White paper · Benchmarks
The 2026 Cost Per Lead Report
What a lead really costs on Google Ads and Meta for Melbourne small businesses in 2026, from the accounts we run, with what each figure means for your budget.
$20average Meta lead for cleaning and trades
$50average Google Ads lead for trades
$50qualified Meta lead for mortgage brokers
$70average Meta lead for property investment
What is inside
Benchmarks by industry, minimum budgets, what a lead is worth, and a budget worksheet.
- The numbers: cost per lead from real accounts
- Typical ranges we see by industry
- Why the cheapest lead is often the most expensive
- How to work out the cost per lead you can afford
- What moves cost per lead the most
- The short answer
- Published prices from other Melbourne agencies
- What each price level actually buys
- The ad spend on top
- What cheap SEO really costs
- The hidden costs to check before you sign
- Website costs
- Worksheet: the budget that makes you money
Who wrote it
Raf Shaaban, Founder at WEDEE, 6 years experience. Raf founded WEDEE in Frankston in 2020 and runs every Google Ads and Meta account personally. Every figure comes from accounts we run, with the source named.
Prefer to read it on screen? The core of this report is free online as Cost per lead benchmarks: what leads really cost in 2026. The PDF adds the related guides, the worksheets and a printable layout.