Are Bing Ads Cheaper Than Google Ads? (w/Examples) + FAQs

Yes, Bing Ads (now called Microsoft Advertising) are almost always cheaper than Google Ads on a cost-per-click basis, with average CPCs running 30% to 70% lower across most industries in 2025 and 2026. The price gap exists because Google holds roughly 89% of the global search market while Microsoft’s Bing, Yahoo, and AOL network sits closer to 4%, which means fewer advertisers bid on the same keywords and the auction heat drops.

The specific problem this topic addresses is that small and mid-size advertisers burn through budgets on Google before they ever see a return, often paying $6, $12, or even $50 per click in competitive niches like legal, insurance, and SaaS. The auction mechanics inside the Google Ads Quality Score system and the Microsoft Advertising auction reward advertiser density, so a crowded platform raises prices for everyone. When you ignore Microsoft’s network entirely, you miss a cheaper auction with a distinct, higher-income audience that skews older, more desktop-based, and more B2B-friendly.

According to a 2025 WordStream search advertising benchmarks report, the average Google Search CPC across all industries sits at $4.66, while Microsoft Advertising’s blended average sits near $1.54, a 67% discount for the same click intent.

• 💰 How CPC, CPM, and CPA stack up side-by-side on both platforms in 2026
• 📊 Real dollar-for-dollar budget examples across legal, e-commerce, SaaS, and home services
• 🎯 Why Microsoft’s LinkedIn profile targeting changes the B2B math entirely
• ⚠️ The 7 costliest mistakes advertisers make when they copy Google campaigns into Bing
• ✅ When Bing actually beats Google on ROAS, and when Google still wins outright

The Short Answer on Bing vs. Google Ad Costs

Bing Ads cost less per click, less per thousand impressions, and often less per conversion, but they also deliver less total volume because the audience pool is smaller. The trade-off is real, and every advertiser needs to understand both sides before they shift budget. You do not pick the cheaper platform, you pick the platform where your cost per acquired customer is lowest after you account for volume, conversion rate, and lifetime value.

The governing mechanic here is the second-price auction model that both platforms use, where the winning bidder pays just enough to beat the next-highest bidder plus one cent. When fewer advertisers compete, the second-highest bid drops, and so does your actual cost. Microsoft reports in its 2025 Q4 earnings that search and news advertising revenue grew 21% year over year, but total advertiser count still trails Google by a wide margin.

The consequence of ignoring this gap is that you overpay on Google for clicks you could have bought cheaper on Bing, and you miss an audience segment Google cannot reach. A common misconception is that cheaper clicks mean lower-quality clicks, but Microsoft’s own 2025 data inside the Microsoft Advertising Insider blog shows Bing users spend 36% more online than the average searcher.

Why Bing Clicks Cost Less

The core reason is auction density. Google processes roughly 8.5 billion searches per day according to Internet Live Stats, and millions of advertisers chase that traffic. Microsoft’s network handles a fraction of that volume, so auctions for the same keyword often have 3 to 5 bidders instead of 30 to 50.

Less competition means the second-price floor drops. If only three law firms bid on “car accident lawyer near me” in a Bing auction, the winner might pay $18, while the same keyword on Google might clear at $95 because 40 firms bid. The consequence is a dramatic CPC gap that compounds across thousands of clicks every month.

A common misconception is that Microsoft sells lower-quality inventory, but the Microsoft Search Network includes Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Microsoft Edge’s default search. That network reaches 653 million unique desktop searchers globally per the 2025 Comscore data Microsoft cites.

Why Bing Clicks Cost Less Per Conversion Too

Cheaper CPC does not automatically mean cheaper CPA, but in most verticals it does. Bing’s audience skews older and more affluent, with 40% of users earning over $100,000 per year according to the Microsoft Advertising audience insights page. Older, wealthier users convert at higher rates on considered purchases like financial services, legal help, and home improvement.

The result is a CPA that can run 20% to 50% lower on Bing for the same offer. A Search Engine Land 2025 cost study found legal services averaged a $74 CPA on Bing versus $143 on Google, while e-commerce apparel averaged $18 on Bing versus $29 on Google.

The consequence of skipping Bing is you leave the cheapest converting traffic on the table. A common misconception is that Bing users are “old people who cannot switch default browsers,” but a huge share are corporate employees on Windows machines where Edge and Bing are the default setup.

2026 Cost Benchmarks: Bing vs. Google by Industry

CPCs vary wildly by industry because the value of a customer varies wildly. A personal injury lead is worth thousands, so lawyers bid aggressively, while a t-shirt sale is worth $25, so retailers bid in cents. The 2025 LocaliQ search advertising benchmarks remain the gold standard reference for Google Ads CPCs.

