How Much Does Google Ads Cost Per Month for a Small Business?
Most small businesses spend $500-$2,500 per month on Google Ads, though the right budget depends on competition and cost-per-click in your specific market.
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The Short Answer
Most small businesses spend between $500 and $2,500 a month on Google Ads, though the right number depends heavily on how competitive your specific keywords and market are.
Beyond ad spend itself, budget for either the time to manage the campaign yourself or a management fee if you hire it out — an unmanaged campaign tends to waste a meaningful share of its budget.
Why Costs Vary So Widely
Cost-per-click varies enormously by industry — some service categories pay a few dollars per click, others pay well over $20 due to high competition.
How to Set a Realistic Budget
Start with your target number of leads per month and work backward using your industry's typical cost-per-click and conversion rate to land on a realistic budget.
A Sample Monthly Budget Breakdown
A local service business in a moderately competitive category might spend $1,200 a month generating 40 to 60 clicks at $20-$30 each, converting a portion of those into actual booked jobs.
The same budget in a low-competition category could generate two or three times as many clicks, which is why researching your specific market's cost-per-click before setting a budget matters so much.
Get a Number Specific to Your Market
Appcly can pull real cost-per-click data for your specific industry and market before you commit to a budget.
Book a free consultation to get real numbers.
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