How much do Google Local Services Ads cost? You pay per lead, not per click. In September 2026, contractors paid $42.73 a lead when they spent under $2,000 a month and $75.84 a lead when they spent over $50,000 (SearchLight, 948 contractors). The median contractor spent $4,766 that month and got 86 leads. Signing up costs nothing.
Updated October 2026Tell us your trade and town. We'll reply with what your leads should cost and where they leak.
Local Services Ads cost $42.73 to $75.84 a lead in September 2026, according to SearchLight data from 948 contractors.
What contractors paid in September 2026. The more an account spent, the more it paid per lead.
| Monthly LSA spend | Cost per lead | Cost per paying customer | Closed return on ad spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $2,000 | $42.73 | $167 | 13.2x |
| Over $50,000 | $75.84 | $322 | 7.5x |
Source: SearchLight data, published by The Data-Driven Trades, October 6, 2026. 948 contractors, $11.08M in LSA spend, 174,083 leads. The report gives the two end tiers in its text; the tiers in between are in a chart that this page does not copy.
Where you stand against other contractors that month:
We check your website, Google listing, calls and tracking against the top 3 businesses near you. You get a score and the top 3 fixes, free.
HVAC contractors paid $60.66 a lead and plumbers $67.05 in September 2026, according to SearchLight.
| Trade | Cost per lead (Sep 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC | $60.66 | Book rate 41.4%. Highest average ticket, $2,824. |
| Plumbing | $67.05 | Book rate 43.2%. Cheaper per paying customer than HVAC. |
| Electrical | About 26% lower than HVAC | Lowest cost per booking of any trade, $108. |
Source: SearchLight, September 2026. SearchLight assigns the trade from the campaign name, so treat these as directional. The sample leans toward HVAC, plumbing and electrical. It has no roofing, landscaping or outdoor construction breakdown.
The median contractor spent $4,766 on Local Services Ads in September 2026 and got 86 leads, according to SearchLight.
The median contractor in September 2026:
For the 837 contractors who ran LSAs every month from June to September, cost per lead fell from $65.70 to $62.88 and 41.8% of leads booked.
In the same report, SearchLight graded about 24,600 LSA leads from 121 contractors. 41% could not have booked: phone-menu hang-ups, services the business doesn't offer, empty calls and admin questions. Of the leads that could book but didn't, the most common reason was a planned follow-up (54%).
How fast and how well you answer decides much of what you get for the money.
You pay for each valid lead, not for clicks or views, according to Google's Local Services help pages.
From Google's own help pages:
Google is moving Local Services Ads into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals.
Google replaced the Google Guaranteed badge with one Google Verified badge. The money-back guarantee was discontinued. Businesses that already passed verification got the new badge automatically.
Local Services Ads charge per lead and Google Ads charge per click.
| Item | Local Services Ads | Google Ads (search) |
|---|---|---|
| You pay for | Each valid lead | Each click |
| Typical cost | $42.73 to $75.84 a lead (Sep 2026, by spend) | $8.33 a click, $90.92 a lead for home and home improvement (2026) |
| Keywords | None. Google matches you by service and area | You choose and bid on keywords |
| Badge | Google Verified | None |
| Sources | SearchLight | LocaliQ |
The two lead costs come from different studies, so treat the gap as a direction. Test both in your market and compare cost per booked job.
For Google Ads cost per lead by trade, see the Google Ads cost guide.
Our plans are a monthly fee plus your ad spend. Local Services Ads are part of our Growth Engine plan, from $6,500 a month plus ad spend. It includes:
We've tracked more than $550M in client revenue since 2019.
In September 2026, contractors paid $42.73 a lead when they spent under $2,000 a month and $75.84 a lead when they spent over $50,000 a month, based on SearchLight data from 948 contractors. HVAC averaged $60.66 a lead and plumbing $67.05.
You set the budget. The median contractor in SearchLight's September 2026 data spent $4,766 for the month and got 86 leads.
Yes. Google charges only when a customer contacts you through the ad. People who only see your ad cost you nothing.
For many contractors, yes. In SearchLight's September 2026 data, 837 contractors who ran LSAs all summer closed 8.42 times their LSA spend in revenue, and accounts spending over $50,000 a month closed 7.5 times. Results depend on how fast you answer and how many leads you book.
A call you answer or return, a missed call during business hours where the caller stays on the line more than 20 seconds, a text or email, a voicemail, or a booking request. Google screens out spam and duplicate contacts before charging.
Google now credits most low-quality leads automatically, usually within 30 days. If a bad lead wasn't credited, rate it in the lead feedback survey. Google says it may credit leads reported there. It no longer credits leads for jobs or areas you don't serve.
Local Services Ads charge per lead, use no keywords and show the Google Verified badge. Google Ads charge per click on keywords you choose. Google is now moving Local Services Ads into Google Ads, but they stay pay per lead.
Yes. Google started moving US home-service advertisers in August 2026, with more moving in late 2026. You still pay per valid lead and your ads show in the same places. Your weekly budget becomes a daily budget.
No. Google replaced the Google Guaranteed badge with a single Google Verified badge and discontinued the money-back guarantee. Businesses that had already passed verification got the new badge automatically.
The badge itself has no separate fee. It now comes as the Google Verified badge on Local Services Ads, and you pay only for leads.
Our plans are a monthly fee plus your ad spend. Local Services Ads are part of our Growth Engine plan, from $6,500 a month plus ad spend, together with Google Ads, Lead Rescue and call tracking.
Paying for leads that don't book? We check your website, Google listing, calls and tracking against the top 3 businesses near you. You get a score and the top 3 fixes, free.
Tell us about your business. We'll reply with a straight answer and a quote.
Here's a little more about how we operate. Got a more specific question? Feel free to get in touch.
Here's a little more about how we operate. Got a more specific question? Feel free to get in touch.
