If you are deciding between Google Ads and Bing Ads, the short answer is that Google Ads is usually the better starting point for businesses that want the widest search reach, while Bing Ads can be a strong second channel when you want additional traffic, a different audience and potentially lower competition. For many businesses, the best strategy is not choosing one forever but starting where your customers are and expanding to the other platform when the numbers support it.
The right choice depends on your business, target market, budget, customers, location and campaign goals. A local plumber in London, a B2B software company selling across the UK and an ecommerce store shipping internationally should not necessarily use the same advertising strategy.
This guide compares Google Ads vs Bing Ads across the areas that matter when you are actually spending money: reach, cost, targeting, competition, local advertising, international campaigns, ecommerce, B2B, conversions, campaign management and return on investment.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Quick Comparison
| Factor | Google Ads | Bing Ads / Microsoft Advertising |
|---|---|---|
| Search reach | Much larger | Smaller |
| Search market share | Dominant globally | Smaller but meaningful |
| Competition | Often higher | Often lower in some markets |
| CPC | Can be expensive in competitive markets | Can be lower, but varies by keyword |
| Local businesses | Excellent | Useful as an additional channel |
| Ecommerce | Excellent | Useful for incremental sales |
| B2B | Excellent | Particularly interesting because of LinkedIn targeting |
| International | Strong global reach | Strong in selected markets |
| Audience targeting | Extensive | Extensive, with LinkedIn profile targeting as a major differentiator |
| Best use | Scale and high search demand | Incremental reach, selected audiences and diversification |
| Best approach for many businesses | Primary platform | Secondary or complementary platform |
Google remains far larger globally. StatCounter’s July 2026 data puts Google at about 91.31% of worldwide search engine market share, compared with 4.47% for Bing. That gap matters because the number of people searching on a platform directly affects the amount of potential search demand available to your campaigns.
But market share does not automatically determine profitability.
A smaller channel can still be valuable if it reaches the right customers at an acceptable cost.
What Are Google Ads?
Google Ads is Google’s online advertising platform. It allows businesses to advertise across Google’s search and other advertising surfaces using different campaign types and targeting options.
For search advertising, the basic idea is straightforward. Someone searches for something related to your product or service, and your ad can appear when your campaign is eligible for that search.
For example, a London business selling emergency plumbing services might target searches such as:
- Emergency plumber London
- Emergency plumber near me
- 24 hour plumber London
- Burst pipe plumber London
- Emergency plumbing service
The value of search advertising comes from the fact that the user has already expressed an interest through their search.
Google also supports geographic targeting at country, regional, city and radius levels, and businesses can use Business Profile locations and location assets in relevant campaigns.
What Are Bing Ads?
Bing Ads is now Microsoft Advertising. The platform allows businesses to advertise across Microsoft’s search ecosystem and its advertising network.
The basic concept is similar to Google Ads. You select keywords, audiences, locations, budgets and other campaign settings, and your advertisements can appear when people search for relevant products or services.
Microsoft Advertising also provides audience targeting options, including LinkedIn profile targeting, which allows advertisers to target audiences using information such as company, industry and job function.
This can make Microsoft Advertising particularly interesting for certain B2B campaigns.
For example, a software company selling an enterprise platform could potentially target people based on professional characteristics rather than relying only on search keywords.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Has More Traffic?
Google Ads wins clearly on overall search reach.
Google’s worldwide search share is dramatically larger than Bing’s. That means a business looking for the greatest possible volume of search impressions will usually start with Google.
Imagine a company selling a service across the UK.
If thousands of people search for the relevant service on Google and a much smaller number search through Bing, Google gives the company access to a larger pool of potential customers.
That does not mean every Google click is better.
It means Google generally gives you more opportunities to find demand.
Bing can then become useful as an additional channel.
Is Google Ads Better Than Bing Ads?
For most businesses, Google Ads is the better platform to start with if you have limited budget and need to prioritise one search advertising channel.
The reason is not simply that Google is more popular.
Google’s larger search audience gives you more opportunities to test keywords, locations, advertisements, landing pages and conversion strategies.
However, “better” depends on what you are trying to achieve.
Google Ads may be better when you need:
- Maximum search reach.
- More potential impressions.
- Large-scale ecommerce traffic.
- International search demand.
- Strong local search visibility.
- More search volume for a niche service.
- A platform to build your primary paid search campaign around.
