Google Ads budget calculator.

Estimate clicks, conversions, revenue, and ROAS before you spend a penny. Run it forward from a budget, or backward from a target ROAS — both modes built in.

Why most ad budgets are wrong before they start.

Budgets set by 'what we can afford' instead of 'what we need to hit' rarely produce predictable returns. The math actually works backwards.

  1. 01
    Set targets, not spend limits.Most ad campaigns fail because they start with "we have $X" instead of "we need Y leads." Reverse engineer from the goal.
  2. 02
    ROAS is the lifeline.Return on ad spend = revenue ÷ spend × 100. Anything under 200% usually loses money once you account for COGS.
  3. 03
    Sub-$500 budgets struggle.Google needs enough data to optimise bids. Below ~$500/month, you starve the algorithm and pay more per click.
  4. 04
    Quality Score moves the math.A poor Quality Score inflates CPC 2–4×. Improving relevance and landing pages is the cheapest CPC reduction available.

Calculate.

The calculator updates live. Use an industry benchmark to auto-fill CPC and conversion rate, then tune to your reality.

What you plan to spend each month.

Check Google Keyword Planner for estimates.

Cross-industry average: 3–5%.

Revenue per conversion.

Quick-fill from industry benchmarks

Your projected results.

Losing money on ads. Pause and review targeting, landing pages, and offer

ROAS

105%

Poor — projected return on ad spend

Projected revenue$2,100.00
Profit / loss$100.00
Monthly spend$2,000.00

Volume.

Estimated clicks800
Estimated conversions28
Cost per acquisition$71.43

Daily breakdown.

Daily budget$66.67
Daily clicks26.7
Daily conversions0.9
Daily revenue$70.00

Annual projection.

Annual ad spend$24,000
Annual revenue$25,200
Annual conversions336
Annual profit$1,200

Google Ads benchmarks by industry.

Ecommerce — CPC $1.162.81% conv · CPA $41.29
Legal — CPC $6.756.98% conv · CPA $96.71
Real Estate — CPC $2.372.47% conv · CPA $95.95
B2B — CPC $3.333.04% conv · CPA $109.54
Finance — CPC $3.445.1% conv · CPA $67.45
Health & Medical — CPC $2.623.36% conv · CPA $77.98
Home Services — CPC $6.404.8% conv · CPA $133.33
Education — CPC $2.403.39% conv · CPA $70.80
Travel — CPC $1.533.55% conv · CPA $43.10
SaaS / Technology — CPC $3.802.35% conv · CPA $161.70

Source: Google Ads benchmarks for Search campaigns. Your numbers vary with targeting, ad quality, and landing page performance.

The Google Ads campaign types.

Search

Text ads on Google search results

Typical CPC

Medium-High

Best for

High-intent keywords

Shopping

Product listings with images and prices

Typical CPC

Low-Medium

Best for

Ecommerce products

Display

Banner ads across the Google Display Network

Typical CPC

Very Low

Best for

Brand awareness, remarketing

Performance Max

AI-optimised across all Google channels

Typical CPC

Varies

Best for

Automated bidding, mixed goals

YouTube

Video ads before and during YouTube content

Typical CPC

Low

Best for

Brand awareness, product demos

Common budgeting mistakes.

  1. 01
    Setting budget too low — under $500/month often starves Google's bidding algorithm.
  2. 02
    Ignoring Quality Score — a 5/10 score doubles or triples your CPC vs. a 9/10.
  3. 03
    No conversion tracking — without tracking, ROAS is a guess.
  4. 04
    Scaling too fast — doubling budget overnight tanks performance. 20–30% increments.
  5. 05
    Skipping landing page tests — a 1% CRO win can cut CPA by 25%.

Frequently asked questions.

How much should I spend on Google Ads?+

Start with $1,000-3,000/month to get enough data for optimisation. Your ideal budget depends on your industry CPC, conversion rate, and target ROAS. Use this calculator to find the budget that hits your revenue goals.

What is a good ROAS for Google Ads?+

A ROAS of 400% (4:1) is considered good, meaning you earn $4 for every $1 spent. Ecommerce typically aims for 300-500%. High-margin products (SaaS, digital) can profit at lower ROAS, while low-margin products need 500%+ to be viable.

What is CPC and how is it calculated?+

CPC (Cost Per Click) is how much you pay each time someone clicks your ad. It varies by industry ($1-$7 average) and keyword competition. Your actual CPC depends on Quality Score, bid amount, and competitor bids.

How do I calculate Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)?+

CPA = Total Ad Spend / Number of Conversions. For example, if you spend $2,000 and get 40 conversions, your CPA is $50. Compare your CPA to your average order value to determine profitability.

When should I increase my Google Ads budget?+

Increase budget when your campaigns consistently hit target ROAS and you are limited by “Lost Impression Share (Budget)”. Scale in 20-30% increments and monitor for 2 weeks before increasing again. Never double spend overnight.

Google Ads vs SEO: which is better?+

Google Ads delivers immediate traffic but stops when you stop paying. SEO takes 6-12 months but builds compounding organic traffic. The best strategy uses both: Ads for immediate revenue and testing, SEO for long-term cost reduction.

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Want leads without paying per click?

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Built by Taro Schenker — full-stack developer who works with startups and local businesses.