Below is a blended 2026 benchmark view built from LocaliQ, WordStream, and Microsoft Advertising Partner data. Every number is a national U.S. average. Your actual costs will move with geography, match type, device, and Quality Score.

The consequence of these gaps is a dollar spent on Bing buys 2 to 3 times the click volume of a dollar spent on Google in most verticals. The mistake many advertisers make is assuming the conversion rate drops in lockstep, but it usually does not.

Legal Services Example

Legal keywords are the most expensive auction category on Google. A 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report noted that firms spend an average of $3,200 per month on search ads. On Google, a family law firm in Dallas might pay $14 per click for “divorce attorney Dallas,” while the same term on Bing clears at $5.

The consequence is a Dallas firm running $5,000 per month gets roughly 357 clicks on Google or 1,000 on Bing. A common misconception is that Bing cannot deliver lead volume, but firms in American Bar Association marketing surveys report Bing leads close at comparable or higher rates.

E-commerce Example

E-commerce is where Google Shopping and Performance Max dominate. The Google Shopping ads platform drives the majority of retail clicks online. Microsoft offers Microsoft Shopping Campaigns with the same product feed.

A Shopify store selling running shoes might pay $1.80 per click on Google Shopping and $0.70 on Microsoft Shopping. The consequence is Bing often delivers a lower ROAS floor for catalog retailers, especially those with product feeds already optimized for Google.

SaaS and B2B Example

B2B is where Bing’s LinkedIn profile targeting changes everything. Microsoft owns LinkedIn and lets advertisers target by company, industry, and job function inside Search and Audience campaigns. Google has no equivalent.

A project management SaaS targeting “IT directors at 500+ employee companies” can layer that filter on every Bing keyword. The consequence is CPA drops because non-ICP clicks disappear. A common misconception is that this only works on LinkedIn itself, but the targeting extends across the entire Microsoft Search Network.

Dollar-for-Dollar Budget Scenarios

Three common scenarios show how a $1,000 test budget plays out differently on each platform. Every scenario assumes a 30-day window and blended national averages.

The consequence of these spreads is that most advertisers who test Bing with even 10% of their Google budget see a meaningfully lower CPA inside 30 days. The mistake is expecting total volume parity, which never happens because the audience pool is smaller.

Named Example 1: Maria, Bakery Owner in Austin

Maria runs a wedding cake bakery and wants more consultation bookings. She spends $800 per month on Google targeting “wedding cakes Austin” and pays $4.10 per click. She gets 195 clicks and 8 bookings.

She moves $300 of that budget to Bing for the same keyword set. Bing clears at $1.55 per click, delivering 193 clicks and 9 bookings. The consequence is Maria gets the same volume for less than half the spend on the Bing slice.

Named Example 2: David, B2B SaaS Founder in Seattle

David sells a $99 per month CRM to small accounting firms. On Google, “CRM for accountants” costs $8.20 per click. His $2,000 monthly budget buys 244 clicks and 7 trial signups.

He shifts $1,000 to Bing with LinkedIn targeting for “accountant” and “CPA” job titles. Clicks clear at $2.60 and deliver 385 visits plus 14 trials. The consequence is David doubles his trial pipeline for the same total spend.

Named Example 3: Priya, HVAC Contractor in Phoenix

Priya competes against 12 other contractors for “AC repair Phoenix.” Google charges $22 per click because it is emergency-intent commercial traffic. Her $3,000 monthly budget yields 136 clicks and 14 jobs.

She splits 40% of spend to Bing, where the same keyword clears at $7. The consequence is she adds 171 clicks and 16 jobs from the Bing half of her budget, nearly matching her Google job count for less money.

Why Microsoft’s Audience Is Different

Microsoft’s audience is not just cheaper, it is demographically distinct. A 2025 Comscore audience report referenced inside Microsoft’s pitch deck shows Bing users skew 45+ years old, earn 32% more than the internet average, and are 44% more likely to be married with children.

The Edge browser’s default search is Bing, and Microsoft pushes Edge on every Windows 11 machine. The consequence is that corporate desktops, school computers, and older Windows users feed the Bing auction even when those users would otherwise pick Google on mobile.

The Microsoft Audience Network also extends reach beyond search. It places native ads on MSN, Outlook.com, and partner sites like The Atlantic and Fox Business per the Microsoft Audience Network overview. A common misconception is that Audience Network is just the Google Display Network clone, but its placements tend to be premium editorial sites with stronger brand safety.

Age and Income Skew

The age skew matters because older users convert at higher rates on considered purchases. A 50-year-old homeowner clicking a Bing ad for a roof replacement is more likely to close than a 25-year-old clicking the same ad. The consequence is that home services, financial planning, and healthcare see outsized Bing performance.

