Google Ads vs Meta Ads vs Local Services Ads

Every contractor we audit asks the same question: 'Which platform should I be on — Google, Meta, or LSA?' Wrong question. The right question: 'How do I allocate my budget across all three so they amplify each other instead of competing for the same leads?'

This guide covers the published 2026 cost-per-lead benchmarks for each platform, why cost per booked job matters more than cost per lead, and a starting budget split. Where a figure is a planning estimate or our own arithmetic rather than a published measurement, it says so.

Google Local Services Ads (LSA)

Pay-per-lead, not pay-per-click. You only get charged when a customer calls or messages you through the ad. Sits at the very top of Google search results, above Search Ads, with the Google Verified badge (which replaced Google Guaranteed and Google Screened in October 2025). Verification process: ~2 weeks (background checks, license, insurance, sometimes BBB). Once verified, leads appear in your dashboard with phone number + service requested, and you can dispute leads that aren't qualified for refund.

Google Search Ads

Pay-per-click. Sits below LSA but above organic Search results. You bid on keywords ('emergency plumber [city]'), set a daily budget, and get charged each time someone clicks. Lead quality is high (people are actively searching), but you pay for every click — including bounces, accidental clicks, and lost deals. Requires a converting landing page; without one you pay for traffic that goes nowhere.

Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)

Pay-per-impression / per-click depending on objective. Interruption advertising — your ad shows up while someone is scrolling photos of their grandkids. Lower intent than Google, but dramatically cheaper to reach people, and the only place where you can build awareness BEFORE someone has a problem. The right channel for replacement-buyer creative (water heaters, HVAC systems, roofs nearing end-of-life).

These come from different studies with different samples, so treat them as reference points rather than a head-to-head test. None of them publishes a close rate for Google Search or Meta leads; that number has to come from your own CRM. SearchLight's data does compare the two Google channels directly: across its 888 contractors, a paying customer cost $233 through LSA against $472 through Google Search Ads.

Source: SearchLight Digital's February 2026 LSA benchmark (888 contractors, $6.72M of tracked spend). Across the whole dataset 43.9% of leads booked, and the average closed ticket was $1,826. Your own figure depends on your market, review profile and how fast you answer.

WordStream's 2026 benchmark (13,474 US search campaigns, April 2025 to March 2026) puts Home & Home Improvement at $90.92 per lead and $8.33 per click, against $66.69 per lead across all industries. It doesn't break home services down by trade. Clicks on emergency keywords usually cost more than the category average, and prices rise during storms and heat waves when every competitor raises bids at once.

The only broad published Meta figure for the category is WordStream/LocalIQ's 2026 Home & Home Improvement average of $42.95 per lead (all industries: $27.39). Trade-level Meta cost per lead isn't published in any dataset we'd stand behind, so plan with the category figure and replace it with your own after the first month.

When LSA wins

• You're a licensed contractor who can pass Google's screening, with a strong Google review rating and count
• Your trade is on the LSA approved list (HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, locksmith, pest, garage door, etc.)
• Your service area is competitive (LSA shines vs paid competitors with weaker reviews)
• You can answer calls live, fast: Google weighs responsiveness in LSA ranking
• You want leads that are mostly not shared: most LSA leads come from a customer who chose your listing (though Google's 'Get Competitive Quotes' option lets a customer send one request to up to four businesses, and each is charged), while marketplace leads are often sold to several pros

When Google Search Ads win

• You have unlimited LSA capacity already booked + need MORE volume
• Your trade isn't yet on LSA's approved list (or you're not verified)
• You want to capture niche / long-tail keywords LSA doesn't surface ('mini-split installation [city]')
• You have a converting landing page and conversion tracking properly set up
• You can fund enough clicks to learn from (as a rule of thumb, $1,500+/month; much less and smart bidding sees too few conversions)

When Meta Ads win

• You're selling replacement / planned-purchase services (water heaters, full HVAC, roofs, kitchens, solar)
• You have video creative (owner-on-camera, before/after, customer testimonials)
• You want to retarget your past customers / website visitors
• Your sales cycle is 30+ days (Meta's nurture loop wins where Google's intent-only model can't reach)
• You're in a saturated Google market and need a non-Google channel for differentiation

The splits below are starting points, planning estimates rather than measured data. Rebalance toward whichever channel produces the lowest cost per booked job in your own CRM after 60–90 days.

$1,000–$2,000/month total budget

• 100% LSA. Don't split.
• Get verified, build your review count, answer every call live, and dispute unqualified leads.
• At this budget, splitting across channels usually leaves each one with too little data to judge.

$2,000–$5,000/month total budget

• 60% LSA + Google Search ($1,200–$3,000)
• 30% Meta ($600–$1,500)
• 10% creative production / landing page improvements ($200–$500)
• Now you have intent (Google) AND awareness (Meta) running in parallel.

$5,000–$15,000/month total budget

• 40% LSA ($2,000–$6,000)
• 25% Google Search ($1,250–$3,750)
• 25% Meta ($1,250–$3,750)
• 10% YouTube / video pre-roll for replacement-buyer nurture ($500–$1,500)
• Quarterly creative refresh + landing page A/B tests baked into the budget.

• 1. Running emergency keywords on Meta. Wrong channel. Move emergency budget to LSA + Google Search.
• 2. Running awareness creative on Google Search. Search is intent-only. Save brand-awareness creative for Meta.
• 3. Identical landing pages across all three. Each platform has different intent — LSA needs a phone-first landing page, Google Search needs a quote-form, Meta needs a video-led offer page.
• 4. No conversion tracking. If you can't see which platform booked which job, you can't optimize. The Meta Pixel + Google Tag Manager + LSA dashboard need to all feed into one CRM.
• 5. Ignoring negative keywords on Google Search. Without a 'free,' 'cheap,' 'DIY' negative list, you'll pay for clicks from people who will never hire a contractor.

• Month 1: Get LSA verified. Claim + optimize Google Business Profile. Hit 4.7+ stars. This is the foundation.
• Month 2: Launch first Meta retargeting campaign (warm audience: past customers + website visitors).
• Month 3: Add Google Search Ads on emergency keywords with tight conversion tracking.
• Month 4: Layer Meta cold creative for replacement-buyer funnel.
• Month 5+: Refresh creative when it shows fatigue (frequency past about 3.5 with CTR falling), A/B test landing pages quarterly, raise budgets on winners in steps rather than all at once.