Benchmarks
TikTok Ads Benchmarks 2026: CPM, CTR, CPA & ROAS by Industry
Last updated: November 2026 · Data period: August 2025 – July 2026 (Triple Whale ecommerce medians), plus calendar 2025 for the industry split
TikTok had a bumpy 2025. In the US, the uncertainty around a possible ban made many advertisers cautious, and spend dipped for most of the year. By 2026 the picture had flipped: budgets came back, Smart+ automation became the default way to buy performance, and in Europe TikTok was one of the fastest-growing channels in the media mix.
That makes benchmarks more useful than ever, and also easier to misread. TikTok inventory is cheap compared with most social channels, but cheap attention doesn't automatically turn into cheap customers. To judge your own results, you need to know what "normal" looks like for CPM, CTR, conversion rate, CPA and ROAS, and how much those numbers depend on the data source behind them.
For this guide, AdBacklog.com compiled the most reliable 2025–2026 TikTok benchmark sources we could find: ecommerce medians from Triple Whale, an industry split that includes B2B, finance, education, real estate and travel, spend trends from Tinuiti, and the newest TikTok ad features worth testing. Looking for last year's numbers? See the 2025 edition.
Key takeaways
The median TikTok Ads ecommerce CPM was $4.08 between August 2025 and July 2026, according to Triple Whale data on 5,900+ brands reported by Focus Digital (region not stated).
In the same Triple Whale window, the median TikTok ecommerce CTR was 0.61%, the median conversion rate 1.56% and the median CPA $17.07 (Focus Digital).
TikTok's median ecommerce ROAS of 1.51 trailed Meta (1.88, MHI) and Google Ads (3.27, Triple Whale) in Triple Whale's August 2025 – July 2026 data, all platform-attributed and region not stated (Focus Digital).
Median TikTok Ads CTR by industry ranged from 0.22% in Travel to 2.59% in Consumer Electronics in calendar 2025, according to Focus Digital's directional split of 2,500+ advertisers.
US TikTok ad spend was up 29% year over year in Q3 2026, after a dip during the 2025 ban uncertainty, according to Tinuiti.
Data caveat: no reliable country-level TikTok CPM benchmark exists for the Netherlands or any other individual EU country, and Focus Digital's industry split doesn't map figures to its underlying sources, so treat it as directional.
Why do TikTok Ads benchmarks matter in 2026?
Benchmarks aren't targets. They're a diagnostic tool that tells you which part of your funnel to fix first. Use them to answer questions like:
Am I paying too much for reach? (CPM high compared with peers)
Is my creative stopping the scroll? (CTR low compared with peers)
Is my landing page or offer the bottleneck? (CVR and CPA lagging)
Is TikTok pulling its weight next to Meta and Google? (ROAS judged in the right context)
The most common mistake on TikTok is reacting to a weak ROAS without checking where the funnel actually breaks: inventory cost (CPM), creative engagement (CTR) or post-click performance (CVR).
What are the key TikTok Ads metrics (and how do they connect)?
CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions): spend ÷ impressions × 1,000
CTR (click-through rate): clicks ÷ impressions
CPC (cost per click): spend ÷ clicks (equal to CPM ÷ (CTR × 1,000))
CVR (conversion rate): conversions ÷ clicks
CPA (cost per acquisition): spend ÷ conversions (roughly CPC ÷ CVR)
ROAS (return on ad spend): attributed revenue ÷ spend
AOV (average order value): revenue ÷ orders. A higher AOV lets you live with a higher CPA at the same ROAS.
Why the definition of "CTR" matters on TikTok
Sources don't all measure clicks the same way. Some report a platform CTR, others a link or destination CTR. Influee points out exactly this difference in the Triple Whale data it publishes. Always compare your numbers with a benchmark that uses the same click definition, and don't compare CTRs across the tables below.
TikTok Ads benchmarks by industry (2026)
The median TikTok Ads ecommerce CPM was $4.08 and the median ROAS 1.51 between August 2025 and July 2026, according to Triple Whale data reported by Focus Digital; for non-retail industries, only a directional calendar-2025 split exists.
