Quick answer: LinkedIn costs several times more per click but targets by job title, company and industry, so leads are usually better qualified for B2B. Facebook is cheaper and works well for small-business owners and B2C. Choose by who you sell to and your deal size.
If a single client is worth tens of thousands, LinkedIn’s higher click price is often worth it. If you sell to sole traders or consumers, Facebook usually wins.
LinkedIn Ads vs Facebook Ads at a glance
| LinkedIn Ads | Facebook Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Targeting | Job title, function, seniority, company, industry | Interests, behaviours, location, lookalikes |
| Typical CPC | Roughly $5–$12 reported in 2026 B2B benchmarks | Much lower ($0.70 traffic average, WordStream 2025) |
| Lead quality for B2B | High, if targeting is tight | Mixed; better for small-business owners |
| Best formats | Lead gen forms, document ads, thought-leader ads | Instant forms, video, carousels |
| Best for | High-value B2B services and software | B2C, local services, small-business offers |
Choose LinkedIn Ads if…
- Your deal size is large
- You sell to specific job roles or company sizes
- You need to reach decision-makers inside companies
Choose Facebook Ads if…
- You sell to consumers or small-business owners
- Your budget is limited
- Your offer is visual or local
Using both
Many B2B firms use LinkedIn for targeting and Facebook or Instagram to remarket to website visitors more cheaply.
Related: Coaches and consultants ads guide
Frequently asked questions
Why is LinkedIn so expensive?
A smaller, professional audience and many B2B advertisers competing for decision-makers.
Do LinkedIn ads work for small businesses?
For B2B with meaningful deal sizes, yes. For low-ticket B2C, rarely.
Can I target job titles on Facebook?
Not reliably; Meta has removed many detailed targeting options. LinkedIn is the platform for job-based targeting.
Sources
- Seo-day: LinkedIn vs Google Ads B2B CPC benchmarks
- Neal Schaffer: LinkedIn ads costs (citing Dreamdata 2026 benchmarks)
- WordStream by LocaliQ: Facebook ads benchmarks 2025 (lead campaigns)
Not sure which fits your business? Get a free ad review or try the Google or Facebook ads quiz.
Written by Gregory
20 years building websites and running lead generation, mostly with my own money on the line. Based in Sydney, working with clients worldwide. How I work →