Video Ad Benchmarks by Industry 2026: CTR, CPM, CPC, and CVR Reference
Jonathan TapieroJune 16, 202610 min read
If you buy paid social, the first question after every launch is the same: are these numbers good? A 1.5% CTR, a $14 CPM, a 2x ROAS, those mean nothing in isolation. They only become useful when you can compare them against what other advertisers in your industry actually pay and earn. This page collects the most credible, current video ad benchmarks by industry for Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok, every figure attributed to its real source and year, so you can place your account on the map instead of guessing.
A word of warning before the tables. Benchmarks are a moving target, not a fixed bar. Costs rose across the board in 2025 while conversion efficiency softened, and every source defines "average" a little differently. We have grouped the data by platform and metric, flagged where methodologies disagree, and footnoted the comparisons that should be read as approximate. Use these to set expectations and spot outliers, then trust your own account's distribution for the final call.
The honest takeaway: in 2025 ad costs climbed (Meta CPM up about 20% year over year, TikTok CPM up about 16% per Triple Whale) while conversion efficiency slipped (TikTok CVR and ROAS both down roughly 6% YoY, Facebook lead conversion rate down from 8.67% to 7.72% per WordStream). Benchmarks are a baseline to beat, not a finish line.
How to read these benchmarks (methodology first)
Cross-source comparison here is approximate by design, and you should know why before you quote a number.
- "Average" means different things. WordStream (LocaliQ) explicitly reports medians, not means, to suppress outliers. Triple Whale reports platform aggregates across tens of thousands of brands. Comparing a WordStream median to a Triple Whale aggregate is directionally useful, not exact.
- CTR is not defined identically across platforms. WordStream distinguishes Meta "link click" CTR from all-clicks CTR. TikTok Ads Manager reports both "clicks (destination)" and "clicks (all)." When a table mixes these, the all-clicks version reads higher. Assume the Meta CTR figures below are link-click CTR unless noted.
- The data refreshes on a schedule. WordStream's Facebook benchmarks refresh yearly, Triple Whale's Meta and TikTok posts update through 2026, and Rival IQ's report is annual (February 2025 edition). Re-check the source before citing a specific cell.
If you want the metric definitions themselves, hook rate, hold rate, CTR, CVR, and cost per result, our guide to UGC ad metrics that matter breaks down each one and how to read them in sequence.
Facebook ad benchmarks by industry (CTR, CPC, CVR)
Start with the broadest credible baseline. According to WordStream (LocaliQ) (2025), traffic campaigns posted an overall median CTR of 1.71% (up from 1.57% YoY) and an overall median CPC of $0.70 (down from $0.77 YoY), measured across 554 US-based traffic campaigns from April 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
For lead-generation campaigns, the same WordStream 2025 dataset (726 US-based lead campaigns) reports a different shape:
| Metric | Facebook lead-gen benchmark |
|---|---|
| Average CTR | 2.59% |
| Average CPC | $1.92 |
| Average conversion rate | 7.72% (down from 8.67% YoY) |
| Average cost per lead | $27.66 (up from $22.87 YoY) |
Source: WordStream (LocaliQ) (2025).
The spread by industry is what makes the average misleading. Per WordStream's 2025 traffic-campaign data, CTR ranges from a low of 0.83% (Physicians & Surgeons) to a high of 4.13% (Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts). High-intent retail audiences click; considered, local-service categories do not.
Costs swing just as hard on the lead side. WordStream's 2025 benchmarks put Facebook lead-campaign cost per lead from $3.16 (Restaurants & Food) to $76.71 (Dentists & Dental Services). A $30 cost per lead is excellent for a dentist and alarming for a restaurant. Your benchmark is your vertical, not the blended line.
