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Short answer: For most trades, Google Ads brings the urgent jobs and Facebook ads bring the planned ones. Google Search reaches people who are already looking for a plumber or electrician today. Facebook and Instagram show your work to people who aren’t searching yet, which suits bigger, visual jobs such as roofs, landscaping and renovations. In US benchmark data, a home-improvement lead cost a median US$41.26 on Facebook (WordStream) against US$90.92 on Google Search (LocaliQ), but the two leads aren’t the same: a Google lead is often a phone call from someone ready to book, while a Facebook lead is usually a form from someone earlier in their decision.
If you can only afford one, start with Google Search for emergency and repair work, and add Facebook when you want more planned, higher-value jobs.
How do Google Ads and Facebook Ads compare for trades?
Side-by-side comparison. US medians for home and home-improvement businesses. Facebook: WordStream, 726 leads campaigns and 554 traffic campaigns, April 2024–June 2025 (updated 14 September 2026). Google: LocaliQ, 3,211 home-services Search campaigns, April 2024–March 2025.
| Measure | Google Search (home services) | Facebook leads campaigns (home & home improvement) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per click | US$7.85 | US$2.23 |
| Click-through rate | 6.37% | 1.94% |
| Conversion rate | 7.33% | 5.22% |
| Cost per lead | US$90.92 | US$41.26 |
| Who sees the ad | People searching for your service now | People who match your area and audience, whether or not they’re looking |
| Typical lead | Phone call or form, often urgent | Instant form or message, often planned work |
Sources: LocaliQ home services benchmarks and WordStream Facebook ads benchmarks. Both are US data.
The Facebook conversion rate for home and home-improvement campaigns fell 36% year on year, one of the three biggest drops of any industry in WordStream’s data. Facebook’s cheaper leads also come with more follow-up work, which is why we cover lead quality in do Facebook ads work for contractors?
We couldn’t find neutral, published Facebook cost-per-lead data for trades in Australia, the UK, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland. For Google click prices by country, see our cost pages for plumbers, electricians, roofers, HVAC, landscapers and builders.
Which jobs suit Google Ads and which suit Facebook?
Rule-of-thumb guide by job type. Based on how each platform finds people; test it against your own lead data.
| Job type | Better first channel | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Burst pipe, blocked drain, power outage, no heating | Google Search | People search and call within minutes |
| Repairs and call-outs (leaking roof, AC repair, faulty switchboard) | Google Search | Searched for with the service and town in the words |
| Servicing and maintenance | Both | Search catches people due now; Facebook reminds past and nearby customers |
| Roof replacement, solar, heat pump or AC installs | Both, Facebook often stronger for reach | Bigger planned purchases that people think about for weeks |
| Landscaping, decks, kitchens, bathrooms, renovations | Facebook first, Google alongside | Photo-led work that people browse before they search |
| Seasonal offers (pre-summer AC service, pre-winter boiler check) | You can show the offer before people start searching |
How should a trade business split its budget between Google and Facebook?
There’s no published benchmark for the right split, so start from your jobs:
- Mostly urgent work (plumbing, electrical, HVAC repair): put most of the budget on Google Search, and use Facebook mainly for retargeting and seasonal offers.
- Mostly planned work (roofing replacements, landscaping, building): run both from the start, and judge each channel on cost per booked job, not cost per lead.
- Track both the same way. Count calls and forms from each channel, and ask every new customer where they found you.
PPC Fitter runs both platforms under one fee: first 2 months free, then 10% of combined Google + Meta ad spend or US$500/month, whichever is greater, with no lock-in and tools included (pricing). For example, US$4,000 on Google plus US$2,000 on Meta is US$6,000 combined, so the fee is US$600.
What about Local Services Ads, hipages, Angi and Thumbtack?
These are lead platforms rather than ad platforms you control, so they work differently from both channels above. Google Local Services Ads charge per lead and run in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, but not Australia or New Zealand (Google). In a sample of 1,011 US contractors, a Local Services Ads lead cost a median US$63.29 in May 2026 (The Data-Driven Trades). We compare them with Search ads in Local Services Ads vs Search Ads.
We couldn’t find neutral, published cost-per-lead or win-rate data for hipages, Angi or Thumbtack, so we haven’t compared them here. If you use them, track cost per booked job on each and compare it with your own Google and Facebook numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Ads or Facebook Ads better for tradespeople?
Google Ads is usually better for urgent and repair work, because it reaches people searching for your service now. Facebook ads are better for planned, visual jobs such as renovations, roofing and landscaping. Many trade businesses use both.
Are Facebook leads cheaper than Google leads for contractors?
In US data, yes per lead: a median US$41.26 on Facebook for home and home-improvement leads campaigns (WordStream) against US$90.92 on Google Search for home services (LocaliQ). But Facebook leads are usually earlier in the decision, so compare cost per booked job, not cost per lead.
Do Facebook ads work for plumbers and electricians?
They can, mostly for servicing, upgrades and retargeting. For emergencies, people go to Google Search. See our guide to whether Facebook ads work for contractors.
Should a roofing company use Facebook ads?
Often, yes, for replacements. Roof replacements are planned and easy to show in photos, so they suit Facebook. Keep Google Search running for leaks and repairs.
How much should I spend on Facebook ads vs Google Ads?
There’s no neutral benchmark for the split. Put most of your budget where your best jobs come from, and judge both channels on cost per booked job. Mostly urgent trades usually lean on Google; mostly planned trades often run both.
Is hipages or Angi better than Google Ads?
We couldn’t find neutral, published data comparing them, so we don’t rank them. Each platform sets its own lead rules and prices; check those for your trade and area, then track cost per booked job on each against your own Google and Facebook numbers.
Can one agency run both Google and Facebook ads for my trade business?
Yes. PPC Fitter runs Google Ads and Meta Ads together, with the fee worked out on combined spend: first 2 months free, then 10% of combined Google + Meta ad spend or US$500/month, whichever is greater, with no lock-in and tools included.
Sources (all checked 2 November 2026)
- LocaliQ, Home Services Search Advertising Benchmarks (3,211 US campaigns, Apr 2024–Mar 2025, medians, US$)
- WordStream, Facebook Ads Benchmarks (726 leads and 554 traffic campaigns, US, Apr 2024–Jun 2025, medians, US$, updated 14 Sep 2026)
- The Data-Driven Trades, Google Local Service Ad benchmarks: May 2026 (1,011 contractors)
- Google Local Services Ads Help, Getting started with Local Services Ads
Related: Do Facebook ads work for contractors? · Are Facebook ads worth it for small business? · Facebook lead ads vs landing page · Local Services Ads vs Search Ads · Meta Ads management · Pricing
