Most Google Ads benchmarks give one cost per click for "healthcare", as if a dental implant ad and an urgent care ad competed in the same auction. They don't. This study lists the average cost per click (CPC) and top-of-page bid ranges for the actual searches patients type, across 22 specialties: from $3.79 for "urgent care near me" to $38.76 for "dental implants near me" and $107.39 for "detox near me".
These Google Ads benchmarks are part of Medfy's healthcare marketing benchmarks, and the full dataset is free to download.
Key findings
- The spread is 100-fold. Across 146 patient searches with data, the average CPC runs from $0.95 ("plantar fasciitis treatment") to $107.39 ("detox near me"). The median is $8.14.
- Most patient clicks cost $5 to $20. 66 searches average $5 to $10 and 43 average $10 to $20. Only 14 average $20 or more; 23 average under $5.
- Addiction treatment is in a league of its own. Its four priced searches have a median CPC of $58.01. The next-highest specialty median is therapy and psychiatry at $17.30.
- High-value elective care costs more than high-volume care. "Dental implants near me" ($38.76), "invisalign near me" ($26.29) and "tirzepatide near me" ($24.31) cost several times more than "urgent care near me" ($3.79), which is searched 4,090,000 times a month.
- Almost a third of the searches return no data. 67 of the 213 patient searches we pulled, including "plastic surgeon near me", "podiatrist near me" and "rehab near me", came back without volume or CPC.
Methodology and data date
Source: Google Ads Keyword Planner historical metrics, pulled through the DataForSEO API (opens in a new tab) (keywords_data/google_ads/search_volume).
Settings: location United States (code 2840) or Canada (code 2124), language English. Figures are 12-month averages to September 2026, pulled in October 2026. All prices are in US dollars.
Definitions:
- Monthly searches: Keyword Planner's average monthly searches for the keyword and its close variants. Google rounds these figures (opens in a new tab).
- CPC: the average cost per click advertisers paid for an ad shown on that search.
- Top-of-page bid range: the low and high top-of-page bid. Google describes the low end as roughly the 20th percentile and the high end as roughly the 80th percentile of what advertisers have historically paid for a top-of-page position.
Query set: 213 patient-side searches that Medfy chose as representative of 22 specialties (not exhaustive). Optometry and ophthalmology share one eye-care set, so the tables show 21 groups. 146 searches returned a CPC.
Medians: for each specialty, we took the median of the average CPCs of its priced searches. That's a typical click in the set, not a volume-weighted average.
Limitations: these are averages across all advertisers and all US locations. Google groups close variants, so "therapist near me" and "therapy near me" report identical numbers. Some restricted health terms, including several addiction and prescription-drug searches, return no data. We show those as "no data", never as zero.
Cost per click by specialty: the full table
The summary first, then every search behind it.
| Specialty | Priced searches | Median CPC | Most expensive search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addiction treatment | 4 of 8 | $58.01 | detox near me ($107.39) |
| Therapists & psychiatry | 8 of 12 | $17.30 | therapist near me ($24.19) |
| Orthodontists | 8 of 10 | $16.18 | invisalign near me ($26.29) |
| Dentists | 12 of 15 | $13.74 | dental implants near me ($38.76) |
| Wellness & weight loss clinics | 6 of 10 | $12.82 | tirzepatide near me ($24.31) |
| Dental specialists | 9 of 10 | $12.38 | dental implant specialist near me ($28.17) |
| Chiropractors | 6 of 10 | $9.34 | does insurance cover chiropractor ($11.64) |
| Audiologists | 8 of 10 | $8.29 | hearing test near me ($19.19) |
| Plastic surgeons | 5 of 10 | $7.72 | tummy tuck cost ($9.37) |
| OB-GYNs & fertility | 6 of 10 | $7.66 | fertility clinic near me ($14.66) |
| Eye care (optometry & ophthalmology) | 7 of 10 | $7.20 | lasik cost ($11.76) |
| Orthopedics | 6 of 10 | $6.69 | spine surgeon near me ($8.76) |
| Physical therapists | 8 of 10 | $6.54 | sports physical therapy near me ($8.12) |
| Med spas | 11 of 12 | $6.34 | semaglutide near me ($30.19) |
| Dermatologists | 6 of 10 | $6.20 | psoriasis treatment ($17.67) |
| Primary care | 10 of 10 | $6.00 | same day doctor appointment ($13.88) |
| Medical specialists | 7 of 12 | $5.41 | vein doctor near me ($24.89) |
| Pediatricians | 5 of 8 | $5.11 | pediatrician accepting new patients ($10.27) |
| Functional medicine | 4 of 8 | $4.79 | gut health doctor ($11.05) |
| Urgent care | 8 of 10 | $4.46 | flu shot near me ($6.53) |
| Podiatrists | 2 of 8 | $3.69 | heel pain doctor ($6.42) |
Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026. Medians computed by Medfy.