Ecommerce ad benchmarks on Meta (CPM, CTR, CVR, ROAS)
For DTC and ecommerce specifically, the cleanest read comes from Triple Whale (2025), based on nearly 35,000 brands measured January 1 to December 31, 2025. The all-industry Meta (Facebook and Instagram) averages:
| Metric | All-industry Meta ecommerce |
|---|---|
| CPM | $14.19 (+20.03% YoY) |
| CTR | 2.19% (+13.5% YoY) |
| Conversion rate | 1.6% (+8.29% YoY) |
| ROAS | 1.86 |
| CPA | $38.19 |
Source: Triple Whale (2025).
Per vertical, the differences are large enough to change how you read a winner. Triple Whale's 2025 Meta cuts:
| Vertical | CTR | CVR | ROAS | CPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health & Wellness | 2.70% | 1.72% | 1.50 | $38.55 |
| Beauty | 2.27% | 1.94% | 1.57 | $37.92 |
| Apparel & Accessories | 2.25% | 1.46% | 2.18 | $36.76 |
| Home & Garden | 2.22% | 1.32% | 2.18 | $46.46 |
| Electronics | 2.19% | 1.20% | 1.92 | $49.48 |
Source: Triple Whale (2025).
Health & Wellness draws the highest CTR of these verticals at 2.70%, but Apparel and Home & Garden convert that attention into the strongest ROAS at 2.18 apiece. Beauty's high CVR (1.94%) does not translate to top ROAS, a reminder that clicks and conversions are upstream of the number that pays your bills. If you sell in these categories, our vertical playbooks go deeper: UGC ads for skincare brands, UGC ads for supplement brands, and UGC for fashion ecommerce.
TikTok ad benchmarks by industry (CPA, CPM, CTR, CVR, ROAS)
TikTok's all-industry baseline, per Triple Whale (2025), measured January 1 to December 31, 2025:
| Metric | All-industry TikTok |
|---|---|
| CPA | $32.74 (+8.64% YoY) |
| CPM | $13.26 (+16% YoY) |
| CTR | 1.77% (+13.74% YoY) |
| CVR | 2.01% (-6.2% YoY) |
| ROAS | 2.21 (-5.7% YoY) |
Source: Triple Whale (2025).
By ecommerce vertical, conversion rate peaks at Home & Garden (2.42%) and bottoms at Sports & Outdoors (1.49%), while ROAS ranges from Apparel & Accessories (2.49, best) down to Pets & Animals (0.08, worst), per Triple Whale's 2025 TikTok data. CPA by vertical runs from a low of $13.46 (Pets & Animals) to a high of $31.25 (Electronics), also per Triple Whale (2025). Note the tension in Pets & Animals: cheap acquisition cost but the weakest ROAS in the set, low CPA does not guarantee a profitable channel.
The TikTok CPM problem (read this before quoting a number)
TikTok CPM is the single most methodology-dependent figure on this page, so present it as a spread, not a point. Triple Whale (2025) reports an all-industry TikTok CPM of $13.26, yet its own per-vertical table ranges only $3.79 (Sports & Outdoors) to $6.33 (Food & Beverage).
| TikTok CPM read | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Low (per-vertical floor) | $3.79 | Triple Whale (2025) |
| High (all-industry aggregate) | $13.26 | Triple Whale (2025) |
The gap between the all-industry aggregate and the per-vertical medians likely reflects a different campaign-objective mix or auction segment. The practical rule: expect a working TikTok CPM somewhere between the low single digits and the low teens depending on objective and vertical, and do not treat any single number as the bar.
TikTok vs Meta: how to compare cost
TikTok has a reputation as the cheaper click, but treat any blended cross-platform comparison with caution: cheaper clicks do not always mean cheaper conversions. The cleanest DTC story is per-vertical, not blended. Meta carries a higher all-industry CTR (about 2.2% per Triple Whale) than TikTok's all-industry CTR (about 1.77% per Triple Whale), while TikTok shows a higher all-industry ROAS (2.21 vs Meta's 1.86). Run both, judge each on its own vertical benchmark, and let the creative decide. For the structural differences between placements, see TikTok vs Reels vs Shorts, and for moving proven ads across platforms, scaling winning UGC ads on Meta and TikTok.
