19 across 942 accountsDemandSense, 2026: LinkedIn CPC of about $5.59 in its 2026 LinkedIn B2B Benchmark Report, which gives no CPM
Kiin reported a median LinkedIn CPM of $36.23 across 944 accounts for the 12 months to September 2026, and $65 for thought leader ads. Its median default cost per click was $4.19.
Go ifPricing B2B reach on LinkedIn against other social platforms
Skip ifYou need LinkedIn-published rates; LinkedIn does not state a platform average
Why #6 over #7: It is the highest CPM here from a named dataset, but a single vendor panel.
7
Connected TV CPM
Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe video-on-the-big-screen CPM.
Definition: Adwave: the price an advertiser pays per 1,000 ad impressions on streaming televisionAdwave citing eMarketer, 2026: Blended average US connected TV CPM of about $26Adwave, FAST tier: Free ad-supported streaming at about $15 to $25 CPM, cited as an industry benchmark with no named sourceAdwave, addressable: Addressable first-party-targeted buys at about $45 to $85 CPM, cited as an industry benchmark with no named sourceAdwave, published: Q2 2026 pricing data article dated July 21, 2026
Adwave, citing eMarketer, reported a blended average US connected TV CPM of about $26 for 2026. Its tier ranges, about $15 to $25 for FAST, carry no named source, and the figure is a secondary citation.
Go ifSetting a starting CPM for streaming TV buys
Skip ifYou need the eMarketer report itself; this is a secondary citation
Why #7 over #8: It prices video on the big screen, which the social picks do not.
8
Amazon Sponsored Products CPC
Photo: Biodin / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe retail media CPC.
Definition: WisePPC: cost per click on Amazon Sponsored Products ads, reported as the median of per-account valuesWisePPC, US: Median US cost per click of $0.82, from a smaller sample of 19 accountsPeriod and sample: 90 days ending June 29, 2026, with 69 accounts overall, 7-day attribution and segments under 15 accounts excludedCaveat: WisePPC says all accounts use a PPC optimization tool, so the sample is not random; published June 30, 2026Amazon-published: Not published: Amazon does not state an average Sponsored Products CPC in the sources read
WisePPC reported a median US Amazon Sponsored Products cost per click of $0.82 from 19 accounts in the 90 days ending June 29, 2026. All accounts use a PPC tool, so the sample is not random.
Go ifSizing retail media click costs on Amazon
Skip ifYou need an Amazon-stated average; none is published
Why #8 over #9: It is the only retail media price here, though its sample is small.
9
Pinterest Ad Pricing
Photo: HaeB / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe one major platform with falling prices.
Definition: Pinterest CEO Bill Ready: ad pricing moves with ad impressions growth against revenue growthPinterest, Q3 2026: Ad pricing declined 4% year over year while overall ad impressions grew 17%Pinterest, Q3 2026 revenue: Revenue of $1,174 million, up 12% year over year, announced October 29, 2026Dollar figure: Not published: Pinterest states only the percentage change in ad pricing
On its Q3 2026 call, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready said ad pricing declined 4% while ad impressions grew 17%. Pinterest reported revenue of $1,174 million, up 12%.
Go ifSeeing a major social platform where prices fell as impressions rose
Skip ifYou need a dollar price; Pinterest gives a percentage only
Why #9 over #10: It shows a price falling, but the figure sits in call remarks, not a filing table.
10
Snap Average Cost per Ad Impression
Photo: Santeri Viinamäki / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe most volatile price of the platforms read.
Definition: Snap: average cost per advertising impression, the price behind advertising revenue alongside impressions volumeSnap, Q2 2026: Average cost per advertising impression up approximately 10% year over yearSnap, six months 2026: Average cost per advertising impression down approximately 2% while global impressions volume rose approximately 8%Dollar figure: Not published: Snap states approximate percentage changes only
Snap reported average cost per advertising impression up approximately 10% year over year in Q2 2026, but down approximately 2% for the six months as impressions volume rose approximately 8%.
Go ifWatching how Sponsored Snaps delivery has moved pricing
Skip ifYou need a dollar CPM; Snap gives approximate percentage changes
How we ranked these
We ranked ten digital advertising price benchmarks by how directly each measures what advertisers pay per click or per thousand impressions and whether a company filing or a named benchmark report publishes a figure. Sources are the WordStream 2026 Google Ads benchmarks (updated September 16, 2026), the Alphabet Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, the Meta third quarter 2026 release (October 21, 2026) and first quarter 10-Q, the Triple Whale Meta benchmarks (August 17, 2026), Kiin LinkedIn benchmarks (updated October 26, 2026), Adwave connected TV pricing (July 21, 2026), WisePPC Amazon benchmarks (June 30, 2026), the Pinterest third quarter 2026 release and call, and the Snap Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Filings state percentage changes, not dollar prices, so the two are never mixed. Vendor benchmarks stay attributed to the vendor and use different samples. Where no price is published we say so instead of estimating. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
What is the average cost per click for Google search ads?
WordStream put the 2026 average Google Ads cost per click at $5.42, from 13,474 US search campaigns between April 2025 and March 2026. Alphabet itself reported cost-per-click up 4% in Q3 2026 without a dollar figure.
What is the average CPM on Meta ads?
Triple Whale reported a median Meta Ads CPM of $15.06 for August 2025 to July 2026, up 13.24% from $13.30. Meta itself reported average price per ad up 14% in Q3 2026 and publishes no dollar CPM.
What is the average CPM on LinkedIn?
Kiin reported a median LinkedIn CPM of $36.23 across 944 accounts for the 12 months to September 2026. Thought leader ads had a median CPM of $65 across 212 accounts.
What is the average CPM for connected TV?
Adwave, citing eMarketer, put the blended average US connected TV CPM at about $26 for 2026. Its tier ranges, such as about $15 to $25 for FAST, carry no named source.
Year-over-year change in advertising price per click, ad or impression, in percent at a glance
Alphabet cost-per-click, Q3 20264 %
Snap cost per impression, Q2 202610 %
Meta ecommerce CPM (Triple Whale), to July 202613.24 %
Alphabet Network cost-per-impression, Q3 202614 %
Meta average price per ad, Q3 202614 %
Year-over-year change in advertising price per click, ad or impression, in percent, as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