The detailed table below shows three to six searches per specialty: the highest-demand searches plus the most expensive one.
| Specialty | Patient search | Monthly searches | Avg. CPC | Top-of-page bids |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addiction treatment | detox near me | 14,800 | $107.39 | $21.89–$105.63 |
| Addiction treatment | suboxone doctor near me | 9,900 | $60.81 | $10.69–$75.95 |
| Addiction treatment | iop near me | 14,800 | $55.21 | $11.38–$70.93 |
| Addiction treatment | methadone clinic near me | 22,200 | $15.96 | $4.18–$19.39 |
| Addiction treatment | rehab near me | no data | no data | no data |
| Audiologists | audiologist near me | 40,500 | $10.69 | $3.12–$14.68 |
| Audiologists | hearing aids near me | 33,100 | $9.18 | $2.88–$11.12 |
| Audiologists | hearing test near me | 12,100 | $19.19 | $4.46–$25.61 |
| Audiologists | hearing aids cost | 14,800 | $3.00 | $0.82–$3.28 |
| Chiropractors | chiropractor near me | 673,000 | $10.02 | $2.85–$16.00 |
| Chiropractors | chiropractor for back pain | 22,200 | $9.67 | $2.31–$12.16 |
| Chiropractors | does insurance cover chiropractor | 1,900 | $11.64 | $3.67–$14.39 |
| Dental specialists | pediatric dentist near me | 201,000 | $11.20 | $3.34–$19.09 |
| Dental specialists | oral surgeon near me | 74,000 | $12.38 | $3.37–$17.34 |
| Dental specialists | all on 4 dental implants | 18,100 | $27.31 | $6.88–$27.27 |
| Dental specialists | dental implant specialist near me | 1,600 | $28.17 | $9.21–$40.94 |
| Dentists | dentist near me | 1,830,000 | $14.71 | $4.87–$22.92 |
| Dentists | dental implants cost | 135,000 | $15.71 | $2.86–$15.97 |
| Dentists | dental implants near me | 90,500 | $38.76 | $10.46–$50.20 |
| Dentists | cosmetic dentist near me | 74,000 | $15.81 | $3.70–$19.98 |
| Dentists | dental cleaning near me | 33,100 | $18.24 | $4.06–$21.56 |
| Dermatologists | dermatologist near me | 673,000 | $5.52 | $2.17–$8.21 |
| Dermatologists | psoriasis treatment | 201,000 | $17.67 | $6.84–$17.89 |
| Dermatologists | skin cancer screening near me | 3,600 | $6.87 | $2.03–$8.62 |
| Eye care | eye doctor near me | 450,000 | $5.87 | $2.69–$10.61 |
| Eye care | optometrist near me | 301,000 | $4.62 | $2.14–$8.72 |
| Eye care | eye exam near me | 201,000 | $9.77 | $3.65–$12.48 |
| Eye care | lasik cost | 6,600 | $11.76 | $1.88–$13.14 |
| Functional medicine | functional medicine doctor near me | 40,500 | $5.14 | $1.43–$6.18 |
| Functional medicine | holistic doctor near me | 40,500 | $4.14 | $1.23–$4.96 |
| Functional medicine | gut health doctor | 720 | $11.05 | $2.65–$12.57 |
| Med spas | laser hair removal near me | 110,000 | $16.94 | $3.39–$59.09 |
| Med spas | med spa near me | 110,000 | $6.00 | $2.23–$13.09 |
| Med spas | lip filler near me | 74,000 | $8.26 | $2.34–$10.46 |
| Med spas | semaglutide near me | 8,100 | $30.19 | $16.19–$42.96 |
| Medical specialists | endocrinologist near me | 110,000 | $4.38 | $1.51–$7.15 |
| Medical specialists | cardiologist near me | 90,500 | $5.41 | $1.62–$8.09 |
| Medical specialists | vein doctor near me | 18,100 | $24.89 | $2.97–$31.49 |
| OB-GYNs & fertility | obgyn near me | 301,000 | $5.25 | $1.99–$7.84 |
| OB-GYNs & fertility | fertility clinic near me | 60,500 | $14.66 | $3.35–$20.26 |
| OB-GYNs & fertility | egg freezing cost | 8,100 | $10.05 | $2.22–$12.73 |
| Orthodontists | orthodontist near me | 246,000 | $19.80 | $4.95–$35.81 |
| Orthodontists | invisalign cost | 74,000 | $10.03 | $1.69–$10.47 |
| Orthodontists | invisalign near me | 60,500 | $26.29 | $5.10–$34.05 |
