Plug in your industry, budget, and customer value. See what ChatGPT Ads will realistically cost and return — compared directly to Google Ads.
Pre-filled from industry benchmarks
Observed range: 0.7–1.2%. Optimised campaigns: 3–5%
How many clicks become customers
These inputs suggest a solid test case. Start with $1,000–$2,000/month, give it 60 days, and measure CPA against your existing channels before scaling. We can get you set up fast.
Break-even customer value at this CPA: $1,190
Australian figures (USD × 1.55 AUD). Source: OpenAI beta data + early agency reports, May–June 2026. Treat as directional.
| Industry | Typical CPC (AUD) | Typical CPM (AUD) | Observed CTR | Est. conv. rate | Google Ads CPC (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance & Insurance | $31 | $54 | 1% | 2.5% | $42 |
| Legal Services | $25 | $47 | 1% | 3.5% | $50 |
| SaaS / Software | $20 | $42 | 0.9% | 2.5% | $20 |
| Travel | $9 | $31 | 1.1% | 2% | $6 |
| E-commerce / Retail | $7 | $28 | 1% | 3% | $3 |
| Education | $6 | $25 | 1.1% | 4% | $8 |
| Trade & Home Services | $6 | $25 | 0.9% | 3% | $10 |
ChatGPT vs Google Search vs Meta — same budget, different dynamics.
| Platform | Typical CPM | Avg CPC | Typical CTR | Intent level | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Ads | $39–$93 AUD | $5–$39+ AUD | 0.7–1.2% | Very high | Low — growing |
| Google Search | Varies | $4.60 AUD avg | 6.5% avg | High | Very high |
| Meta Ads | $12–$23 AUD | $1.20–$4.65 AUD | 0.5–1.5% | Low | Very high |
OpenAI launched its Conversions API and pixel on May 5, 2026. Attribution infrastructure is still younger than Google or Meta by years. Two agency executives from the invite-only pilot confirmed they couldn't demonstrate measurable results — not because ads didn't work, but because measurement wasn't in place.
ChatGPT Ads use CPC (cost-per-click) or CPM (cost-per-1,000-impressions) pricing. CPC rates in Australia range from roughly AUD $9 for travel up to AUD $39+ for finance and legal. CPM runs AUD $39–$93 depending on industry. These are significantly higher than Meta Ads but lower than competitive Google Ads categories.
There is no platform minimum spend as of May 2026. In practice you need at least AUD $750–$1,500/month to generate enough clicks to optimise. Below that, data is too thin to draw conclusions within a 30-day window.
Early data shows CTRs of 0.7–1.2% — well below Google Search (6.5% average). Users are in a reading mindset, not a clicking one. The flip side is that clicks tend to convert at higher rates because the user has already described their problem to an AI and read a contextual response before seeing your ad.
It depends heavily on industry. In high-CPC Google Ads categories like legal and finance, ChatGPT can deliver a lower cost-per-acquisition. In lower-CPC categories like e-commerce, Google Ads typically wins on volume and CPA. The honest answer in mid-2026: measurement is still maturing and the data is thin — treat early results as directional.
Yes. Australia was included in the initial rollout on February 9, 2026 alongside the US, Canada, and New Zealand. The self-serve Ads Manager opened to all advertisers on May 5, 2026 with no minimum spend requirement.
We can model ChatGPT Ads against your actual customer value, existing Google Ads data, and margin structure — and tell you whether it's worth testing.
Talk to the team