Facebook ads have no price list. You set a daily budget and Meta spends it. So the useful questions are what that budget buys in the UK, what gets added to the invoice, and what else you may pay for. This page answers those in pounds.
What does a click or a lead cost in the UK?#
These are the UK figures published in 2026. Neither source states the data behind its averages, so treat them as rough.
| Measure | Startups.co.uk, February 2026 | Whito, September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per click | 30p to £2 or more, average 43p | 72p |
| Cost to show the ad 1,000 times | £5 to £15, average £6.60 | £8.50 |
| Cost per lead | £10 to £40 or more, average £17.60 | £8 to £25 |
A third source measures differently. Superads' monthly median cost per lead for Great Britain averages about £37.80, from ad accounts that use Superads, with monthly figures from £17.46 to £59.71.
The gap between £17.60 and £37.80 is the lesson. What you pay depends on your trade, your area, your ad and what you count as a lead. Figures by industry are in What does a lead cost on Facebook, by industry?.
How much should you set aside each month?#
| Source | Suggested starting budget |
|---|---|
| Whito, 2026 | £300 a month as the minimum for meaningful data. £140 for a two-week test at £10 a day |
| Startups.co.uk, 2026 | £176 to £528 a month as typical for a business aiming for 10 to 30 leads a month |
So the published advice lands at roughly £6 to £18 a day. A better figure comes from your own sums: what a customer is worth, how many enquiries become customers, and how many customers you want. See How much should you spend on Facebook ads?.
Meta has a minimum budget. It says minimums vary by country and objective, meaning the result you ask for, and Ads Manager warns you when you are below them.
What is added on top of your budget?#
Two things, and both surprise people on the first invoice.
Meta's 2% UK location fee. Meta lists a 2% fee for ads delivered in the United Kingdom, to cover digital services taxes and similar costs. Meta says the fee is separate from your campaign budget and appears as its own line on the invoice. It depends on where your audience is, not where your business is. A £300 month of ads shown in the UK carries a £6 fee.
VAT. Meta says your daily budget does not include any VAT charged on your ad purchases. The UK standard rate is 20%. How it reaches you depends on your receipt.
- If the receipt says the ads were sold through Meta's office in your country and you buy for business purposes, Meta adds VAT to the cost.
- If it says they were sold by Meta Platforms Ireland and you buy for business purposes, Meta does not add VAT and says you are required to account for it yourself at your local rate.
- If you buy for non-business purposes, Meta applies VAT.
Meta also says VAT is worked out on the ad cost plus the location fee. Whether you can reclaim VAT depends on whether your business is VAT-registered. Ask your accountant. We are not tax advisers.
A worked month#
A business sets £10 a day and its ads are shown only in the UK.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ads, 30 days at £10 | £300.00 |
| Location fee at 2% | £6.00 |
| Subtotal | £306.00 |
| VAT at 20%, if Meta adds it | £61.20 |
| Total charged | £367.20 |
A business that is not VAT-registered should plan for the full £367. A VAT-registered business can usually treat the £61 like other VAT, and should confirm that with its accountant.
One more thing about the daily figure. Meta says it may spend up to 75% over your daily budget on a single day, and no more than seven times the daily budget across a calendar week. So £10 a day can mean £17.50 on a busy Saturday and less on other days.
What you pay people, on top of what you pay Meta#
The budget goes to Meta. Help is extra.
| Who | Cost |
|---|---|
| You, doing it yourself | No fee. Your time |
| An agency | The Social Shepherd, an agency, says most agencies charge £1,000 a month as a retainer, with prices up to £10,000 a month (2026) |
| Photos and video | Extra, if you do not make your own |
| A tool | Varies. Many publish a monthly price |
The same agency says new businesses that plan to spend at least £3,000 a month on Facebook ads should consider an agency. Below that, the fee can be bigger than the ad budget. The three routes are compared in Agency, DIY or an AI agent.
Why do some businesses pay more?#
- A narrow area or audience. Fewer people to show the ad to.
- A crowded trade. More advertisers want the same people.
- A weak ad. If few people respond to it, each result costs more.
- A strict definition of a lead. Counting only real enquiries gives a higher and more honest figure.
What Madder costs, and where the money goes#
Madder is an AI agent that sets up and looks after Facebook and Instagram ads for a small business. It is free during early access. It will be paid later, and the price is not set yet.
Your ad budget does not pass through Madder. You pay Meta directly from your own ad account, and Meta's invoice, with its fee and VAT lines, comes to you. Madder shows the spend Meta reports for your campaigns, in your account's currency. Meta's own invoice is the record of what you were charged, including the fee and VAT lines. See What Madder costs and Billing.
Questions people ask#
How much do Facebook ads cost in the UK?
You set the budget. UK guides in 2026 suggest starting at about £6 to £18 a day, and quote an average click at 43p to 72p and a lead at £8 to £40.
Is there VAT on Facebook ads in the UK?
Yes. VAT applies at the UK standard rate of 20%. Meta either adds it to your invoice or, for business purchases sold by Meta Platforms Ireland, leaves you to account for it yourself.
What is the 2% fee on my Facebook ads invoice?
It is Meta's location fee for ads shown to people in the United Kingdom. Meta lists it at 2% and shows it as a separate line from your budget.
What is the minimum spend for Facebook ads in the UK?
Meta does not publish one fixed figure on its help page. It says minimums vary by country and by the result you ask for. One UK guide, Whito, calls £300 a month, about £10 a day, the minimum for meaningful data.