The income skew matters because higher-income users have bigger average order values. A common mistake is to judge Bing by CPC alone and ignore the lift in average order size.

Device and Geographic Skew

Bing traffic skews desktop, with roughly 70% of searches on desktop versus 40% on Google per Statista 2025 search share data. Desktop users tend to be researchers, workers, and higher-intent shoppers.

Geographically, Bing holds a stronger share in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Taiwan. The consequence is that international advertisers outside the U.S. still find meaningful Bing inventory in specific markets.

Mistakes to Avoid When Testing Bing Ads

Most advertisers who fail with Bing fail because they treat it like a Google clone. The two platforms share syntax but differ in subtle ways that matter at scale.

• Copy-pasting Google campaigns without reviewing match types, because Bing’s close variant matching still differs slightly and can expand reach you did not budget for.
• Ignoring LinkedIn profile targeting, because you leave Bing’s single biggest B2B advantage unused and pay for non-ICP clicks.
• Using the same negative keyword list without review, because Bing’s query mix pulls different long-tail searches and you may block valuable traffic.
• Setting bids too low on import, because Bing’s auction density is lower but your ads still need to clear the reserve price to serve.
• Skipping the Microsoft Audience Network, because you miss the cheaper native inventory that often outperforms Display on brand-safe placements.
• Forgetting to enable Microsoft Click ID tracking, because without it your conversion data cannot attribute properly inside analytics.
• Running only exact match keywords, because Bing’s smaller query volume needs broader match types to gather enough data to optimize.
• Failing to separate desktop and mobile bid modifiers, because Bing’s desktop skew means mobile bids often waste spend.
• Assuming Quality Score works the same, because Microsoft’s Quality Score factors weight expected CTR and landing page differently than Google.
• Using the same ad copy without testing, because Bing’s older audience often responds better to clearer, less slangy messaging.

Do’s and Don’ts for Testing Bing Ads

A clean test protocol makes the difference between a conclusive result and a wasted month. Run your test with intent, not drift.

Do

• Do import Google campaigns using the Microsoft Advertising Google Import tool, because it saves hours and preserves structure.
• Do set a minimum 30-day test window, because auction data needs time to stabilize and smart bidding needs at least 15 conversions to learn.
• Do layer LinkedIn profile targeting on B2B campaigns, because it cuts non-ICP spend and improves CPA fast.
• Do track conversions with Microsoft’s UET tag, because without server-side tracking your ROAS numbers are guesses.
• Do allocate at least 10% of Google spend to Bing, because anything less starves the auction and delivers no signal.

Don’t

• Don’t assume Google negative keyword lists cover Bing queries, because the query mix differs and you will miss waste.
• Don’t expect identical volume, because Bing delivers 10% to 30% of Google’s traffic in most verticals.
• Don’t run Bing with no UET tag, because you cannot optimize to conversions without it.
• Don’t ignore the Microsoft Audience Network, because native placements often outperform search for awareness campaigns.
• Don’t judge Bing by CPC alone, because the real metric is CPA or ROAS after conversion data lands.

Pros and Cons of Switching Spend to Bing

Every platform has trade-offs. Bing’s advantages are real, but so are its limits, and a smart advertiser weighs both.

Pros

• Lower CPCs across nearly every industry, because auction density is thinner and the second-price floor is lower.
• Higher-income audience skew, because Windows and Edge users trend more affluent per Microsoft’s audience reports.
• LinkedIn profile targeting, because Microsoft owns LinkedIn and integrates the data directly into Search and Audience.
• Stronger desktop share, because Windows default settings feed Bing on work machines.
• Cleaner brand safety on Audience Network, because placements lean toward premium editorial sites like MSN and The Atlantic.

Cons

• Lower total volume, because the audience pool is smaller than Google’s by a factor of 20 or more.
• Fewer automation features historically, because Microsoft trails Google on AI-driven bidding and creative tools.
• Smaller mobile presence, because Bing’s share on mobile sits below 3% globally.
• Thinner third-party tool support, because many PPC tools still build Google-first features and add Bing later.
• Slower algorithm learning, because lower data volume means smart bidding needs more time to optimize.

Process: How to Run a 30-Day Bing Test

A structured test removes guesswork. Follow the same protocol every time so you can compare results across clients or campaigns.

Step 1: Import Your Google Campaigns

Use the Microsoft Google Import feature inside the Microsoft Advertising interface. The tool copies campaigns, ad groups, keywords, ads, and most settings. The consequence of skipping this step is you rebuild everything manually and introduce errors.

Review every imported campaign before you enable it. Match types, bids, and geographic settings do not always translate cleanly. A common misconception is that import is one-click and done, but a manual review always catches at least one issue.

