Industry vs industry
Updated 2026-07-01
Retail vs Tech/SaaS: CPC Benchmarks
Retail vs Tech/SaaS — CPC: $2.27 vs $5.87. 2026 advertising benchmarks.
Retail
CPA$44.26
CPC$2.27
CPM$7.50
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 Retail compares to Tech/SaaS.
| Metric | Retail | Tech/SaaS | Δ Retail vs Tech/SaaS | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Acquisition | $44.26 | $93.69 | -53% | Cost to acquire one conversion in this industry. |
| Cost Per Thousand Impressions | $7.50 | $16.50 | -55% | Cost to buy 1,000 impressions. |
| Cost Per Click | $2.27 | $5.87 | -61% | Cost per click across the industry mix. |
| Conversion Rate | 6.01% | 4.85% | +24% | Board conversion rate for the industry. |
| Competitiveness | High | High | — | How crowded the auction is relative to other verticals. |
Top platforms
Top Advertising Platforms
Retail
Meta Ads
Google Display Network
Programmatic Display
Tech/SaaS
LinkedIn Ads
Google Ads PPC
Meta Ads
Under the hood
How each industry buys
Retail
- Profile
- Physical retail stores - often combines online and offline tracking
- Competitiveness
- High
- Conversion rate
- 6.01%
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 Retail when…
- Your product looks like retail
- You need the lower CPA ($44.26 vs $93.69)
- You can use the higher conversion rate (6.01%)
Lean Tech/SaaS when…
- Your product looks like tech/saas
FAQ
Related Comparisons
Which industry is cheaper to advertise in?
Retail CPA is $44.26 versus Tech/SaaS at $93.69. Cheaper CPA is not always the better buy — conversion rate and deal size still decide.
Keep comparing