Platform vs platform
Updated 2026-07-01
Google Display Network vs LinkedIn Ads
Google Display Network averages $0.75 CPC and $3.50 CPM. LinkedIn Ads averages $6.50 CPC and $36.00 CPM. Analysis for Tech/SaaS in 2026.
Google Display Network
CPC$0.75
CPM$3.50
Best forBrand awareness, Remarketing, Visual products
vs
LinkedIn Ads
CPC$6.50
CPM$36.00
Best forB2B marketing, Professional services, Enterprise sales
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 Google Display Network vs LinkedIn Ads on budget fit, industry rank and goal alignment.
Quick comparison
Quick Comparison
Delta reads left to right: how Google Display Network compares to LinkedIn Ads on each line.
| Metric | Google Display Network | LinkedIn Ads | Δ Google vs LinkedIn | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. CPC | $0.75 | $6.50 | -88% | Google Display Network buys ~8.7 clicks for every LinkedIn Ads click. |
| Avg. CPM | $3.50 | $36.00 | -90% | Cost to buy 1,000 impressions on each board. |
| Clicks per $5,000 | 6,667 | 769 | +767% | Volume advantage before conversion rate is applied. |
| Typical CVR | 0.9% | 2.4% | -63% | Cross-industry typicals by channel type, not board data. |
| Implied CPA | $83 | $271 | -69% | 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 | Low | High | Board tiers by CPM/CPC percentile. |
By industry · estimated CPC
Where the gap widens
Google Display NetworkLinkedIn Ads
Healthcare
B2B
Tech/SaaS
Education
Finance
Real Estate
Retail
E-commerce
Google Display Network 88% cheaper per click
Google Display Network 90% cheaper per thousand impressions
Method
Each industry estimate = platform baseline × (industry CPC ÷ cross-industry average CPC of $4.11). The ratio between the two platforms is therefore constant at ~8.7×; what changes by industry is the absolute cost.
Under the hood
How each one charges you
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.
LinkedIn Ads
- Billing
- LinkedIn Ads auction is priced at a premium ($6–10 CPC, $30–40 CPM) because targeting is by job title, company, and seniority — data that no other platform has natively. Every click is a self-selected B2B audience, which is why B2B marketers accept the CPMs.
- Learning phase
- LinkedIn's minimum daily budget is $10/campaign, but to reach signal on Lead Gen Form campaigns you need $75–150/day. Real B2B budgets on LinkedIn run $5K–20K/month.
- Creative
- Sponsored Content (single image 1200×627 or 1:1, carousel, video 4:5 or 16:9). Message Ads (subject + 500 char body). Text Ads (headline 25 ch + description 75 ch + tiny image). Video 3s–30min but 15–30s wins.
Verdict
When to Use Each Platform
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 $6.50)
- You want lower cost per thousand impressions ($3.50 vs $36.00)
Choose LinkedIn Ads when…
- You're targeting b2b marketing
- You're targeting professional services
- You're targeting enterprise sales
FAQ
Related Comparisons
Is Google Display Network or LinkedIn Ads cheaper?
Per click, Google Display Network at $0.75 vs LinkedIn Ads at $6.50. Per thousand impressions, Google Display Network at $3.50 vs LinkedIn Ads at $36.00. 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.