Google Ads vs. Bing Ads: Where Should You Spend Your Budget?

When most business owners think "paid ads," they think Google. And that makes sense — Google owns about 83% of the search market. But here's the thing: that other 17% is where some of the smartest money is being spent.

The Case for Google Ads

Google Ads is the 800-pound gorilla of paid search. More volume, more reach, more data. If you're in a competitive industry and need maximum visibility, Google is where you start. We've achieved click-through rates as high as 12% for our clients on Google — well above the industry average.

Performance Max campaigns, in particular, have been a game-changer. They use machine learning to optimize across all of Google's channels — Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps — from a single campaign.

The Case for Bing Ads

Here's where it gets interesting. Bing Ads (now Microsoft Advertising) consistently delivers lower cost-per-click than Google. We're talking 20-35% lower in many industries. Why? Less competition.

But the real advantage is the audience. Bing users tend to be older, more affluent, and more likely to convert. They're the default search engine on Windows devices and Microsoft Edge — which means a lot of corporate and professional users.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Our Recommendation: Run Both

The smartest strategy isn't choosing one over the other — it's running both. Use Google for volume and reach. Use Bing for cost efficiency and higher-intent audiences. The beauty is that Bing makes it incredibly easy to import your Google Ads campaigns directly.

For businesses in the car transport industry (our specialty), this dual approach has been particularly effective. The higher-income Bing audience aligns perfectly with people who need vehicle shipping services.

The Bottom Line

Don't leave money on the table by ignoring Bing. Start with Google if you have to pick one, but add Bing as soon as your budget allows. The lower competition and cost-per-click can stretch your ad dollars significantly further.