How Much Does Facebook Advertising Really Cost? (Real Numbers)
Honest pricing information and real examples from actual businesses
Let's talk money. Because that's probably your biggest question about Facebook ads, right?
"How much is this actually going to cost me?"
Everyone wants a simple answer. But the truth is more complicated than that.
The Short Answer
Facebook ads can cost anywhere from $0.50 to $5.00 per click. Or $5 to $25 per thousand people seeing your ad.
That's a huge range, I know. Stay with me.
Why the Range Is So Big
Several things affect what you'll pay:
Your industry. Some industries are more expensive. Insurance and legal services cost more than local restaurants. More competition means higher prices.
Your audience. Reaching business executives costs more than reaching college students. Popular audiences are pricier.
Your ad quality. Better ads cost less. Facebook rewards ads that people engage with by charging you less money.
Time of year. November and December cost more because everyone's advertising for the holidays. January is usually cheaper.
Where you advertise. Ads in the News Feed cost more than sidebar ads. But News Feed ads work better.
Real Cost Examples from Actual Businesses
Here are some real numbers from different types of businesses:
Local coffee shop - $0.30 per click, targeting people within 10 miles. $300 monthly budget.
Online clothing store - $1.50 per click, targeting women 25-45. $1,500 monthly budget.
Business consultant - $3.50 per click, targeting business owners. $700 monthly budget.
Fitness studio - $0.75 per click, targeting local fitness enthusiasts. $500 monthly budget.
Real estate agent - $2.25 per click, targeting homebuyers in specific zip codes. $1,000 monthly budget.
See the range? Your costs will depend on what you sell and who you're trying to reach.
How Facebook Charges You
Facebook has two main pricing models:
Cost per click (CPC). You pay when someone clicks your ad. Use this when you want website visits or sales.
Cost per impression (CPM). You pay per 1,000 people who see your ad. Use this for awareness campaigns.
Most beginners should use CPC. You only pay when someone actually takes action.
Daily Budget vs. Lifetime Budget
You'll choose one of these:
Daily budget - Facebook spends up to this amount each day. Set it at $10/day and Facebook won't spend more than that daily.
Lifetime budget - You set a total amount for the entire campaign. Set it at $300 and Facebook spreads that over your campaign dates.
Daily budgets are simpler for beginners. You always know what you're spending each day.
Minimum Budget Requirements
Facebook wants you to spend at least $1 per day per ad set.
But realistically, you need more than that. Here's why:
With only $1 per day, you won't get enough clicks to learn anything useful. You need more data to know if your ad works.
Recommended minimums:
$5 per day minimum for testing
$10-20 per day for real results
$50+ per day for faster learning
What Should Your First Budget Be?
If you're just starting out, here's a safe approach:
Week 1: $10 per day ($70 total). This is your learning week. You're figuring out what works.
Week 2-4: $15-20 per day if week 1 showed promise. Or pause and rethink if results were terrible.
Month 2+: Scale up what's working. Cut what's not.
Starting with $300-500 for your first month is reasonable for most small businesses.
How to Stretch Your Budget
Make your money go further with these tips:
Target narrowly. Don't try to reach everyone. Focus on your ideal customer.
Use great images. Better images get more clicks for less money.
Test your copy. Good writing costs the same as bad writing. But it performs better.
Start with easier conversions. Getting email signups is cheaper than getting sales right away.
Run ads during the week. Weekends can be more expensive in some industries.
Warning Signs You're Spending Too Much
Watch for these red flags:
Paying $10+ per click consistently
Getting lots of clicks but zero sales or leads
Burning through your budget in a day or two
Cost per result keeps climbing
If you see these, pause and fix your targeting or ad creative.
The Real Question: What's a Customer Worth to You?
Here's what really matters:
If a customer is worth $1,000 to your business, spending $50 to get them is a great deal.
If a customer only brings you $30, spending $50 makes no sense.
Know your numbers before you start. What's the lifetime value of a customer? How much can you afford to pay to get one?
Can You Really Start with Just $5 a Day?
Yes, but understand the limitations.
With $5 per day, you'll get maybe 5-15 clicks per day (depending on your industry). That's not a lot of data. It'll take weeks to figure out what's working.
But it's better than nothing. And it's a way to learn without risking much.
Once you see something working, increase your budget to scale faster.
Hidden Costs to Consider
Facebook ads aren't your only cost:
Someone needs to create the ads (your time or hiring help)
You might need new images or videos
Your website needs to be ready for traffic
You need to respond to messages and leads
Tools for tracking and analytics
Factor these in when planning your budget.
My Honest Recommendation
For most small businesses starting out:
Start with $500-1,000 for your first month. Split that across 2-3 different ad campaigns. This gives you enough data to learn without risking too much.
If you can't afford that, start with $300. Run one solid campaign for 30 days.
If even that's too much, save up until you can invest properly. Facebook ads with a tiny budget are frustrating and often don't work.
The Bottom Line
Facebook ads aren't free, but they're not crazy expensive either. Most small businesses can afford to test them.
The real cost isn't the money Facebook charges. It's the opportunity cost of not trying at all.
Create Better Ads for Your Budget
Want to make every dollar work harder? The quality of your ad copy and creative directly affects your costs. Better ads cost less per click.
Stirling helps you create professional, high-performing Facebook ad copy in minutes. Instead of staring at a blank screen wondering what to write, Stirling generates multiple ad variations based on what actually works. Less time writing means more time testing and optimizing your budget.
Your money should go toward reaching customers, not toward expensive agencies or hours of trial and error.