Microsoft Advertising may be better when you want:
- Additional search traffic.
- Another source of leads or sales.
- Potentially less competition for some keywords.
- Access to Microsoft’s audience ecosystem.
- LinkedIn profile targeting for suitable campaigns.
- A way to diversify your paid search traffic.
For many businesses, this makes the question less about Google Ads vs Bing Ads and more about Google Ads first, then Bing Ads when the data justifies expansion.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Is Cheaper?
This is one of the most searched questions, but there is no universal answer.
You will often hear that Bing Ads is cheaper than Google Ads.
That can happen because competition and auction dynamics differ between platforms, but you should not assume that every Bing keyword will cost less or that a cheaper click will automatically produce a better result.
Suppose you have:
Google Ads
100 clicks × £2 = £200
Bing Ads
100 clicks × £1 = £100
At first glance, Bing looks twice as good.
But now imagine:
Google generates 10 leads.
Bing generates 2 leads.
Google cost per lead = £20
Bing cost per lead = £50
The cheaper click produced the more expensive lead.
This is why businesses should compare cost per qualified lead, conversion rate, customer acquisition cost and revenue, not just CPC.
What Determines Your Google Ads or Bing Ads Cost?
Your advertising cost depends on factors such as:
- Keyword competition.
- Search demand.
- Industry.
- Location.
- Audience.
- Device.
- Ad relevance.
- Landing page experience.
- Campaign structure.
- Bid strategy.
- Conversion goals.
- Time of day.
- Competitor activity.
A solicitor targeting highly competitive commercial keywords in London will face a very different auction from a local business targeting a low-volume service in a smaller town.
The same principle applies to Microsoft Advertising.
The Latest Google Ads Updates: What Advertisers Need to Know
Google Ads is moving further towards AI-driven campaign management, and this is changing how advertisers build and optimise Search campaigns. The biggest development in 2026 is AI Max for Search campaigns, which Google describes as an optimisation layer that uses AI for search-term matching, creative optimisation and landing-page selection. It is not a completely new campaign type; instead, it works within existing Search campaigns.
This matters because traditional Google Ads management has often centred on carefully selecting keywords, writing ads and controlling landing pages manually. AI Max gives Google more ability to identify relevant searches, adapt ad messaging and select relevant landing pages using signals from the campaign, website and user search. Google says AI Max can use search-term matching, text customisation and Final URL expansion to find additional relevant opportunities.
Google is also changing how some older Search features fit into this AI-first approach. Google announced that Dynamic Search Ads will begin automatically upgrading to AI Max from February 2027, while campaigns using automatically created assets and the campaign-level broad-match setting are scheduled for automatic upgrades beginning in September 2026. Google extended the DSA transition timeline in June to give advertisers more time to prepare.
For advertisers, the practical lesson is not to assume that Google Ads is becoming completely automated and that human campaign management no longer matters. Instead, advertisers need to become better at controlling the inputs that AI uses, including conversion tracking, landing pages, exclusions, brand controls, location settings and campaign objectives. Google has also added reporting within AI Max to help advertisers understand search terms, assets and landing pages selected through the system.
Google has also introduced changes to Smart Bidding terminology. From June 2026, Target CPA and Target ROAS are being presented as standalone bidding strategy names rather than being nested under Maximise Conversions or Maximise Conversion Value. Google says the underlying bidding behaviour does not change as a result of the naming update.
Another important development is Google’s movement towards more AI-native advertising formats. At Google Marketing Live 2026, Google announced testing of new Search ad formats built with Gemini, including conversational discovery experiences, highlighted answers and AI-powered shopping advertising.
For businesses, this means the future of Google Ads is moving away from simply asking “Which keyword should I bid on?” and towards a broader question: “How well have I given Google’s systems the information, assets, conversion signals and business controls needed to find the right customer?”
That does not make keyword research irrelevant. It makes search intent, conversion data, landing-page quality, audience understanding and campaign controls even more important.
The Latest Microsoft Advertising Updates: What Advertisers Need to Know
Microsoft Advertising is also moving aggressively towards AI-powered search advertising. One of its biggest current developments is AI Max for Search campaigns, which Microsoft made available to all advertisers on 27 August 2026.
Microsoft’s AI Max combines three main capabilities: search-term matching, text customisation and Final URL expansion. Search-term matching can help campaigns reach relevant searches beyond the advertiser’s existing keyword list, while text customisation can generate additional advertising messages based on the campaign’s existing assets, website and search context. Final URL expansion can help direct users to a more relevant page on the website.
