UK Google Ads costs
See what sits on a first-month invoice, including call recording and a new page.
Free calculator
Google Ads budget calculator
See how many enquiries and paid jobs a monthly budget could produce, and the most you can pay per enquiry before the profit is used up.
Expected enquiries equal media spend divided by the media cost of one enquiry. Expected paid jobs equal those enquiries multiplied by the share that become paid work. You break even when the gross profit on those jobs covers media, management and any setup you include.
Your estimate
25 expected enquiries and 7.5 expected paid jobs a month, before duplicates or cancellations.
- Enquiries
- 25
- Paid jobs
- 7.5
- Gross profit
- £900.00
- Ongoing cost
- £649.00
| Period | Spend | Per paid job | Left from gross profit | Break-even per enquiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch month | £649.00 | £86.53 | £251.00 | £27.73 |
| Ongoing month | £649.00 | £86.53 | £251.00 | £27.73 |
In an ongoing month these figures leave £251.00 of gross profit after media and management. You could pay Google up to £27.73 per enquiry and still cover that ongoing cost.
How to estimate a Google Ads budget
- Enter the monthly amount you will pay Google.
- Enter the management fee and any one-off setup.
- Enter what you expect to pay Google for one enquiry, or divide past media spend by the enquiries you counted.
- Enter the share of enquiries that become paid jobs, and the gross profit on one job after labour, materials and travel.
- Read the ongoing month first. Use the launch month when a setup fee applies.
Break-even media cost per enquiry = media spend × close rate × gross profit per job ÷ total marketing cost. On the Starter preset that is £500 × 30% × £120 ÷ £649, which is £27.73. Your working cost is £20, so this example covers its ongoing cost.
Run the same budget twice if you are unsure of the close rate: once cautious, once stronger. Compare the cost per paid job, then check you can answer the phone while the ads are on. Location settings and which areas you can serve change that cost as much as the bid does.
Questions before you set a budget
How does the Google Ads budget calculator work?
Expected enquiries equal media spend divided by the media cost per enquiry. Expected paid jobs equal those enquiries multiplied by the share that become paid work. The break-even media cost per enquiry is the highest amount you can pay Google per enquiry and still cover media, management and any setup from the gross profit of those jobs.
What should I enter for gross profit?
Enter what you keep from one paid job after labour, materials and travel, before any marketing cost.
What if I do not know my Google Ads cost per enquiry?
Divide a recent period of Google Ads media spend by the calls and forms you would count as enquiries. If you have no account yet, run a cautious cost per enquiry and a stronger one with the same budget, then compare the cost per job.
Which management fee should I use?
Starter is £149 a month with no setup, for ad budgets up to £750. Managed is £299 a month with a £249 setup, for ad budgets up to £1,500. Managed Plus is £399 a month with a £249 setup, for ad budgets up to £3,000. Those fees are before VAT. Compare the plans.
Use it with the other tools
Sample report
See how enquiries, qualified enquiries and bookings change the cost.
Google Ads vs bought leads
Put both options on the cost of a paid job.
Your type of business
See how firms like yours define a useful enquiry.