Ecommerce: the Triple Whale baseline
The largest disclosed ecommerce dataset comes from Triple Whale, covering more than 5,900 brands. We use only its most recent 12-month window (August 2025 to July 2026). An older calendar-2025 window also circulates, but its overall figures don't line up with the industry splits published alongside it, so we've left it out rather than mix the two.
Table 1 - TikTok Ads ecommerce benchmarks (medians, August 2025 – July 2026)
Metric | Median | Change vs. prior year |
|---|---|---|
CPM | $4.08 | −24.48% |
CTR | 0.61% | −12.50% |
Conversion rate | 1.56% | −36.79% |
CPA | $17.07 | −31.36% |
ROAS | 1.51 | +5.85% |
AOV | $50.32 | +7.29% |
Source: Triple Whale, 5,900+ ecommerce brands, August 2025 – July 2026, region not stated, as reported by Focus Digital and summarized from Triple Whale. ROAS is platform-attributed.
Triple Whale does publish ecommerce benchmarks per vertical (beauty, apparel, home and so on), but only for the calendar-2025 window. Because that window conflicts with the latest figures, we don't show it here. For an industry view, use Table 2, and treat it as directional.
Beyond ecommerce: B2B, finance, education, real estate and travel
For non-retail advertisers, the broadest split we found comes from Focus Digital. It covers more than 2,500 advertisers in calendar 2025 and reports medians. A quality caveat: Focus Digital names several underlying sources (Triple Whale, TwoMinuteReports, Gupta Media and Lebesgue) but doesn't say which figure comes from which, so read this table as directional, not as a hard benchmark.
Table 2 - TikTok Ads median CTR and CPC by industry (directional, calendar 2025)
Industry | Median CTR | Median CPC |
|---|---|---|
Consumer Electronics | 2.59% | $0.12 |
Transport | 1.62% | $0.56 |
Internet Finance | 1.36% | $0.08 |
Retail & E-commerce | 0.82% | $0.26 |
Machinery Equipment | 0.76% | $0.10 |
Healthcare & Pharma | 0.69% | $0.30 |
Automotive | 0.59% | $0.58 |
Media & Content | 0.56% | $0.24 |
Education & Training | 0.42% | $0.49 |
Electronics & Electrical | 0.42% | $0.98 |
Professional Services | 0.40% | $1.04 |
Traditional Finance | 0.35% | $0.49 |
Utility Software (SaaS) | 0.34% | $1.22 |
Real Estate | 0.31% | $0.66 |
Telecommunications | 0.26% | $0.72 |
Travel | 0.22% | $0.98 |
Source: Focus Digital, 2,500+ advertisers, calendar 2025, medians, region not stated. Directional: underlying sources are not mapped to individual figures.
Focus Digital also tracks TikTok CPMs over time. Its tracker puts the full-year 2025 average CPM at $4.82, with January 2025 the cheapest month ($2.87) and October 2024 the most expensive ($5.84). Saturday was the cheapest day ($3.63) and Thursday the most expensive ($4.83). These are directional too, but they're a useful reminder that timing alone moves your CPM.
How TikTok compares with Meta and Google on ROAS
Table 3 - Median ecommerce ROAS by channel (Triple Whale, August 2025 – July 2026)
Channel | Median ROAS | Reported via |
|---|---|---|
Google Ads (all campaign types) | 3.27 | Triple Whale (summary) |
Meta | 1.88 | |
TikTok | 1.51 |
Source: Triple Whale ecommerce data, same 12-month window for all three channels, region not stated. Platform-attributed ROAS.
What this data is really telling you
TikTok attention is cheap. Triple Whale's median ecommerce CPM of $4.08 (Focus Digital) is low for social. The cost of reach is rarely the problem.
Post-click is where TikTok gets hard. In the same Triple Whale data, the median conversion rate fell by more than a third year over year, while CPA also dropped. In practice, cheaper traffic is arriving with less purchase intent, so your landing page and offer have to work harder.
Low ROAS doesn't automatically mean TikTok isn't working. Google mostly captures existing demand, while TikTok creates it. Platform-attributed ROAS tends to undercount that effect, so judge TikTok on blended or incremental results too, not only in-platform ROAS.
