In This Guide
Google Ads and Facebook Ads (Meta) control over 50% of global digital ad spend combined. But they work in fundamentally different ways — and choosing the wrong one can waste thousands in ad budget.
We've tested both extensively across multiple verticals for ad arbitrage campaigns. This guide gives you the real data, so you can choose the right platform — or learn when to use both.
The Quick Verdict
TL;DR Comparison
| Google Ads | Facebook Ads (Meta) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | High-intent searches | Discovery & awareness |
| Avg. CPC (Search/Feed) | $1.00-5.00 | $0.50-2.50 |
| Avg. conversion rate | 3.75-7.0% | 1.0-3.0% |
| Avg. ROAS | 2:1 to 8:1 | 1.5:1 to 5:1 |
| Targeting approach | Keyword intent | Interest & behavior |
| Creative format | Text + Shopping | Visual + Video |
| Learning period | 2-4 weeks | 1-2 weeks |
| Best arbitrage use | Search arbitrage | Content/offer arbitrage |
Head-to-Head Comparison
How They Work — The Core Difference
Google Ads captures demand. Someone searches "best running shoes" — they already want running shoes. You're bidding to be the answer to their question. This is why Google conversion rates are higher: the user has declared their intent.
Facebook Ads creates demand. You show someone a running shoe ad while they're scrolling their feed looking at memes. They weren't shopping — but your creative caught their attention. This is why Facebook CPCs are lower but conversion requires stronger creative.
The simplest framework: Google = "I'm looking for this." Facebook = "I didn't know I wanted this, but now I do."
Market Share & Scale
In 2025, Google commanded approximately 28% of global digital ad revenue ($280B+), while Meta held approximately 21% ($155B+). Together they dominate the duopoly, though TikTok, Amazon Ads, and retail media networks are growing their share.
Conversion Rate Benchmarks
Avg. Conversion Rate by Industry
| Industry | Google Search | Google Display | Facebook/Instagram |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce | 2.8-4.5% | 0.5-1.2% | 1.5-3.5% |
| Finance/Insurance | 4.5-7.5% | 0.8-1.5% | 1.0-2.5% |
| Health/Wellness | 3.0-5.5% | 0.6-1.3% | 1.8-3.8% |
| Education | 3.5-6.0% | 0.5-1.0% | 2.0-4.0% |
| Real Estate | 2.5-4.0% | 0.4-0.9% | 1.2-2.8% |
| Legal | 5.0-8.5% | 0.7-1.5% | 1.5-3.0% |
| B2B/SaaS | 2.5-5.0% | 0.3-0.8% | 1.0-2.5% |
| Local Services | 5.0-8.0% | 0.8-2.0% | 2.0-4.5% |
Key insight: Google Search consistently converts 2-3x higher than Facebook because of intent. But Facebook's lower CPCs often make the cost per conversion comparable — especially for e-commerce and health verticals.
CPC Comparison by Industry
Average CPC by Platform & Industry
| Industry | Google Search CPC | Google Display CPC | Facebook CPC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance/Insurance | $4.00-12.00 | $0.80-2.50 | $2.50-6.00 |
| Legal | $5.00-15.00 | $0.50-2.00 | $1.50-4.50 |
| Health/Medical | $2.50-6.00 | $0.40-1.50 | $1.00-3.50 |
| E-commerce | $1.00-3.00 | $0.30-1.00 | $0.60-2.00 |
| Education | $2.00-5.00 | $0.40-1.20 | $0.80-2.50 |
| Real Estate | $1.50-4.50 | $0.50-1.50 | $0.80-2.50 |
| Technology | $2.00-5.00 | $0.30-1.00 | $0.70-2.50 |
| Travel/Hospitality | $1.20-3.50 | $0.25-0.80 | $0.50-2.00 |
The arbitrage lesson: For every industry, Facebook CPCs are 40-60% lower than Google Search. But Google Display CPCs are comparable to Facebook — making Google Display vs. Facebook Ads the more interesting comparison for arbitrageurs.
When to Use Google Ads
Google Ads Is the Right Choice When...
Your customers are actively searching
Search intent is the #1 predictor of conversion. If people Google your product/service category, Google Ads should be your primary channel.
You sell high-consideration products
Insurance, legal services, SaaS, B2B — customers research before buying. Google captures them during research and comparison shopping.
You have a proven product and want to scale
Google Shopping campaigns are printing money for e-commerce brands with competitive prices and good reviews. Performance Max automates across Search, Shopping, Display, and YouTube.
You want predictable, intent-based lead generation
Google Search campaigns deliver the most consistent lead quality because every click represents someone actively seeking your solution.
You're doing search arbitrage
Buying traffic on long-tail keywords (CPC: $0.50-3.00) and sending to content pages that monetize through higher-CPC display ads. Google-to-Google arbitrage works because of the CPC spread between informational and commercial keywords.
When to Use Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads Is the Right Choice When...
