What's Your Lead Actually Worth?
Map your entire funnel from first touch to closed deal. See the true dollar value of every lead at every stage, customized to your industry.
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Leads per Month
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per lead
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MQLs / mo
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per mql
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SQLs / mo
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per sql
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Closed Deals / mo
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per closed deal
Conversion Rates
Select your industry, enter your metrics, and click Generate to see your lead value breakdown
How do you calculate the true value of a lead?
The true value of a lead is the revenue it produces across your whole funnel, divided by the number of leads. Multiply leads by each stage conversion rate to get closed deals, multiply closed deals by average deal value to get revenue, then divide revenue by leads for value per lead. That number tells you what you can afford to pay per lead and still stay profitable.
Ad Prophet lead-to-close benchmarks span 18 industries, from roughly a 0.9% close rate in SaaS to double-digit close rates in high-intent healthcare and home services.
The formula
Closed Deals
Leads x Stage 1 % x Stage 2 % x Close %
Revenue
Closed Deals x Avg Deal Value
Value per Lead
Revenue / Leads
Worked example
- Leads per month
- 1,000
- Lead to stage 1
- 20%
- Stage 1 to stage 2
- 35%
- Stage 2 to close
- 30%
- Avg deal value
- $6,000
About 21 closed deals per month at $6,000 each is $126,000 in revenue, or roughly $126 in value per lead. Any cost per lead below that is profitable.
Lead-to-close conversion benchmarks by industry
| Industry | Lead to stage 1 | Stage 1 to stage 2 | Stage 2 to close | Overall lead to close | Avg deal value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS / Software | 12% | 30% | 25% | 0.90% | $15,000 |
| B2B Technology | 10% | 25% | 20% | 0.50% | $50,000 |
| Financial Services | 18% | 25% | 20% | 0.90% | $8,000 |
| Insurance | 22% | 35% | 28% | 2.16% | $3,200 |
| Real Estate | 25% | 20% | 15% | 0.75% | $12,000 |
| Legal Services | 30% | 40% | 35% | 4.20% | $5,000 |
| Healthcare / Medical | 35% | 50% | 60% | 10.50% | $3,500 |
| Home Services | 30% | 45% | 40% | 5.40% | $4,500 |
| Solar / Energy | 25% | 35% | 20% | 1.75% | $22,000 |
| Education | 20% | 35% | 30% | 2.10% | $6,000 |
| Agency / Prof. Services | 20% | 35% | 40% | 2.80% | $25,000 |
| Automotive | 25% | 40% | 30% | 3.00% | $2,800 |
| Manufacturing | 20% | 30% | 25% | 1.50% | $75,000 |
| Senior Living | 30% | 40% | 15% | 1.80% | $48,000 |
| Recruiting / Staffing | 20% | 30% | 25% | 1.50% | $18,000 |
| Fitness / Wellness | 30% | 50% | 40% | 6.00% | $1,200 |
| Hospitality / Events | 28% | 40% | 35% | 3.92% | $8,500 |
Ad Prophet starting benchmarks by industry. Overall lead-to-close is the product of the three stage rates. Your account will differ; use these to sanity-check your funnel.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cost per qualified lead?
Divide total spend by the number of leads that reach your qualified stage, not by all raw leads. This shows the real cost of a lead worth chasing rather than the vanity cost per lead most reports show.
What is a good lead conversion rate?
It varies widely by industry. Overall lead-to-close rates range from under 1% in SaaS and B2B technology to over 10% in high-intent healthcare, so compare yourself to your own vertical rather than a single benchmark.
What is a lead actually worth?
A lead is worth the total revenue your funnel produces divided by the number of leads. If 1,000 leads produce $126,000 in revenue, each lead is worth about $126 and any lower cost per lead is profitable.
How much should I pay per lead?
Pay up to your value per lead while leaving room for profit. If a lead is worth $126 and you want a 3:1 return, target a cost per lead near $40.
Benchmarks and formulas last reviewed Q2 2026. Ad Prophet analyzes accounts spending $30K+/month on Google Ads.