The average Google Ads click-through rate is 3.17% and the average cost per click is $2.69
Outdated Confidence: high
Source found and quoted correctly, but old enough that the market has changed.
- Commonly cited as
- "Average Google Ads CTR is 3.17% (search) and 0.46% (display)"
- True origin
- WordStream — Google Ads Benchmarks for YOUR Industry (data as of 2018)
- Type
- Stat check: A widely repeated statistic traced back to its origin.
- Year
- 2018
- Data as of
- WordStream client data as of 2018
- Last checked
- What the source says
As of 2018, the industries with the lowest average click-through rates including Technology, B2B, and Consumer Services. The average click-through rate in Google Ads across all industries is 3.17% for search and 0.46% for display. ... The average cost per click in Google Ads across all industries is $2.69 for search and $0.63 for display.
- Method & sample
- Averages across WordStream client accounts (US, 20 industries), as of 2018.
- Drift between quote and source
- Age: 2018 data still circulates as current; WordStream's 2025 figures are 6.66% CTR and $5.26 CPC
- Scope: one vendor's client accounts
- Interest
- WordStream (LocaliQ, part of Gannett) sells search and social ad management services and software.
Safe rephrasing
WordStream's 2018 client data showed a 3.17% average search CTR and $2.69 CPC; its 2025 benchmarks report 6.66% and $5.26, so use the newer figures with the year.
Sources we opened
Machine-readable: /api/claims/google-ads-average-ctr-3-17-percent-cpc-2-69.json · Last checked 2026-10-16