On this page
Published NZ figures put Google Ads cost per lead at roughly $14 to $80, and pay-per-lead services generally charge $50 to $250 per qualified lead. Where you fall in that range depends mostly on your trade, your city and the value of the job. The number that matters is not the cost per lead, it is the cost per job won.
01What NZ agencies publish
There is no official price list for tradie leads, so these figures come from agency websites. They measure slightly different things, so treat them as ranges rather than quotes.
| Source | Figure | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Leads For Tradies (We Fund It) | Generally $50–$250 per qualified lead | Price you pay per qualified lead; we fund the ads and website |
| Leads For Tradies (You Fund It) | Generally $50–$150 per lead plus your ad spend | Flat fee per lead on your own ad account |
| Jelly Digital | About $25–$80 per lead | Google Ads cost per lead, from its tradie lead-generation guide |
| Hyper Digital | As low as $14 per lead on best keywords | Reported cost per lead on selected keywords, from its own plumbing case study |
Notice the difference between an ad cost per lead, which is what Google charges to generate an enquiry, and a price per qualified lead, which bundles the ads, the website and the work of filtering out irrelevant enquiries. They are not directly comparable. Cost-per-lead figures on a retainer also leave out the agency's monthly fee.
02What makes a lead cost more or less
A re-roof is worth far more than a house wash, so roofers bid more for the same click. As a rule of thumb, higher-value trades cost more per lead.
More advertisers bid in Auckland than in Palmerston North. A house washing lead in Palmerston North will be a lot cheaper than a re-roof lead in Auckland.
Searches like "concrete driveway services near me" show buying intent and cost more than "best colour to paint your house", but they turn into jobs far more often.
A site that makes it easy to call or request a quote converts more clicks into leads, which lowers your cost per lead.
Demand for painting, decks and landscaping rises in spring and summer, and so does the price.
Counting every click-to-call as a lead gives a lower number than counting only genuine enquiries in your service area.
03How to work out what you can afford to pay
Work backwards from the value of a job. Use your profit per job, not revenue, and the share of leads you actually win.
In that example you could pay up to $500 per lead and still break even, so a $120 lead leaves you comfortably ahead. If your jobs are worth $400 in profit and you close 1 in 4, your ceiling is $100 a lead, and a $200 lead loses money. This is why the same price can be great for a builder and poor for a handyman.
04Cost per lead vs cost per job
A cheap lead that never picks up the phone is expensive. Judge any provider on cost per job won:
- Ask how the provider defines a lead and whether you can dispute irrelevant ones.
- Check that leads are exclusive. A lead shared with three other tradies has a far lower chance of becoming your job.
- Respond fast. Calling within minutes lifts your close rate and lowers your real cost per job.
05How the pricing models compare
Under a retainer you pay a monthly fee plus ad spend whether or not leads arrive. Under pay-per-lead you pay per enquiry, so your cost follows your results. We compare both with worked examples in pay-per-lead vs retainer for NZ tradies. You can also see how the agencies stack up in our comparison of marketing agencies for NZ tradies.
For a quote based on your trade and city, see our lead generation pricing or tell us what you do and where. Per-lead prices are agreed before we start, so there are no surprises.
06Frequently asked questions
How much does a lead cost for a tradie in NZ?
Published figures from NZ agencies run from about $14 to $80 per lead for Google Ads cost per lead, and generally $50 to $250 per qualified lead under pay-per-lead models like We Fund It. The price depends mostly on your trade, your city and how much a job is worth.
Why do some leads cost more than others?
Higher-value jobs and bigger cities mean more advertisers bidding on the same searches, which raises the cost. A re-roof lead in Auckland costs far more than a house washing lead in Palmerston North because the job is worth more and competition is higher.
How many leads do I need to make marketing worthwhile?
Divide your average job profit by your cost per lead and your close rate. If a lead costs $120, you win one in four, and a job earns you $2,000 profit, each job costs about $480 in leads and leaves you $1,520 ahead.
Are cheaper leads better?
Not necessarily. A $25 lead that never answers the phone costs more than a $150 lead that turns into a job. Judge leads by cost per job won, not cost per lead.