This is significant because Microsoft is moving in a direction that looks increasingly similar to Google’s AI-driven Search strategy. Search engines are becoming better at understanding longer and more conversational queries, so advertisers are being given more tools to capture intent that may not exactly match the keywords they originally entered.
Microsoft has also focused heavily on AI search and Copilot experiences. The company says advertising is increasingly being integrated into AI-powered experiences where people research, compare and make decisions. Microsoft reported that ads within Copilot experiences generated higher engagement than traditional Search ads in its own first-party data, although those figures should be treated as Microsoft’s own reported performance data rather than a universal benchmark for every advertiser.
Another useful development for marketers is Microsoft’s AI Performance dashboard in Bing Webmaster Tools. Microsoft introduced the dashboard to provide visibility into where a brand’s content appears in AI-generated answers and which URLs are being cited. This is particularly interesting for businesses working across SEO, AEO and paid search because it connects Microsoft’s wider search ecosystem with AI visibility.
Microsoft has also continued improving campaign imports and management, making it easier for advertisers to bring campaigns from Google Ads into Microsoft Advertising. This lowers the barrier to testing Bing as a secondary advertising channel, although an imported campaign should still be reviewed rather than treated as a perfect copy of the Google campaign.
The important takeaway is that Bing Ads is no longer simply the smaller search advertising alternative to Google. Microsoft is building its own AI-powered advertising ecosystem around Bing, Copilot, Microsoft AI and professional audience data.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads by Country: Which Is Better?
There is no country where you should automatically assume that one platform will always produce better leads or sales. Search behaviour changes by market, device, industry and audience, so market share is a useful starting point rather than a guarantee of advertising performance.
However, current search engine usage gives us a useful indication of where each platform has the greatest potential audience.
According to StatCounter’s July 2026 data, Google has about 91.3% of worldwide search engine market share compared with around 4.5% for Bing.
That makes Google the obvious primary platform for most international advertisers, but Bing’s position becomes more interesting in certain countries and particularly among desktop users.
United Kingdom
The UK is strongly dominated by Google, with approximately 91.56% search share in July 2026 compared with 5.87% for Bing.
For a business targeting London, Manchester, Birmingham or other UK locations, Google Ads would normally be the first platform to test.
For example, a London-based:
- SEO agency
- Concrete supplier
- Chauffeur company
- Solicitor
- Cleaning company
- Construction company
would generally have more potential search demand on Google.
Microsoft Advertising can still make sense as a secondary campaign, particularly for businesses targeting professional or desktop-heavy audiences.
UK recommendation: Google first, Microsoft Advertising second.
United States
The US is one of the more important markets for Microsoft Advertising because Bing has a considerably larger share than it does in many other countries. StatCounter reports approximately 86.6% for Google and 8.63% for Bing in the US in July 2026.
That still gives Google a very large advantage, but an almost 9% Bing share represents a meaningful audience for businesses operating at scale.
This is especially worth considering for B2B advertisers because Microsoft can combine search advertising with its broader professional audience ecosystem and LinkedIn profile targeting.
US recommendation: Google for scale, Microsoft as a serious secondary channel.
Canada
Canada is another market where Microsoft Advertising deserves attention. In July 2026, Google had approximately 86.0% search share while Bing had around 9.36%.
The gap is still large, but Bing’s share is meaningful enough that larger advertisers should not dismiss it without testing.
For a Canadian B2B company, ecommerce business or national service provider, Microsoft can be worth testing after Google campaigns have established a baseline.
Canada recommendation: Google first, but test Microsoft earlier than you might in smaller Bing markets.
Australia
Australia also shows a relatively meaningful Bing audience, with Google at approximately 88.22% and Bing at 8.74% in July 2026.
For businesses targeting Australia, Google should generally remain the primary channel, but Microsoft’s nearly 9% share makes it a sensible secondary platform when campaign volume and budget justify testing.
Australia recommendation: Google first, Microsoft for additional reach.
Germany
Germany had approximately 85.59% Google and 7.12% Bing search share in July 2026.
The desktop picture is even more interesting, with Bing reaching about 14.52% of desktop search share in Germany.
This difference matters for businesses whose customers spend a large amount of time searching from desktop computers, particularly professional and B2B audiences.