| Orthodontists | braces near me | 40,500 | $20.60 | $3.23–$27.23 |
| Orthopedics | orthopedic doctor near me | 49,500 | $7.51 | $1.57–$8.65 |
| Orthopedics | orthopedic surgeon near me | 33,100 | $6.38 | $1.59–$8.45 |
| Orthopedics | spine surgeon near me | 4,400 | $8.76 | $1.49–$9.25 |
| Pediatricians | pediatrician near me | 246,000 | $5.11 | $1.90–$8.00 |
| Pediatricians | childhood vaccine schedule | 40,500 | $4.02 | $1.00–$6.00 |
| Pediatricians | pediatrician accepting new patients | 170 | $10.27 | $1.82–$7.00 |
| Physical therapists | physical therapy near me | 368,000 | $6.61 | $2.23–$10.94 |
| Physical therapists | physical therapy for back pain | 40,500 | $6.46 | $1.74–$8.24 |
| Physical therapists | dry needling near me | 18,100 | $7.32 | $1.83–$8.58 |
| Plastic surgeons | tummy tuck cost | 33,100 | $9.37 | $1.89–$7.10 |
| Plastic surgeons | mommy makeover cost | 14,800 | $8.86 | $1.65–$6.94 |
| Plastic surgeons | breast augmentation cost | 9,900 | $7.72 | $1.54–$6.95 |
| Plastic surgeons | plastic surgeon near me | no data | no data | no data |
| Podiatrists | plantar fasciitis treatment | 246,000 | $0.95 | $0.09–$1.48 |
| Podiatrists | heel pain doctor | 2,900 | $6.42 | $1.61–$9.26 |
| Podiatrists | podiatrist near me | no data | no data | no data |
| Primary care | doctor near me | 135,000 | $4.63 | $2.54–$9.85 |
| Primary care | family doctor near me | 49,500 | $4.43 | $1.80–$7.54 |
| Primary care | primary care doctor near me | 40,500 | $6.72 | $2.45–$10.10 |
| Primary care | concierge doctor near me | 12,100 | $8.15 | $2.03–$10.10 |
| Therapists & psychiatry | therapist near me | 368,000 | $24.19 | $7.71–$29.28 |
| Therapists & psychiatry | psychiatrist near me | 165,000 | $18.16 | $6.65–$26.86 |
| Therapists & psychiatry | couples therapy near me | 49,500 | $16.43 | $6.60–$20.89 |
| Therapists & psychiatry | anxiety therapist near me | 8,100 | $21.63 | $6.26–$28.30 |
| Urgent care | urgent care near me | 4,090,000 | $3.79 | $1.58–$7.59 |
| Urgent care | walk in clinic near me | 201,000 | $4.21 | $1.50–$7.20 |
| Urgent care | pediatric urgent care near me | 74,000 | $3.66 | $1.76–$7.00 |
| Wellness & weight loss | weight loss clinic near me | 40,500 | $13.15 | $8.08–$32.13 |
| Wellness & weight loss | tirzepatide near me | 12,100 | $24.31 | $11.05–$34.17 |
| Wellness & weight loss | hormone replacement therapy near me | 14,800 | $14.44 | $4.24–$20.74 |
Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026.
For how often patients search each of these, by intent rather than by price, see patient search demand by specialty.
Want to see how your own practice shows up for these searches before you spend anything? The free marketing audit scores your website, Google listing and ads setup.
The most and least expensive patient searches
The 10 most expensive searches are dominated by addiction treatment, implants and prescription weight loss:
- detox near me: $107.39
- suboxone doctor near me: $60.81
- iop near me (intensive outpatient program): $55.21
- dental implants near me: $38.76
- semaglutide near me: $30.19
- dental implant specialist near me: $28.17
- all on 4 dental implants: $27.31
- invisalign near me: $26.29
- vein doctor near me: $24.89
- tirzepatide near me: $24.31
The cheapest searches are mostly high-volume or informational: "plantar fasciitis treatment" ($0.95), "physical therapy after knee replacement" ($1.91), "hearing aids cost" ($3.00), "pediatric urgent care near me" ($3.66) and "urgent care near me" ($3.79). Someone reading about a condition is a weaker lead than someone choosing a provider, and the bids reflect it.