Industry gaps are large. In Focus Digital's industry table, median CTR ranges from 0.22% (Travel) to 2.59% (Consumer Electronics). If you're in a low-CTR category such as real estate or SaaS, a "low" CTR may simply be normal for your vertical.
Don't compare across tables. Table 2's retail CTR (0.82%) and Table 1's ecommerce CTR (0.61%) come from different samples and different click definitions. Pick one benchmark and stick with it.
What about Europe and the Netherlands?
TikTok was the main driver of European social ad growth in 2025, according to IAB Europe's AdEx 2025 figures as covered by Emerce. Social video grew 25.7% across Europe in that report (PPC Land).
Among a matched cohort of European advertisers tracked by Billy Grace, TikTok investment rose 65% in H1 2026 vs. H1 2025, and for every advertiser that dropped TikTok, 4.5 added it (PPC Land).
No reliable country-level benchmark exists. We didn't find a credible TikTok CPM benchmark for the Netherlands or any other individual EU country. The country tables that circulate are undisclosed vendor estimates, so we don't publish them. Build your own baseline from your first campaigns instead.
TikTok Ads trends 2025–2026: what changed?
From ban scare to recovery (US)
In Q3 2025, median US TikTok advertiser spend was down 4% year over year (after −20% in Q2), and CPMs were down 22%, according to Tinuiti. A year later the trend had reversed: Tinuiti's Q3 2026 report shows TikTok spend up 29% year over year.
Smart+ took over performance buying
The biggest structural shift is automation. Among Tinuiti's US advertisers, Smart+ grew from 9% of TikTok performance spend in Q1 2025 to 42% in Q3 2025 (Tinuiti). If you're still running everything manually, you're now the exception.
New TikTok ad features worth using right now (2026)
The claims below come from TikTok itself. They're self-reported and not independently verified, so treat them as reasons to test, not as expected results.
Smart+ (fully automated campaigns)
According to TikTok's own Smart+ Playbook, fully automated Smart+ delivered 2.3x higher incremental ROAS and 2.2x more unique buyers than manually optimized campaigns. Note the sample size: the underlying North America meta-analysis (September 2023 – June 2025) covers more than 300 studies, but only 30 cases include Smart+.
The same playbook reports 35% average time savings in a Smart+ closed beta (Europe and Israel) and +16% ROAS when catalog-powered creative is used alongside video.
GMV Max for TikTok Shop
GMV Max automates TikTok Shop campaigns, with TikTok reporting an average 30% GMV uplift in initial tests (MediaPost). GMV Max Pro was announced in October 2026, without a launch date (TikTok).
Announced at TikTok World 2026
TopReach: a bundle of TopView and TopFeed placements.
Search Ads Campaign powered by Smart+ and Smart+ Auto Selection of creative.
An Ads MCP server that lets third-party AI agents manage campaigns (Social Media Today).
Search Ads Impression Share metrics, added in Q4 2026 (Relevant Audience).
Industry playbooks: what should you do differently by vertical?
Ecommerce and DTC: how do you turn cheap reach into purchases?
Test Smart+ against your manual setup with a clean split, and connect your catalog so the system can mix product and video creative.
Fix the post-click experience first: fast mobile pages, the product from the video above the fold, and visible reviews.
Measure TikTok on blended revenue as well as platform ROAS before you cut budget.
Beauty, health and wellness: how do you earn trust fast?
Creator-led demos and before/after routines beat polished brand spots.
Keep claims modest and specific, both for compliance and for credibility.
Use TikTok Shop and GMV Max if you sell impulse-friendly products.
B2B, SaaS and professional services: is TikTok worth it?
Expect low CTRs and higher CPCs than consumer categories. Judge TikTok on cost per qualified lead, not clicks.
Use founders and employees on camera explaining one problem per video.
Offer a low-friction first step (template, checklist, short demo) and nurture from there.
Finance: how do you balance clarity and compliance?
App-first and internet finance brands can lean into simple, educational hooks with a fast sign-up flow.
Traditional finance should use education as a first touch, with clear disclaimers, and retarget to the application.
Education, real estate and travel: how do you work with long decisions?
These categories sit at the bottom of Table 2 for CTR, so treat TikTok as a discovery and consideration channel.