Germany recommendation: Google remains the primary platform, but Microsoft deserves serious testing for desktop-heavy and B2B campaigns.
France
France had approximately 88.85% Google and 5.24% Bing search share in July 2026.
Google is therefore the natural starting point for most French campaigns, while Microsoft can be tested when additional reach or diversification is valuable.
France recommendation: Google first, Microsoft second.
Pakistan
Pakistan is one of the clearest examples of where Google should receive priority. StatCounter reports approximately 97.14% Google search share and only 1.89% Bing in July 2026.
For businesses targeting Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad or other Pakistani cities, Google Ads is the obvious first choice when search advertising is appropriate.
A local Pakistani business would normally gain little from putting the majority of its search advertising budget into Bing when the overwhelming majority of search activity is happening on Google.
Pakistan recommendation: Strongly prioritise Google Ads.
India
India is even more heavily dominated by Google. July 2026 data shows approximately 97.85% Google compared with 1.18% Bing.
For businesses targeting Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad or Chennai, Google should generally receive priority.
Microsoft Advertising can still be tested for specific audiences, but the search market data does not support treating Bing as the primary platform for broad Indian search campaigns.
India recommendation: Google first by a wide margin.
Where Is Bing Stronger Than You Might Expect?
Looking only at total country-level market share can hide an important detail: Bing’s position can be considerably stronger on desktop than across all devices.
For example, in July 2026 Bing accounted for around 10.77% of desktop searches in the UK, compared with Google’s 85.55%.
In Germany, Bing reached around 14.52% of desktop searches.
In Canada, Bing represented about 15.63% of desktop searches.
In Australia, Bing accounted for approximately 15.81% of desktop searches.
This does not mean Bing is “better” in these countries.
It means device behaviour can change the opportunity.
If your customers are professionals who spend much of their working day on Windows PCs, Microsoft Advertising deserves more attention than a simple global market-share comparison might suggest.
Country-by-Country Recommendation
| Market | Bing | Practical Recommendation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 97.14% | 1.89% | Google strongly preferred |
| India | 97.85% | 1.18% | Google strongly preferred |
| UK | 91.56% | 5.87% | Google first, Bing secondary |
| USA | 86.60% | 8.63% | Google first, Bing worth testing |
| Canada | 85.99% | 9.36% | Google first, Bing deserves testing |
| Australia | 88.22% | 8.74% | Google first, Bing secondary |
| Germany | 85.59% | 7.12% | Google first, Bing important for desktop/B2B |
| France | 88.85% | 5.24% | Google first, Bing secondary |
These figures are July 2026 search-engine market-share data from StatCounter, so they should be treated as market-level indicators rather than predictions of advertising performance for an individual business.
Should You Choose Google or Bing Based on Country Alone?
Not necessarily.
Country-level search share tells you where the audience is, but it does not tell you which platform will generate the best customers for your business.
Before moving budget, look at your own campaign data.
A B2B company selling expensive software may find Microsoft more valuable than a local consumer service even if both operate in the same country.
An ecommerce company may find that Google produces much more volume, while Microsoft provides a smaller but profitable additional stream.
A local plumber may find that almost all useful demand comes from Google.
A large international company may benefit from running both platforms and allocating budget according to market-level performance.
The best decision is therefore:
Market share tells you where to test. Conversion data tells you where to invest.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: What Should You Do in 2026?
The biggest change in this comparison is that both platforms are becoming increasingly AI-driven.
Google is pushing Search campaigns towards AI Max, automated matching, creative optimisation and AI-powered advertising experiences.
Microsoft is doing something similar with AI Max for Search, while also building advertising around Bing, Copilot and professional audience data.
So the old question:
“Which platform has better keywords?”
is becoming less useful.
A better question is:
“Which platform gives my business access to the right customers, and which platform can turn that demand into profitable conversions?”
For most businesses, Google remains the stronger starting point because of its scale.
For many established businesses, Microsoft Advertising deserves to be tested rather than ignored.
And for B2B companies, desktop-heavy markets and businesses with larger advertising budgets, Microsoft can be much more interesting than its overall market share initially suggests.
The smartest strategy is not to choose a winner based on reputation.
Start where your customers are, measure the complete customer journey and let your own conversion data decide where the next pound or dollar should go.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for Local Businesses
For most local businesses, Google Ads is usually the stronger first choice.
Why?
Because local customers commonly search for services using location-based and “near me” queries, and Google has a much larger search audience.
Google supports location targeting by country, region, city, postal area where available and radius. It also supports location assets and local advertising formats that can connect advertising with business information such as address, opening hours, reviews and phone details.
Consider a concrete company serving London.
Its potential searches might include:
ready mix concrete London
concrete supplier near me
concrete delivery London
ready mix concrete near Heathrow
concrete pumping London
A well-structured Google Ads campaign can separate these searches according to service and location rather than putting everything into one broad campaign.
What About Bing for Local Businesses?
Microsoft Advertising can still be useful.
Suppose your Google campaign is already profitable and you have identified your best-performing services.
You can test the same high-intent categories on Microsoft Advertising and compare:
- Cost per lead.
- Lead quality.
- Conversion rate.
- Revenue.
- Location performance.
If Bing generates profitable additional leads, there is no reason to ignore the channel simply because its total audience is smaller.
Local Business Verdict
Best starting point: Google Ads
Best expansion channel: Microsoft Advertising
Best overall strategy: Test both when budget and conversion volume allow it.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for Ecommerce
Ecommerce businesses have slightly different requirements.
An online store may need to reach customers across hundreds or thousands of product searches rather than a small set of local service keywords.
Google is usually the stronger primary platform because of its scale and the size of its search audience.
For example, an online retailer selling running shoes may target demand around:
- Running shoes.
- Men’s running shoes.
- Women’s running shoes.
- Trail running shoes.
- Running shoes for beginners.
- Lightweight running shoes.
- Brand and product searches.
Google can therefore provide substantial search demand for products.
But Microsoft Advertising can become valuable when the store has already established profitable campaigns on Google.
If the same product categories convert profitably through Microsoft’s network, the business can gain additional sales without relying entirely on Google.
Ecommerce Verdict
Google Ads: Usually the better primary platform.
Microsoft Advertising: Worth testing for incremental sales and diversification.
The important measurement is not clicks.
It is profit after advertising cost.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for B2B
This is where the comparison becomes more interesting.
Google has enormous B2B search demand.
A B2B company might target searches such as:
CRM software for small business
business accounting software
warehouse management system
commercial energy broker
SEO agency for SaaS companies
Google can be highly effective because users actively searching for these solutions can have strong commercial intent.
Microsoft Advertising, however, has a distinctive advantage through LinkedIn profile targeting. Microsoft says advertisers can target potential customers using LinkedIn profile information such as company, industry and job function.
For example, an enterprise software company could be interested in reaching:
Marketing Directors
Sales Directors
Operations Managers
IT Managers
Business Owners
This does not mean Microsoft Advertising automatically beats Google for B2B.
It means the two platforms can serve different purposes.
B2B Example
Imagine a company selling £20,000 warehouse management software.
On Google, the company might target:
warehouse management software
warehouse inventory system
WMS software
On Microsoft Advertising, it could test search campaigns alongside professional audience targeting based on relevant company, industry or job-function characteristics.
The company could then compare the quality and cost of the resulting opportunities.
B2B Verdict
Google: Strong for active search intent.
Microsoft: Particularly interesting when professional audience targeting matters.
Best approach: Test both rather than assuming one platform is automatically superior.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for International Businesses
For international campaigns, Google is normally the stronger starting point because its search audience is much larger globally.
Google allows advertisers to target countries, regions, cities and other geographic areas, making it possible to structure campaigns around the actual markets a business serves.
For example, an SEO company targeting:
- London.
- Manchester.
- Birmingham.
- Dubai.
- Lahore.
- New York.
should not necessarily put all locations into one campaign.
Different markets can have different:
- Search behaviour.
- Competition.
- CPC.
- Conversion rates.
- Languages.
- Commercial intent.
- Customer values.
International Example
Imagine an ecommerce business based in Pakistan that wants to sell products in the UK.
Instead of running one campaign targeting “UK,” it might eventually separate campaigns by product category and market once enough data exists.
The business could then test Google first because of its larger audience and add Microsoft Advertising where it can generate profitable incremental sales.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for London Businesses
For businesses targeting London, Google will usually be the first platform I would test.
London contains a huge variety of commercial searches, from:
- Chauffeur services.
- Concrete suppliers.
- SEO agencies.
- Solicitors.
- Cleaning companies.
- Restaurants.
- Property services.
- Construction companies.
- Professional services.
Location targeting allows advertisers to focus campaigns on specific areas rather than simply advertising everywhere. Google also recommends reviewing geographic performance and adjusting budgets towards locations that perform better.
For example, a chauffeur company might discover that Heathrow, Central London and Canary Wharf generate more profitable enquiries than other areas.
Instead of treating London as one uniform market, the advertiser can use performance data to make better decisions.
Microsoft Advertising can then be tested as a secondary acquisition channel.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for Pakistan
The same principle applies in Pakistan.
If the target audience primarily uses Google for search, Google Ads should normally receive priority.
A Pakistani digital marketing company targeting:
SEO services Lahore
SEO agency Islamabad
digital marketing agency Karachi
Google Ads agency Pakistan
could start by identifying the highest-value searches and testing them on Google.
Once the campaign has enough conversion data, Microsoft Advertising can be tested if the audience and search volume justify it.
The important point is not to assume that a platform is valuable simply because it is available.
Your customers’ behaviour should decide.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for Small Businesses
Small businesses usually have limited budgets, so spreading money across multiple advertising platforms too early can make optimisation harder.
If you have only £500 per month, for example, dividing that equally between Google and Bing may leave both campaigns with too little data.
A better approach can be:
- Identify your highest-value service.
- Identify the searches with strong commercial intent.
- Choose the platform with the strongest relevant demand.
- Build a focused campaign.
- Track real conversions.
- Improve the campaign.
- Test the second platform once the first campaign has enough useful data.
This gives you a better chance of learning what works before expanding.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads for Large Businesses
Large companies have more reason to use both.
If a company spends tens of thousands of pounds per month on search advertising, relying on one platform can leave additional demand untapped.
A large advertiser can run:
Google Ads
for scale and broad search demand.
Microsoft Advertising
for incremental search volume, additional audience reach and specific professional targeting opportunities.
It can then compare performance by:
- Market.
- Product.
- Device.
- Audience.
- Search term.
- Location.
- Campaign.
- Customer value.
At that scale, even a modestly profitable secondary channel can contribute meaningful revenue.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Audience Differences
The audience difference is one reason you should not simply copy a campaign from one platform and assume the results will be identical.
Google has a much larger overall search audience. Microsoft’s ecosystem also gives advertisers access to audiences across Microsoft properties and specific targeting capabilities.
Microsoft’s audience tools include in-market audiences based on signals such as searches, clicks and page views, alongside LinkedIn profile targeting.
This creates opportunities for businesses that understand their customer profile.
For example, a B2B consultancy may care more about job function and company characteristics than a local consumer service does.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Has Better Targeting?
Both platforms offer substantial targeting capabilities.
Google supports location targeting across countries, regions, cities and radius areas, along with audience and other campaign controls.
Microsoft Advertising also supports location, language and device targeting, while its audience tools provide additional options for advertisers.
The difference is not simply:
Google = good targeting
Bing = bad targeting
It is about which targeting capabilities match your business.
For a local plumber, precise geographic targeting may matter most.
For a B2B software company, professional audience characteristics may matter more.
For an ecommerce business, product demand and customer value may matter most.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Is Better for Mobile?
Google generally has the larger mobile search audience because of its overall search dominance.
If your business receives most enquiries through mobile searches, Google is usually the natural starting point.
But don’t make decisions from assumptions alone.
Look at your own data.
If Microsoft Advertising produces fewer clicks but a surprisingly strong conversion rate on desktop, that can still be commercially valuable.
The platform with fewer users is not automatically the platform with less value for your particular business.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Is Better for Desktop?
Microsoft’s audience can be particularly interesting for businesses whose customers use desktop computers heavily, especially in professional environments.
This is not a reason to assume Bing will outperform Google.
Instead, it is a reason to test the platform when your audience behaviour supports it.
A B2B software provider, financial service or professional consultancy may have a different device and audience profile from a consumer ecommerce store.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Has Less Competition?
Microsoft Advertising can sometimes have lower competition for certain keywords because fewer advertisers compete there.
That can create an opportunity.
But lower competition does not automatically mean lower cost or better ROI.
You still need to examine:
CPC → Clicks → Conversions → Qualified leads → Customers → Revenue
The final number matters more than the first one.
A Simple Example: Why CPC Alone Can Mislead You
Imagine a local roofing company tests both platforms.
| Metric | Google Ads | Microsoft Advertising |
|---|---|---|
| Spend | £1,000 | £600 |
| Clicks | 400 | 350 |
| Average CPC | £2.50 | £1.71 |
| Leads | 40 | 12 |
| Qualified leads | 28 | 7 |
| Customers | 8 | 3 |
| Revenue | £8,000 | £3,000 |
Microsoft generated cheaper traffic.
Google generated more valuable business.
If the company only looked at CPC, it might make the wrong decision.
This is why the cheapest advertising platform is not necessarily the best advertising platform.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Is Better for Lead Generation?
For lead generation, Google is generally the first platform I would test because of its larger search audience and strong demand across commercial queries.
But lead quality matters.
Suppose an SEO agency receives:
100 Google leads
and
30 Microsoft leads
The numbers alone make Google look better.
But if Google produces 10 paying clients and Microsoft produces 7, the difference becomes much smaller.
Now compare customer acquisition cost and customer lifetime value.
That is the real decision.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Which Is Better for Brand Awareness?
Both platforms can contribute to brand visibility, but search advertising is generally strongest when people are already expressing demand.
If your goal is pure awareness, you should not automatically limit your thinking to search ads.
Depending on the business, you may also consider:
- Display advertising.
- Video advertising.
- Social advertising.
- Content marketing.
- SEO.
- Digital PR.
Google and Microsoft both have advertising ecosystems beyond basic search campaigns, so the right choice depends on the audience and campaign objective.
Should You Run Google Ads and Bing Ads Together?
For many established businesses, yes.
Running both does not mean splitting the budget 50/50.
A better strategy is to let performance determine allocation.
For example:
Google: 80%
Microsoft: 20%
might be appropriate for one business.
Another business could eventually find:
Google: 60%
Microsoft: 40%
works better.
There is no universal percentage.
Start with the platform that gives you the strongest opportunity, collect meaningful data and expand when the second channel proves its value.
Can You Import Google Ads Campaigns Into Microsoft Advertising?
Microsoft Advertising provides tools for importing campaigns from Google Ads, which can make testing Microsoft Advertising easier for businesses that already have established Google campaigns.
However, importing a campaign should not mean blindly copying everything and walking away.
Review:
- Keywords.
- Match types.
- Budgets.
- Locations.
- Bids.
- Audiences.
- Ad copy.
- Conversion tracking.
- Landing pages.
- Search terms.
A campaign that performs well on Google may behave differently on Microsoft.
Treat the imported campaign as a starting point, not a finished strategy.
What Should You Track on Both Platforms?
A serious comparison should go beyond impressions and clicks.
Track:
Traffic Metrics
- Impressions.
- Clicks.
- CTR.
- CPC.
Conversion Metrics
- Leads.
- Sales.
- Conversion rate.
- Cost per conversion.
- Qualified leads.
Business Metrics
- Customer acquisition cost.
- Revenue.
- Profit.
- Return on ad spend.
- Customer lifetime value.
Quality Metrics
- Search terms.
- Lead quality.
- Location performance.
- Device performance.
- New vs returning customers.
- Landing page performance.
A platform can look excellent at the traffic level and poor at the business level.
Your reporting should connect advertising activity to actual business outcomes.
Common Mistakes When Comparing Google Ads and Bing Ads
Choosing the Platform Based Only on CPC
Cheap traffic is not the same as profitable traffic.
Splitting a Small Budget Too Early
If your budget is limited, two underfunded campaigns may be harder to optimise than one focused campaign.
Copying Google Campaigns Without Reviewing Them
Different platforms can produce different audiences and performance patterns.
Ignoring Search Terms
A keyword can generate traffic without generating customers.
Review actual searches and remove irrelevant demand.
Measuring Leads Instead of Qualified Leads
A form submission is not necessarily a sales opportunity.
Sending Every Ad to the Homepage
The landing page should match the search intent and offer.
Someone searching for “emergency boiler repair London” should not necessarily land on a generic homepage.
Ignoring Location Performance
A campaign targeting an entire city or country may perform very differently from one location to another.
Google specifically recommends reviewing geographic performance and adjusting campaigns according to results.
Which Is Better for a Local Business?
If you operate a local business and can afford only one platform, start with Google Ads in most cases.
This is particularly true if your customers actively search for your service.
Examples include:
- Plumbers.
- Electricians.
- Dentists.
- Solicitors.
- Cleaning companies.
- Concrete suppliers.
- Chauffeur services.
- Roofers.
- Builders.
- Accountants.
