Contractor growth · Paid ads
Google Ads vs Facebook ads for contractors (2026)
Google shows your ad to someone searching for a contractor right now. Facebook shows it to someone who was not looking. That one difference explains most of the gap in price and in how the leads behave.
Contractor guidesBy Landon LittleNovember 10, 20265 min read
The numbers side by side
| Metric | Google search, Home & Home Improvement | Facebook lead campaigns, Home & Home Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per click | $8.33 | $2.18 |
| Click-through rate | 6.47% | 2.14% |
| Conversion rate | 8.05% | 5.32% |
| Cost per lead | $90.92 | $42.95 |
On these figures a Facebook lead costs a little under half a Google lead. The two reports measure different things, though: a Google "lead" is usually a call or a form on your site from someone who searched, and a Facebook lead is usually an instant form filled in inside the app, often with contact details prefilled. The full breakdowns are in our Google Ads cost guide and Facebook ads cost guide.
What you are paying for
| Google search ads | Facebook and Instagram ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sees it | People who type a search that matches your keywords | People Meta predicts will respond, within the area and audience you set |
| How you are charged | Usually per click | Per impression or per result, depending on the goal |
| Minimum spend | None | None fixed; you set the budget |
| Best for | Urgent, searched-for jobs: a leak, no heat, a broken door | Planned jobs people do not search for yet: a remodel, a new roof, seasonal tune-ups |
| What the lead needs | Answer the phone | Call back fast; the person was not shopping a minute ago |
Which to run first
- If most of your work is urgent and people search for it, start with Google. A plumber or HVAC company gets calls from people who need someone today.
- If your jobs are big and planned, Facebook can reach homeowners before they start searching, with photos of finished work. Remodelers, roofers, landscapers and painters fit here.
- If you pay per lead on Google, Local Services Ads are a third option, charged per lead at prices Google says vary by location and job type. See Local Services Ads vs Google Ads.
- If the budget is small, run one platform well before adding the second. Splitting a few hundred dollars a month across both usually leaves each too thin to learn from.
Limits to know on each
- Google: you only show up when someone searches. In a quiet week or a small town there may not be enough searches to spend the budget.
- Facebook: ads about housing, such as selling homes or home financing, fall under Meta's Special Ad Categories, which remove age, gender and ZIP code targeting in the US. Ordinary repair and service ads are not named in Meta's housing definition.
- Both: the ad only gets the lead. A missed call or a callback the next day loses it on either platform.
Running both
Ad spend goes to Google and Meta directly. Nova Solutions manages Google and Meta ads together for a flat $397 a month for up to about $2,000 of monthly spend and $897 for up to about $5,000. For how other agencies price this, see ads management fee structures explained.
Sources
Benchmarks: WordStream, 2026 Google Ads benchmarks; LocaliQ, Facebook advertising benchmarks and its 2026 report PDF. Platform rules: Google, how ads work; Google Local Services Ads pricing; Meta Business Help Center on how much to spend, instant forms and Special Ad Categories. Read November 8 to 10, 2026. WordStream and LocaliQ sell ad management; their numbers are from their stated datasets. These are published figures, not Nova Solutions results.
Questions this post answers
- Is Google Ads or Facebook ads better for contractors?
- It depends on the job. Google search ads reach people searching for the service right now, which suits urgent work like plumbing and HVAC repairs. Facebook ads reach people who are not searching yet, which suits planned jobs like remodels and roofing.
- Are Facebook ads cheaper than Google Ads for contractors?
- Per lead, yes on published benchmarks: in WordStream by LocaliQ's 2026 figures, Home & Home Improvement leads cost a median $42.95 on Facebook lead campaigns against $90.92 on Google search. Google leads come from people actively searching, so they behave differently.
- How much does a click cost on Google versus Facebook for home services?
- A median $8.33 on Google search and $2.18 on Facebook lead campaigns for Home & Home Improvement, in WordStream by LocaliQ's 2026 benchmarks.
- Should a small contractor run Google and Facebook ads at the same time?
- With a small budget, usually one first. Splitting a few hundred dollars a month across both often leaves each too thin to learn from. Start with the platform that fits your main jobs, then add the other.
- What does Nova Solutions charge to manage Google and Facebook ads?
- A flat $397 a month for up to about $2,000 of monthly ad spend and $897 for up to about $5,000, covering Google and Meta together, with the ad spend paid to the platforms directly.
See how the fee actually works for you.
A flat fee, tiered by spend, not a percentage that grows on its own. Ad spend is billed to you directly by the platform.