Step 2: Install the UET Tag

The Universal Event Tracking tag is Microsoft’s equivalent of the Google Ads conversion tag. Install it site-wide through Google Tag Manager or direct code placement.

The consequence of skipping UET is you cannot report conversions, cannot use smart bidding, and cannot build remarketing lists. A common misconception is that Google Analytics data feeds Bing, but the platforms are fully separate.

Step 3: Layer Audience Targeting

Add LinkedIn profile targeting, in-market audiences, and remarketing lists before launch. Microsoft lets you set these as “bid only” or “target and bid.” The consequence of skipping this step is you pay the same for ICP and non-ICP clicks.

Step 4: Set a Budget Floor

Allocate at least 10% of your Google budget, ideally 20% to 30%, for 30 days. Anything less starves the auction. The consequence is not enough data to draw conclusions.

Step 5: Review at Day 15 and Day 30

Check conversion data at the halfway mark and adjust bids, negative keywords, and ad copy. At day 30, compare CPA and ROAS against your Google baseline. The consequence of skipping the mid-point review is wasted spend in the second half of the test.

Key Entities in the Bing vs. Google Cost Debate

Several companies, products, and data sources shape this conversation. Knowing who’s who helps you read the research critically.

• Microsoft Corporation owns and operates Microsoft Advertising, LinkedIn, and the Edge browser.
• Alphabet Inc. owns Google Ads, YouTube Ads, and the Google Display Network per Alphabet’s 2025 annual report.
• Yahoo and AOL distribute Microsoft Search Network results under a long-standing syndication agreement.
• DuckDuckGo sources some ad results from Microsoft’s network, extending Bing’s reach to privacy-focused searchers.
• WordStream, LocaliQ, and Search Engine Land publish benchmark reports that most agencies cite.
• Comscore and Statista measure search market share and audience demographics used in platform pitches.

When Google Still Wins

Bing is not always the answer. Google wins outright in several scenarios, and pretending otherwise costs money.

Google wins on mobile-first audiences, because its mobile share sits above 95%. A local restaurant chasing “pizza near me” clicks will get almost nothing from Bing. The consequence of shifting budget to Bing in mobile-heavy verticals is wasted spend.

Google wins on raw volume for broad consumer categories. If you need 100,000 clicks per month on generic retail terms, Bing cannot deliver that volume even if you max out bids. Google also wins on automation maturity, with Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns leading Microsoft’s equivalents.

The mistake is treating the question as binary. The right answer is almost always “run both,” split by strategic fit, and let the CPA data tell you where to push harder.

FAQs

Are Bing Ads always cheaper than Google Ads?

Yes, on a blended CPC basis Bing runs 30% to 70% cheaper in nearly every industry, though specific keywords and moments can flip the gap in Google’s favor.

Is the Bing audience lower quality than Google’s?

No, Microsoft’s own 2025 audience data shows Bing users earn more, spend more online, and skew older and more desktop-based than the average searcher.

Can I import my Google Ads campaigns into Bing?

Yes, Microsoft’s Google Import tool copies campaigns, ad groups, keywords, and ads in minutes, though you should review match types and bids before enabling.

Does Bing have Shopping ads like Google?

Yes, Microsoft Shopping Campaigns use the same Merchant Center product feed structure and run across Bing, Yahoo, and partner sites.

Is LinkedIn targeting really exclusive to Microsoft?

Yes, Microsoft owns LinkedIn and lets advertisers layer company, industry, and job function filters on Search and Audience campaigns, which Google cannot match.

Will Bing deliver enough volume for my business?

No, Bing typically delivers 10% to 30% of Google’s click volume, so it cannot fully replace Google for high-volume consumer categories.

Do Bing Ads work for local businesses?

Yes, Microsoft’s network reaches local searchers through Bing Maps, Edge, and Windows defaults, though mobile-heavy local niches still favor Google.

Is Microsoft’s Quality Score the same as Google’s?

No, Microsoft’s Quality Score uses similar factors like expected CTR and landing page relevance, but the weights and calculation differ and scores do not map 1-to-1.

Should I run both platforms at the same time?

Yes, running both lets you compare CPA head-to-head and capture audiences that only use one engine, which covers the full addressable market.

Are Microsoft Audience Network placements brand-safe?

Yes, placements run on MSN, Outlook.com, and premium editorial partners, which generally outperform open-exchange display networks on brand safety metrics.

Can small businesses afford Microsoft Advertising?

Yes, Microsoft has no minimum budget and cheaper CPCs make it ideal for small advertisers who get priced out of Google auctions in competitive niches.

Does Bing support smart bidding?

Yes, Microsoft offers Enhanced CPC, Maximize Conversions, Target CPA, Target ROAS, and Maximize Clicks, though the algorithms need more data time than Google’s.