Your product is visual or impulse-friendly
Fashion, beauty, home decor, food, fitness — products that people "discover" rather than search for. Facebook's visual formats (Reels, carousel, Stories) showcase products beautifully.
You need to build awareness before conversion
New brands, new product categories, or products people don't know exist. Facebook is a demand generation machine — it creates desire where none existed.
You have strong creative assets
Video testimonials, UGC (user-generated content), before/after transformations. Facebook rewards engaging creative with lower CPCs and wider reach.
You're targeting specific demographics/interests
Despite iOS privacy changes, Meta's AI-powered targeting (Advantage+) still works well for broad interest categories. The algorithm finds your buyers from minimal targeting inputs.
You're doing offer or content arbitrage
Buying Facebook traffic ($0.30-1.50 CPC) and sending to content pages or affiliate offers. Facebook's lower CPCs and visual ad formats make it ideal for top-of-funnel arbitrage campaigns.
For Ad Arbitrage: Which Platform Wins?
For ad arbitrageurs specifically, both platforms have distinct roles:
Google Ads for Arbitrage
- +
Higher-intent traffic converts better on affiliate offers
- +
Search arbitrage model is well-proven (long-tail → high-CPC content)
- +
Google Display Network gives you the buy side AND sell side
- +
Easier to measure ROI with direct search intent tracking
- −
Higher CPCs make margins thinner
- −
Quality Score requirements penalize thin content
- −
Takes longer to optimize campaigns (2-4 week learning period)
- −
Made for Advertising (MFA) policies restrict aggressive arbitrage
Facebook Ads for Arbitrage
- +
Lower CPCs: $0.30-1.50 vs Google's $1.00-5.00
- +
Visual ads can drive massive click volume at low cost
- +
Faster testing: creative iterations take days, not weeks
- +
Lookalike audiences scale winning campaigns efficiently
- −
Lower-intent traffic = higher bounce rates on content pages
- −
iOS privacy changes reduced targeting precision
- −
Algorithm volatility: costs can spike unpredictably
- −
Creative fatigue requires constant new ad production
Our recommendation for arbitrageurs: Start with Google if you're doing search/content arbitrage (keyword → content → display ads). Start with Facebook if you're promoting direct-response offers (clicks → landing page → affiliate conversion). Run both once you're profitable on one.
Performance Max vs Advantage+
Both Google and Meta have pushed heavily into AI-automated campaign types. Here's how they compare:
AI Campaign Comparison
| Feature | Google Performance Max | Meta Advantage+ |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Runs ads across Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps | Optimizes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network |
| Targeting | Provides "audience signals" — AI decides who sees ads | Broad targeting — AI finds best audiences automatically |
| Creative input | Provide headlines, descriptions, images, video — AI mixes | Provide up to 150 creative variations — AI tests all |
| Optimization goal | Conversion-based (value or count) | Conversion-based (value or count) |
| Control level | Low — limited visibility into which channels perform | Low — limited breakdown by placement |
| Best for | E-commerce with product feeds, multi-channel reach | E-commerce and direct response with strong creative |
| ROAS benchmark | 3:1 to 8:1 (varies widely) | 2:1 to 5:1 (varies widely) |
| Arbitrage verdict | Useful for Shopping arbitrage (buy products → resell) | Useful for scaling winning creative at lower CPCs |
Running Both Together
The Dual-Platform Strategy
Use Facebook for awareness and testing
Run Facebook campaigns to test content concepts and creative angles cheaply. If a piece of content gets high engagement and low bounce rate from Facebook traffic, it's likely to perform even better from Google search traffic.
Use Google for conversion and scale
Once you know what content/offers work (validated via Facebook), build Google Search campaigns around those topics. The higher intent from Google will amplify your conversion rates.
Retarget across platforms
Use Facebook retargeting to follow up with Google visitors who didn't convert. Use Google Display retargeting for Facebook visitors. Cross-platform retargeting typically improves overall conversion rates by 20-40%.
Allocate budget based on margins
Track Revenue Per Click (RPC) by platform. If Google RPC is $2.50 on a $1.50 CPC (67% margin) and Facebook RPC is $0.80 on a $0.50 CPC (60% margin), shift budget toward the higher-margin platform while maintaining both.
Compare CPCs Across Platforms
ArbHunter's CPC Checker shows real cost-per-click data so you can find the best arbitrage opportunities on any platform.
Google Search typically has higher conversion rates (3-7%) vs Facebook (1-3%), but Facebook has lower CPCs. For most businesses, the cost per conversion ends up similar. Google is better for high-intent verticals (legal, insurance, SaaS). Facebook is better for visual/impulse products (fashion, beauty, food).
Related Guide
Deepen your understanding with the complete guide on this topic.
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Written by
ArbHunter Content TeamArbHunter’s editorial team publishes data‑backed guides, case studies, and expert insights on ad arbitrage.
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