Benchmark Intelligence for Paid Media

Plan what
your industry
may pay per click.

DataForSEO planning estimates for 98 Google Search keywords across 14 industries. United States, July 2026; not observed account costs.

14
Industries tracked
98
Keywords tracked
July 2026
Latest data

A CPC planning benchmark is a directional reference for the expected cost of one search-ad click in a given industry. It is not a quoted price or an observation from an advertiser account. Auction prices move continuously, so the source, geography and snapshot date matter.

CPC Tools publishes 98 DataForSEO Google Search keyword estimates across 14 industries, collected July 2026 and stored as a dated snapshot. The median across all 14 industries is $8.22. Legal Services has the highest industry median at $89.55 and Gaming the lowest at $1.26.

Figures are medians rather than means because CPC distributions have long right tails. Scope is national United States, Google Search only, free and without signup. Use the values for planning and sanity checks, then validate them against your own observed account data. What the dataset contains.

Sample data

July 2026 — Median Google Search CPC by industry

Full dataset is free
No signup or access code
Industry Platform Median CPC Range (p25–p75) Keywords
Legal Services
Google Search
Google
$89.55
$44.64 – $163.25
+33.4%
Insurance
Google Search
Google
$50.36
$24.21 – $105.21
-50.1%
B2B / Lead Gen
Google Search
Google
$49.92
$48.70 – $60.59
-26.1%
SaaS / Software
Google Search
Google
$45.30
$41.12 – $76.36
-58.5%
Education
Google Search
Google
$28.48
$16.49 – $41.23
+71.6%
Home Services
Google Search
Google
$23.39
$13.08 – $32.79
-13.9%
Healthcare
Google Search
Google
$9.51
$5.09 – $11.01
-0.5%
Financial Services
Google Search
Google
$6.93
$4.72 – $21.20
-42.6%
Automotive
Google Search
Google
$5.20
$3.13 – $6.27
-17.0%
Beauty & Cosmetics
Google Search
Google
$3.15
$2.44 – $3.19
-56.8%
E-commerce
Google Search
Google
$2.57
$2.45 – $2.76
+49.2%
Travel & Tourism
Google Search
Google
$2.17
$1.77 – $2.55
+56.1%
Real Estate
Google Search
Google
$1.36
$1.22 – $6.22
-18.1%
Gaming
Google Search
Google
$1.26
$0.65 – $1.68
-2.1%

Use the snapshot as a planning range, not a performance verdict.

The figures come from a Google Ads planning data source through DataForSEO. They are useful for setting a starting range and spotting large differences between keywords.

They do not reveal what any specific advertiser paid. Compare the snapshot with your own account data before changing bids or budgets.

Do not conclude
“This estimate proves our account is above or below the market.”
Use it to plan
“This keyword sample gives us a directional CPC range to stress-test our media plan.”
Then validate
“Our observed CPC and conversion rate determine the decision; the snapshot is context.”
How it works

One source. Documented end to end.

01 — Source
DataForSEO planning data, Google Search only

Every published figure comes from the DataForSEO keyword endpoint for Google Ads planning data: 98 keywords across 14 industries. These are third-party estimates, not observed costs from advertiser accounts.

02 — Snapshot
Dated, never overwritten

Each collection is stored as a dated snapshot and kept. Planning estimates and auction prices change, so the date belongs beside every number. This snapshot was collected July 2026 for the United States.

03 — Method in the open
Including what we got wrong

Medians rather than means, interquartile ranges rather than averages, and a written record of the figures this site published before July 2026 and has since retracted. Read the methodology.

Free tools — use now

Calculators with snapshot estimates built in

Calculator
ROAS Calculator
Calculate Return on Ad Spend and compare against industry benchmarks across Google Search.
Estimator
CPC Estimator
Model cost per click with the July 2026 DataForSEO planning snapshot and budget scenarios.
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Breakeven ROAS
Find your exact breakeven point factoring in COGS, shipping and margins. Know the minimum ROAS to stay profitable.
Comparison
TikTok vs Google
Compare how TikTok Ads and Google Search work. The page includes Google Search estimates only, not TikTok cost data.
Calculator
CAC Calculator
Calculate Customer Acquisition Cost with industry benchmarks and LTV:CAC ratio health analysis.
Reports
Industry Reports
Google Search planning estimates for 14 industries. 98 keywords with CPC, monthly volume and competition. Free, no signup.
Full data available now

Stop using averages.
See every keyword.

Free industry reports with Google Search CPC planning estimates, volume, competition and opportunity scores. The API is not available.

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