Organic engagement benchmarks (context for paid)
Paid does not run in a vacuum; the organic feed sets the bar your ads have to clear. Rival IQ (2025) analyzed more than 4 million posts and 9 billion likes, comments, and shares across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X/Twitter, sampling 150 companies from each of 14 industries (published February 25, 2025).
The direction is sobering: engagement rates fell on every platform year over year, Facebook down 36%, Instagram down 16%, TikTok down 34%, and X/Twitter down 48%, though TikTok remained the highest-engagement platform despite the drop. Higher Education stood out as a clear outperformer, far above the median on Instagram and TikTok. The implication for paid buyers: feeds are noisier and harder to stop a thumb in than they were a year ago, which raises the premium on a strong hook. Our breakdown of TikTok ad hooks that work and the hook rate benchmarks page cover that first second in detail.
What the 2025 benchmarks tell you to do
The consistent narrative across every source is two-sided: media got more expensive and conversion got slightly harder. That does not mean paid social stopped working; it means the margin for a weak creative shrank. When CPM rises and CVR softens, the only durable lever you control is the creative itself, and the only way to keep finding winners is to test more of them.
That is the whole case for volume. If your benchmark CPA is $38 on Meta and your creatives are clearing it on one ad in five, you need a steady supply of fresh variants to keep finding the next winner before fatigue sets in. See how many ad creatives to test and ad creative volume benchmarks for the math on how much volume the data actually demands.
FAQ
What is a good CTR for video ads by industry?
It depends entirely on platform and vertical. On Facebook traffic campaigns, the overall median CTR is 1.71% per WordStream (LocaliQ) (2025), but it ranges from 0.83% in Physicians & Surgeons to 4.13% in Shopping & Gifts. For Meta ecommerce specifically, the all-industry CTR is about 2.19% per Triple Whale (2025). Benchmark against your own vertical, not the blended average.
What is the average CPM on TikTok in 2026?
It varies widely by methodology. Triple Whale (2025) reports an all-industry TikTok aggregate of $13.26 but per-vertical medians of only $3.79 to $6.33. Treat TikTok CPM as a spread depending on objective and vertical, not a single fixed number.
Is TikTok or Facebook cheaper for ads?
It depends on the metric and your funnel. On an all-industry basis, Triple Whale (2025) reports a TikTok ROAS of 2.21 against Meta's 1.86, but cheaper clicks or stronger blended ROAS do not always translate to cheaper conversions in your vertical. Compare full-funnel ROAS by your own category benchmark before reallocating budget.
What is a good ROAS for ecommerce video ads?
For Meta ecommerce, the all-industry average ROAS is 1.86 per Triple Whale (2025), and for TikTok it is 2.21 per Triple Whale (2025). By vertical, apparel leads on both platforms (Meta ROAS 2.18, TikTok ROAS 2.49). A "good" ROAS also depends on your margins and AOV, so anchor to your category benchmark and your own break-even point.
Why did ad costs rise in 2025?
Across sources, 2025 saw rising auction costs paired with softer conversion. Triple Whale (2025) reports Meta CPM up about 20% YoY, and Triple Whale (2025) reports TikTok CPM up about 16% YoY while TikTok CVR and ROAS each slipped roughly 6%. More advertisers competing for finite attention, plus falling organic engagement per Rival IQ (2025), pushes paid costs up and raises the premium on strong creative.
Beat the benchmark with more creative
Every figure on this page points to the same conclusion: in a market where CPMs rise and conversion softens, the creative is the lever, and volume is how you keep finding the winners that clear your benchmark. The accounts that stay profitable are not the ones with one great ad, they are the ones with a process for producing the next one.
SepiaLab lets you generate UGC video ads with AI at the volume real creative testing demands, so you always have fresh variants to test against the benchmarks above instead of riding a single ad until it fatigues. Get started and produce your first batch yourself in minutes.