Two patterns stand out. First, "near me" searches for a named, high-value treatment cost far more than cost questions about the same treatment: "dental implants near me" averages $38.76, "dental implants cost" $15.71. Second, price tracks what a new patient is worth to the advertiser, not how often people search. "Urgent care near me" has the most demand in the dataset and one of the lowest prices.
Top-of-page bid ranges: what they mean
The bid range is Google's estimate of what advertisers have paid to appear above the organic results. Read the low end as "the cheap end of a top-of-page win" and the high end as "what competitive advertisers pay."
- A wide range signals mixed competition. "Laser hair removal near me" runs from $3.39 to $59.09, a 17-fold spread, and "vein doctor near me" from $2.97 to $31.49. Some advertisers win the top of the page cheaply; others pay many times more.
- A narrow range signals a settled price. "Therapist near me" runs from $7.71 to $29.28 around a $24.19 average: most advertisers pay near the top.
- The average can sit above the high bid. For 16 of the 146 priced searches, mostly cost questions such as "tummy tuck cost" ($9.37 CPC, high bid $7.10), the average CPC is higher than the high bid. The two are separate measures, so treat each as a rough guide, not a quote.
Why your actual cost per click will differ
Your account won't pay these averages exactly. Google says advertisers are often charged less than their maximum bid (opens in a new tab), because you pay only what's needed to beat the next advertiser's Ad Rank. What moves your price:
- Location. These are national averages. City prices differ: our metro study shows "dentist near me" from $10.52 in New York to $21.87 in Phoenix.
- Ad quality. Relevant ads and landing pages win positions for less.
- Match types and negatives. Broad matching pulls in loosely related searches at their own prices.
- Timing and competition. A new competitor in your zip code changes your auction overnight.
- Policy. Google's healthcare and medicines policy (opens in a new tab) requires certification for some categories (in the US and Canada, addiction services need LegitScript certification), which limits who can bid.
How to use this data to set a budget
- Pick the three to five searches that match your services. Use the table above, not the specialty median.
- Decide how many clicks you need to learn something. A test of 100 to 200 clicks gives you enough calls and forms to judge.
- Multiply clicks by CPC. Hypothetical arithmetic: 150 clicks on "invisalign near me" at $26.29 is about $3,944 a month; 150 clicks on "chiropractor near me" at $10.02 is about $1,503.
- Adjust for your city using the metro study, then sanity-check with the Google Ads budget calculator.
- Judge by cost per new patient, not CPC. A $38 click that books an implant consultation can beat a $4 click nobody calls from.
For the full cost picture, including management fees and landing pages, read how much Google Ads cost and our guide to Google Ads for medical practices. If you'd rather not run the account yourself, Medfy's Google Ads management add-on is $199/month, and ad spend is paid directly to Google, never marked up (Medfy pricing).
Download the dataset
The full dataset, every priced patient search with specialty, monthly searches, average CPC, bid range and competition level, is published as a CSV: download the CSV. Searches that returned no data are in the patient search demand CSV, marked blank rather than zero.
Cite this page: Medfy, "Google Ads benchmarks: cost per click by medical specialty", medfy.ai/benchmarks/google-ads-cpc-by-specialty. Data: Google Ads Keyword Planner via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026, pulled October 2026.
Changelog:
- 2026-10-23: first edition (12-month average to September 2026). Next refresh planned for October 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost per click for medical practices?
There is no single healthcare number. Across the 146 patient searches in this study that have data, the median average CPC is $8.14, but the range runs from $0.95 for 'plantar fasciitis treatment' to $107.39 for 'detox near me'. 'Dentist near me' averages $14.71 and 'urgent care near me' $3.79 (Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026). Plan with the searches for your own services.
Why are addiction treatment keywords so expensive?
Our data shows the price, not the reason, but two documented facts help. Google restricts addiction-services ads: in the US and Canada advertisers need LegitScript certification before they can run them. And the searches that do return data are high-intent: 'detox near me' averages $107.39, 'suboxone doctor near me' $60.81 and 'iop near me' $55.21. Many related searches, such as 'rehab near me', return no data at all.
Do these costs apply to Canada?
No. Canadian click prices differ, sometimes a lot. In the Canada-wide pull, 'dentist near me' averages $17.03 (USD), above the US $14.71, while 'therapist near me' is $7.95 against $24.19 and 'chiropractor near me' $3.91 against $10.02 (Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, Canada and US, 12-month average to Sep 2026). Use Canadian figures for Canadian campaigns.
How often is this data updated?
Once a year. This edition uses a 12-month average to September 2026, pulled in October 2026, and the next full refresh is planned for October 2027 with a dated changelog entry on this page. Click prices move during the year, so before you set a budget, check current estimates for your own keywords and location in Google Keyword Planner.