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Short answer: Local Services Ads (LSA) charge per lead, sit above the normal ads with a Google Verified badge, and usually cost less per lead. US contractor benchmarks in 2026 put electrical LSA leads at about US$39–49, against US$93.69 for electrician Search campaigns. Search Ads give you far more control over keywords, ad copy, landing pages and job types. Where LSA is available, most electricians do best running both. LSA isn’t offered in Australia or New Zealand, so there Search Ads are the main paid option on Google.
What’s the difference between LSA and Search Ads?
Comparison as of 20 October 2026.
| Local Services Ads (LSA) | Google Search Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| You pay for | Each valid lead (call, message or booking) | Each click |
| Where it shows | Top of results, with the Google Verified badge | Below LSA, in the sponsored results |
| Screening | Background, licence and insurance checks, varying by country and trade | None beyond ad policies |
| Control | Job types, service areas, hours, weekly budget | Keywords, negatives, ad copy, landing pages, bids, schedule, audiences |
| Landing page | None. Your LSA profile and reviews | Your own website or landing page |
| Lead credits | Available in some countries (not EMEA) | No. You pay for clicks, including poor ones |
| Countries | US, Canada, UK, Ireland and some EU countries | All six countries we work in |
| Getting live | After Google’s verification checks. “Pre-badge” ads can run once preliminary checks pass, ranked below fully badged providers | As soon as ads pass Google’s ad review |
Sources: How Local Services leads and charges work, Getting started with Local Services Ads, Lead credits.
Is LSA available for electricians in my country?
From Google’s Local Services Ads help pages, checked 20 October 2026.
| Country | LSA available? | Electricians listed? |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
| Canada | Yes | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
| Ireland | Yes | Yes |
| Australia | No | n/a |
| New Zealand | No | n/a |
Availability also depends on your area. Use Google’s eligibility check on the getting started page for your exact location. The same pages list plumbers, HVAC and roofers in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland.
How much does an electrician lead cost on LSA vs Search?
United States, US$.
| Channel | Electrical cost per lead | Period and sample | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSA | US$39 (book rate 43.4%) | Feb 2026, 112 electrical accounts within 888 contractors | A US LSA agency’s published study |
| LSA | US$49.02 (book rate 34%) | May 2026, 21 electrical accounts within 1,011 contractors | The Data-Driven Trades |
| Search Ads | US$93.69 (CPC US$12.18, conversion rate 9.08%) | Apr 2024–Mar 2025, electrician campaigns | LocaliQ |
| Search Ads, all contractors | US$104 blended, US$149 non-branded | Jan 2026 | A US LSA agency’s published study |
| Cost per paying customer, all trades | US$233 on LSA vs US$472 on Google Ads | Feb 2026 | A US LSA agency’s published study |
Same comparison for other trades, US$ (LSA: a US LSA agency’s study of 888 contractors, Feb 2026; Search: LocaliQ, Apr 2024–Mar 2025).
| Trade | LSA cost per lead | Search Ads cost per lead |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | US$39 | US$93.69 |
| Plumbing | US$57 | US$129.02 |
| HVAC | US$51 | US$127.74 (AC install & repair) |
| All trades / all home services | US$53 blended | US$90.92 |
These studies measure different things, so read the gap as a direction, not an exact saving. LSA leads are counted per lead. Search CPL depends on how each advertiser tracks conversions. The May 2026 sample of electricians is small, at 21 accounts.
Click prices for electricians on Search. Keyword Planner estimates for “electrician” have a median of US$18.35 across 48 US markets: from US$8.93 in Pittsburgh to US$30.38 in Tampa (Pinnacle Technologies, data Sep 2025–Aug 2026, CC BY 4.0). In Australia, where LSA isn’t available, the median “electrician” click is A$22.69 (published Australian agency data, Jul 2026), and “electrician near me” has a top-of-page bid range of A$10.01–A$38.73 (a second Australian agency’s published Keyword Planner data, Jul 2026).
We couldn’t find published LSA cost-per-lead data for the UK, Canada or Ireland.
What counts as a chargeable LSA lead?
From Google’s How leads and charges work page:
- You’re charged per valid lead, not per click or view. You set an average weekly budget, and Google sets a monthly maximum from it.
- A missed call during your business hours can still count as a lead if the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds. So answering the phone matters.
- Message leads are usually priced lower than calls.
- Booking leads are available in the US and Canada only.
