This page is a general benchmark for local service businesses that do not fit a single trade. The figures come from agency reports, not quotes, and your own industry page may show tighter ranges.
What a lead costs in local business
Each cost per lead below is shown as a range from low to high, never a single number. Top Organic Leads (TOL) is shown in the same range as the exclusive-lead benchmark for this industry, and we do not quote a specific price on this page. The column Exclusive or shared compares like with like.
| Platform or channel | Cost per lead (low to high) | Exclusive or shared? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yelp | $15 to $45+ effective cost per lead | Not stated | icatchgroup.com, webfx.com (vendor claim); clicks about $2 to $8 for home services |
| Angi, standard | $15 to $85+ | Shared, sold to 3 to 4 pros | gettradebridge.com, hookagency.com (vendor claim) |
| Angi, exclusive | No sourced price; reported at 2.5x to 3.5x the shared price | Exclusive | gettradebridge.com (vendor claim) |
| Thumbtack | $25 to $75+ typical ($10 to $200+ overall) | Mostly shared | growthkeymarketing.com, 7ten.marketing (vendor claim) |
| Google Local Services Ads, home trades | $30 to $50 up to $85 to $105+, depending on trade | Not stated | hellosetter.com, pipelineon.com (vendor claim) |
| Google Ads search, all-industry average | About $66.69 to $70.11 | Exclusive (your own ads) | scalegrowth.digital, coinis.com (vendor claim) |
| Google Ads, plumbing and HVAC | $100 to $300+ | Exclusive | ryndigital.com, searchengineland.com (vendor claim) |
| Google Ads, cleaning and handyman | $40 to $90 | Exclusive | Same sources (vendor claim) |
| Top Organic Leads (TOL) | Same range as the exclusive benchmark: about $66.69 to $70.11 all-industry average; tighter ranges are on each industry page | Exclusive | Matched to the Google Ads all-industry average; no specific price is quoted on this page |
Local Services Ads examples from the same vendors: electrical $35 to $70, HVAC $45 to $85, plumbing $40 to $75 and roofing $50 to $105+. Other Google Ads benchmarks reported: attorneys $100 to $130+ (wordstream.com) and finance and insurance $70 to $75+ (refinexmedia.com). Years are not stated except where shown below.
Why exclusive leads cost more than shared leads
A shared lead goes to several businesses at once, so each one pays less, but you compete for the same caller. An exclusive lead goes to one business only. The fair comparison is exclusive to exclusive: your own Google Ads leads against exclusive leads from Pay-Per-Lead SEO. Angi standard and most Thumbtack leads are shared, so their lower price buys a lead that other pros also receive. Angi standard leads are shared with several pros, so we do not compare them directly with an exclusive lead.
Google Ads cost per lead vs TOL cost per lead
Google reports a cost per conversion. It counts every call, form and text message as a conversion, including spam, wrong numbers, vendors, job seekers and existing customers. For a local business a conversion can be a vendor pitch, a job seeker or a wrong number, so reported cost per lead understates the cost of a real customer inquiry.
TOL verifies every lead before you are asked to pay for it. In one TOL client's Despora.ai dashboard, 74 calls, forms and text messages produced 24 qualified leads, about 32%.
The cost per qualified lead is the reported cost per lead multiplied by all contacts divided by qualified leads. At 74 divided by 24, that is about 3.1 times the reported figure. For illustration only, a reported $100 would work out to about $308 per qualified lead.
This is an illustration of the verification gap from one client. It is not a Google Ads measurement and it does not describe your account.
How Despora.ai verifies, values and flags each lead
Despora.ai is our lead platform. The AI monitors each call, form and message, qualifies it, and assigns it a value. You can always review a lead and dispute it if you think the AI made a mistake. The AI is usually right, but the final say on whether a lead is billed stays with you. We never publish client names or personal details.
A Despora.ai client dashboard, October 18 to 30, 2026. Client names and contact details are redacted. 74 total leads, 24 approved.
Cost per lead over time
Only all-industry dated data exists.
| Year | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | All-industry cost per lead up 19% year over year, rising in 91% of industries (percentages only, no dollar figure) | wordstream.com |
| 2023 to 2024 | About $66.69 to $70.11 all-industry, not split by year | scalegrowth.digital, coinis.com (vendor claim) |
No clean dollar series for 2019 to 2025 was found.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one cost per lead for every local business?
No. Reported Google Ads ranges run from $40 to $90 for cleaning and handyman work to $100 to $300+ for plumbing and HVAC, so use your own industry page when one exists.
Why are Angi leads cheaper than exclusive leads?
Standard Angi leads are sold to 3 to 4 pros. Exclusive Angi leads are reported at 2.5x to 3.5x the shared price (vendor claim).
Where can I see my industry?
Browse the local business industries linked below for pages with ranges specific to your trade.
Next steps
You pay only for qualified leads you approve. We back it with a 45-day performance guarantee. We do not guarantee sales or results. A lead is an inquiry you review and approve.
- Read the full industry page: Local Business lead generation
- See how it works: Pay-Per-Lead SEO
Sources
- icatchgroup.com and webfx.com, Yelp Ads (year not stated, vendor claim)
- gettradebridge.com and hookagency.com, Angi (year not stated, vendor claim)
- growthkeymarketing.com and 7ten.marketing, Thumbtack (year not stated, vendor claim)
- hellosetter.com and pipelineon.com, Local Services Ads (year not stated, vendor claim)
- scalegrowth.digital and coinis.com, all-industry average (2023 to 2024, vendor claim)
- ryndigital.com and searchengineland.com, trade ranges (year not stated, vendor claim)
- wordstream.com, attorneys and 2022 change; refinexmedia.com, finance and insurance (year not stated)