Use tours, student stories and destination content, and build retargeting audiences from video viewers.
Optimize for a soft conversion first (brochure, viewing request, saved trip) before the hard one.
Actionable recommendations
1) Diagnose with the CPM → CTR → CVR → CPA ladder
High CPM: audience too narrow or competitive timing. Broaden targeting, let Smart+ find the audience, and check day-of-week and seasonal patterns.
Low CTR: hook problem. Rework the first seconds, use native formats and creators, and refresh creative more often.
Weak CVR: offer or landing page problem. Match the page to the video, speed it up and reduce form fields.
High CPA with healthy CTR and CVR: look at AOV and pricing before you touch bids.
2) Run a 30-day TikTok test plan
Week 1: baseline your current setup and log CPM, CTR, CVR, CPA and ROAS using one consistent click definition.
Week 2: launch a Smart+ campaign next to your manual campaign with a comparable budget.
Weeks 2–3: creative matrix of 4–6 hooks, including creator content and catalog creative.
Week 4: compare platform ROAS with blended results, then shift budget toward what holds up on both.
3) Validate platform claims on your own account
TikTok's 2.3x Smart+ figure rests on 30 cases (TikTok Smart+ Playbook). It's a reason to run a test, not a forecast. Use a holdout or a clean A/B split so you know what Smart+ is worth for your brand.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good CTR for TikTok Ads in 2026?
For ecommerce, the median TikTok Ads CTR was 0.61% between August 2025 and July 2026, according to Triple Whale data reported by Focus Digital (region not stated). By industry, calendar-2025 medians range from 0.22% (Travel) to 2.59% (Consumer Electronics), so compare against your own vertical and the same click definition.
How much do TikTok Ads cost in 2026?
The median TikTok ecommerce CPM was $4.08 between August 2025 and July 2026, according to Triple Whale data reported by Focus Digital (region not stated). In Focus Digital's directional calendar-2025 industry split, median CPCs range from $0.08 (Internet Finance) to $1.22 (Utility Software).
What is the average CPA on TikTok Ads?
The median TikTok ecommerce CPA was $17.07 between August 2025 and July 2026, down 31.36% year over year, according to Triple Whale data reported by Focus Digital (region not stated). Over the same window the median conversion rate fell 36.79% to 1.56%.
What is a good ROAS for TikTok Ads compared with Meta and Google?
The median platform-attributed TikTok ecommerce ROAS was 1.51 between August 2025 and July 2026, against 1.88 for Meta (MHI) and 3.27 for Google Ads (Triple Whale), all from Triple Whale data, region not stated (Focus Digital). Because TikTok creates demand rather than capturing it, judge it on blended or incremental results too.
Are TikTok Ads worth it for B2B?
They can be, but expect lower CTRs and higher CPCs: in Focus Digital's directional calendar-2025 data, Professional Services had a 0.40% median CTR and $1.04 CPC, and Utility Software (SaaS) 0.34% and $1.22 (region not stated). Judge TikTok on cost per qualified lead, not clicks.
Are there TikTok Ads benchmarks for Europe or the Netherlands?
No reliable country-level TikTok CPM benchmark exists for the Netherlands or any other individual EU country, so build your own baseline from your first campaigns. What is known: among a matched cohort of European advertisers tracked by Billy Grace, TikTok investment rose 65% in H1 2026 vs. H1 2025 (PPC Land).
Conclusion: what does good TikTok Ads performance look like in 2026?
In 2026, TikTok offers cheap reach, more automation than ever and a return to growth. The benchmarks show the real challenge: turning low-cost attention into conversions. Use the Triple Whale medians as your ecommerce baseline, treat the industry table as directional, and test TikTok's own claims before you bet budget on them.
Are you paying a normal price for reach (CPM)?
Is your creative earning the click (CTR)?
Does your post-click experience convert cheaper, colder traffic (CVR)?
Are you judging ROAS against the right channel and attribution model?
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Create a free account on AdBacklog.com and see how TikTok really stacks up against the rest of your media mix.
More 2026 ad benchmarks
Comparing channels? See all headline numbers side by side on our Ad Benchmarks 2026 hub, or jump to another guide in the series:
