Platform vs platform
Updated 2026-10-21
Bing Ads PPC vs Google Display Network
Bing Ads PPC averages $2.71 CPC. Google Display Network averages $0.75 CPC and $3.50 CPM. Analysis for New Zealand in 2026.
Bing Ads PPC
CPC$2.71
CPM—
Best forB2B audiences, Older demographics, Cost-conscious campaigns
vs
Google Display Network
CPC$0.75
CPM$3.50
Best forBrand awareness, Remarketing, Visual products
Amber underline marks the lower cost on each metric. Ties get neither. Em dash means the platform is not sold on that basis.
Which one, for you?
Which should I actually pick?
Answer three questions and we'll score Bing Ads PPC vs Google Display Network on budget fit, industry rank and goal alignment.
Regional context
Advertising in New Zealand
New Zealand is a small, mature, English-language digital ad market with CPMs roughly in line with US baselines. Population scale is modest (~5.2M) but digital adoption is among the world's highest and consumer ecommerce maturity is strong. Google and Meta dominate; TVNZ and Stuff Digital provide the meaningful local premium publisher inventory. Australian and New Zealand campaigns are frequently coordinated together, though Kiwi consumers reliably notice and resent direct Australian creative reuse — local references, slang, and visual cues matter more than the size of the market would suggest. Privacy Act 2020 governs personal data; it's notably more privacy-protective than its Australian counterpart, with mandatory breach notification and stricter cross-border transfer rules.
Regulatory notes
Privacy Act 2020 governs personal information with mandatory breach notification; the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 requires consent for commercial messages.
Quick comparison
Quick Comparison
Delta reads left to right: how Bing Ads PPC compares to Google Display Network on each line.
| Metric | Bing Ads PPC | Google Display Network | Δ Bing vs Google | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. CPC | $2.71 | $0.75 | +261% | Bing Ads PPC buys ~0.3 clicks for every Google Display Network click. |
| Avg. CPM | — | $3.50 | — | At least one platform is not priced per impression. |
| Clicks per $5,000 | 1,845 | 6,667 | -72% | Volume advantage before conversion rate is applied. |
| Typical CVR | 3.8% | 0.9% | +322% | Cross-industry typicals by channel type, not board data. |
| Implied CPA | $71 | $83 | -14% | At the CVRs above; your account will differ. Implied CPA = CPC ÷ CVR. |
| Min. viable monthly spend | — | — | — | To exit learning / gather bid-strategy signal. |
| Pricing tier | Medium | Low | Board tiers by CPM/CPC percentile. |
By industry · estimated CPC
Where the gap widens
Bing Ads PPCGoogle Display Network
Healthcare
B2B
Tech/SaaS
Education
E-commerce
Retail
Finance
Real Estate
Google Display Network 72% cheaper per click
Method
Each industry estimate = platform baseline × (industry CPC ÷ cross-industry average CPC of $4.70). The ratio between the two platforms is therefore constant at ~0.3×; what changes by industry is the absolute cost.
Under the hood
How each one charges you
Bing Ads PPC
- Billing
- Microsoft Ads uses the same auction model as Google — bid × Quality Score determines position — but with 5–10x lower auction density on most verticals. Result: 40–60% lower CPCs than Google for equivalent placements, though volume is roughly 1/10th.
- Learning phase
- Because volume is lower, $20–50/day per campaign is often enough to run at scale. Budget floors are the friendliest of the search platforms.
- Creative
- Format mirrors Google (Responsive Search Ads, headlines 30ch, descriptions 90ch). You can import Google campaigns directly. LinkedIn profile targeting via Microsoft's own graph is the notable differentiator.
Google Display Network
- Billing
- GDN buys impressions across 2M+ publisher sites via a real-time auction. You can bid CPC or CPM depending on the campaign goal. CPCs are 4–7x lower than search, but conversion rates are also lower — it's a top-of-funnel channel, not a decision-point channel.
- Learning phase
- $30–75/day gets a display campaign to statistical signal, though retargeting audiences reach signal faster and are the recommended entry point for smaller budgets.
- Creative
- Responsive Display Ads: 15 images (1200×628 landscape, 1200×1200 square, 1200×1500 portrait), 5 logos, 5 short headlines (30ch), 5 long headlines (90ch), 5 descriptions (90ch). Google auto-assembles.
Verdict
When to Use Each Platform
Choose Bing Ads PPC when…
- You're targeting b2b audiences
- You're targeting older demographics
- You're targeting cost-conscious campaigns
Choose Google Display Network when…
- You're targeting brand awareness
- You're targeting remarketing
- You're targeting visual products
- You want lower cost per click ($0.75 vs $2.71)
FAQ
Related Comparisons
Is Bing Ads PPC or Google Display Network cheaper?
Per click, Bing Ads PPC at $2.71 vs Google Display Network at $0.75. Per acquisition it depends on conversion rate; run the recommender above against your industry.
Can I run both on $5,000 a month?
Yes, but split unevenly toward whichever side has the conversion volume to exit learning. Splitting evenly below $5k usually starves both. Use the min. viable spend row in the table above as the floor for each side.
Can I reuse Australian ad creative in New Zealand?
Technically yes, but it consistently underperforms. Kiwi audiences notice Australian slang, references, and visual cues quickly — and they care. Localized NZ creative isn't dramatically more expensive to produce but lifts performance materially across most B2C categories. Trans-Tasman campaigns work best when sharing brand strategy and assets but commissioning NZ-specific copy, talent, and references.
What's a typical NZ Google Ads CPC?
New Zealand Search CPCs typically run NZD 1.50-3.50 across most verticals, with finance, insurance, and legal pushing NZD 15-40+. That's broadly comparable to US equivalents in USD terms. The smaller auction pool means CPC volatility quarter to quarter is higher — competitor entry and exit can move benchmarks meaningfully, which is less common in larger markets.
Is LinkedIn worth running for NZ B2B?
Yes for Auckland-based professional audiences in finance, tech, agriculture, and government — though audiences are small and you'll saturate niche targeting quickly. NZ LinkedIn CPMs typically run NZD 60-110 for tightly-filtered audiences. Many NZ B2B teams run combined Australia-New Zealand campaigns with NZ-specific creative variants, which extends audience economics meaningfully.