Industry vs industry
Updated 2026-07-01
E-commerce vs Tech/SaaS: CPM Benchmarks
E-commerce vs Tech/SaaS — CPM: $9.00 vs $16.50. 2026 advertising benchmarks.
E-commerce
CPA$48.00
CPC$1.30
CPM$9.00
vs
Tech/SaaS
CPA$93.69
CPC$5.87
CPM$16.50
Amber underline marks the lower cost on each metric. Ties get neither. Industry swatches are uncolored — these are categories, not brands.
Quick comparison
Quick Comparison
Delta reads left to right: how E-commerce compares to Tech/SaaS.
| Metric | E-commerce | Tech/SaaS | Δ E-commerce vs Tech/SaaS | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Acquisition | $48.00 | $93.69 | -49% | Cost to acquire one conversion in this industry. |
| Cost Per Thousand Impressions | $9.00 | $16.50 | -45% | Cost to buy 1,000 impressions. |
| Cost Per Click | $1.30 | $5.87 | -78% | Cost per click across the industry mix. |
| Conversion Rate | 4.01% | 4.85% | -17% | Board conversion rate for the industry. |
| Competitiveness | High | High | — | How crowded the auction is relative to other verticals. |
Top platforms
Top Advertising Platforms
E-commerce
Meta Ads
Google Ads PPC
Google Display Network
Tech/SaaS
LinkedIn Ads
Google Ads PPC
Meta Ads
Under the hood
How each industry buys
E-commerce
- Profile
- Online retail and shopping - typically lower CPA due to shorter sales cycles
- Competitiveness
- High
- Conversion rate
- 4.01%
Tech/SaaS
- Profile
- Software and technology services - emphasis on free trials and demos
- Competitiveness
- High
- Conversion rate
- 4.85%
Verdict
When to Use Each Platform
Lean E-commerce when…
- Your product looks like e-commerce
- You need the lower CPA ($48.00 vs $93.69)
Lean Tech/SaaS when…
- Your product looks like tech/saas
- You can use the higher conversion rate (4.85%)
FAQ
Related Comparisons
Which industry is cheaper to advertise in?
E-commerce CPA is $48.00 versus Tech/SaaS at $93.69. Cheaper CPA is not always the better buy — conversion rate and deal size still decide.
Keep comparing