23/09/2026
Google Ads is now showing how much similar businesses are spending 👀
Google has introduced a new Spend Benchmarks report in the Overview section.
It compares your account with businesses Google considers similar based on factors such as industry and location.
For example:
➡️ Your spend: €284/week
➡️ Similar businesses: €268/week
Or:
➡️ Your clicks: 912
➡️ Similar businesses: 765
Sounds useful, right?
But there’s a catch.
Who exactly are these “similar businesses”?
Two companies can operate in the same industry and market but have completely different:
— margins
— conversion rates
— average order values
— customer lifetime value
— advertising strategies
And, unsurprisingly, Google may also suggest increasing your budget to get more traffic.
The benchmark can be a useful reference point — but it shouldn’t determine your budget.
Your spend should be driven by business goals, performance and unit economics, not by how much other advertisers may be spending.