Lead credits. Google applies automated credits for some invalid leads, usually within 30 days. No credits are given for “job type not serviced” or “geo not serviced” leads, so keep your job types and service area accurate. Lead credits aren’t available to advertisers in EMEA, which includes the UK and Ireland (Google). Manual lead disputes are available in the US and Canada only (Google).
Is LSA moving into Google Ads?
Yes. Google is bringing LSA into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals. According to Google’s help pages and Search Engine Land (20 July 2026):
| Cohort | Timing announced |
|---|---|
| Select US home-services categories (including plumbing, HVAC, electrical and roofing) | From August 2026 |
| Broader cohorts | Late 2026 |
| Non-US accounts | 2027 |
Google’s pages: 17213585, 17326460, 17325249. Search Engine Land reports that the new campaigns still show only on Search and Maps, stay keywordless and charge per valid lead. Existing budgets, settings and creative transfer automatically, but historical performance reports don’t migrate. If you run LSA, download your past lead reports before your account moves, and watch for Google’s advance notice.
Should an electrician run LSA, Search Ads or both?
| Situation | Our usual starting point |
|---|---|
| US, Canada, UK or Ireland; new to Google ads; verification possible | Start LSA for low-cost calls, plus a small Search campaign for high-value jobs (EV chargers, rewires, solar, commercial) |
| Already on LSA but leads are mostly small jobs | Add Search Ads for the jobs you want more of, with landing pages for each service |
| Australia or New Zealand | Search Ads plus a strong Google Business Profile (Local SEO). LSA isn’t available. |
| Can’t answer calls during working hours | Fix that first: missed LSA calls over 20 seconds can still be charged, and Search clicks are wasted |
| Want planned jobs (e.g. EV charger installs) | Search, plus Meta Ads for planned work. See Do Facebook ads work for contractors? |
More on electricians: Google Ads for electricians. For choosing between Search and Performance Max, see Search campaigns or Performance Max for lead generation.
Frequently asked questions
Are Local Services Ads cheaper than Google Search Ads for electricians?
Usually, per lead. US contractor benchmarks put electrical LSA leads at US$39 (February 2026) to US$49.02 (May 2026), against LocaliQ’s US$93.69 median for electrician Search campaigns. Search gives more control over which jobs you pay for.
Can I get Local Services Ads in Australia?
No. Google’s Local Services Ads aren’t available in Australia or New Zealand. Electricians there rely on Search Ads and their Google Business Profile.
Do I pay for LSA calls I miss?
Possibly. Google says a missed call during your business hours can count as a lead if the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds.
Can I get refunds for bad LSA leads?
In some countries. Google applies automated credits for some invalid leads, usually within 30 days, but lead credits aren’t available to advertisers in EMEA, including the UK and Ireland. Manual disputes are US and Canada only.
What is happening to Local Services Ads in 2026?
Google is moving LSA into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals: from August 2026 for select US home-services categories, later in 2026 for broader cohorts, and in 2027 for non-US accounts.
Should I run LSA and Search Ads together?
Where LSA is available, usually yes. LSA tends to bring lower-cost calls, and Search lets you target the higher-value jobs and services LSA can’t separate out.
How much does an electrician click cost on Google Search?
Keyword Planner estimates for “electrician” have a median of US$18.35 across 48 US markets (US$8.93 in Pittsburgh to US$30.38 in Tampa). In Australia, the median is A$22.69.
Sources (all checked 20 October 2026)
- Google Local Services Ads Help: Getting started (US, CA, GB, IE versions)
- Google Local Services Ads Help: How leads and charges work
- Google Local Services Ads Help: Lead credits
- Google Local Services Ads Help: Disputes
- Google Local Services Ads Help: Requirements by country
- Google Ads Help, LSA in Performance Max: Local Services Ads transition to Performance Max · Supported business verticals for pay-per-lead goals · About pay-per-lead goals for Performance Max
- Search Engine Land, Local Services Ads come to Google Ads via Performance Max (20 Jul 2026)
- The Data-Driven Trades, Google LSA benchmarks (1,011 contractors, May 2026)
- LocaliQ, Home Services Search Advertising Benchmarks
- Pinnacle Technologies, “What a home-service click really costs in 2026” (48 US markets, Sep 2025–Aug 2026), licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Other published agency data (named sources withheld): a US LSA agency’s cost-per-lead study (888 contractors, Feb 2026); two Australian agencies’ Keyword Planner data (Jul 2026)
Related: Google Ads cost for plumbers · Google Ads budget for HVAC companies · Google Ads for electricians · Google Ads cost for electricians · Pricing