Google’s local advertising options can connect search advertising with business location information, calls, directions and website visits.
Once the campaign produces consistent results, test Microsoft Advertising if there is enough relevant search demand.
Which Is Better for an International Business?
Google Ads is usually the better primary platform for international growth.
Its larger worldwide search audience provides significantly more potential reach.
But international advertisers should avoid treating the world as one market.
Separate markets based on:
- Country.
- Language.
- Product.
- Search behaviour.
- Customer value.
- Competition.
- Conversion performance.
Microsoft Advertising can then become a useful secondary channel in markets where it produces profitable results.
Which Is Better for B2B?
There is no single winner.
Google Ads is excellent when your customers actively search for your solution.
Microsoft Advertising becomes particularly interesting when professional audience targeting can improve your campaign strategy because of its LinkedIn profile targeting capabilities.
For high-value B2B products, test both if the budget allows it.
Which Is Better for Ecommerce?
Google Ads is generally the stronger starting point for ecommerce.
The larger search audience gives retailers more opportunities to capture product demand.
Microsoft Advertising can then be tested to expand profitable product campaigns and diversify acquisition.
The decision should ultimately be based on:
profit per customer, not simply traffic volume.
Which Is Better for a Small Budget?
If your monthly advertising budget is small, start with the platform most likely to contain your customers.
In many cases, that will be Google.
For example, if you have £500 available, it may be more useful to build one tightly focused campaign around your highest-value services than to split £250 between two platforms without enough conversion data.
Once you know what converts, you can test Microsoft Advertising with a controlled budget.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: My Practical Recommendation
If I had to choose one platform for a new business with no historical data, I would generally start with Google Ads because its larger search audience gives me more opportunity to collect data and find profitable demand. Google’s global search share is currently far ahead of Bing’s, which makes that starting point logical for most businesses.
But I would not automatically dismiss Microsoft Advertising.
Once the main campaign is working, I would look for opportunities to expand.
The decision tree would look something like this:
Limited budget + local business → Start with Google Ads.
Large search demand + ecommerce → Start with Google Ads, then test Microsoft.
B2B + professional audience → Test Google and Microsoft, especially where LinkedIn targeting is relevant.
International business → Start with Google, then expand by market and platform based on performance.
Existing profitable Google campaign → Consider Microsoft Advertising as an additional acquisition channel.
Microsoft already produces profitable leads → Increase investment based on return, not market share.
The Best Strategy May Not Be Google Ads vs Bing Ads
This is the part many comparisons miss.
You do not necessarily have to choose one platform and declare the other useless.
Think of them as two potential sources of paid search demand.
Google gives you scale.
Microsoft can give you additional reach, audience opportunities and diversification.
The best platform is ultimately the one that produces the right customers at a sustainable acquisition cost.
For one company, that might be almost entirely Google.
For another, Microsoft could become a surprisingly profitable secondary channel.
The only reliable way to know is to test the platforms against the same business metrics.
Final Verdict: Google Ads or Bing Ads?
For most businesses, Google Ads is the better place to start.
It has dramatically greater global search reach and is usually the strongest choice when your priority is scale, local search demand, ecommerce growth or international search visibility.
Microsoft Advertising is not simply a cheaper version of Google Ads. It is a separate advertising channel with its own audience, competition and targeting opportunities. Its LinkedIn profile targeting can also make it particularly interesting for suitable B2B campaigns.
So my recommendation is:
Start with Google when you need to prioritise one platform.
Test Microsoft when you have enough data and budget to expand.
Keep both when both produce profitable customers.
And most importantly, do not decide based on CPC, clicks or search volume alone.
Decide based on:
Qualified leads + customers + acquisition cost + revenue + profit.
That is the difference between choosing an advertising platform because it looks good in a dashboard and choosing one because it actually grows the business.
FAQs About Google Ads vs Bing Ads
Is Google Ads better than Bing Ads?
For most businesses, Google Ads is the stronger starting point because Google has a much larger search audience. However, Microsoft Advertising can provide valuable additional traffic and may be profitable for specific audiences, keywords and markets.
Is Bing Ads cheaper than Google Ads?
Bing Ads can have lower CPCs for some searches, but this is not guaranteed. More importantly, a cheaper click does not necessarily produce a cheaper customer. Compare cost per qualified lead, customer acquisition cost and revenue.
Which is better for a local business, Google Ads or Bing Ads?
Google Ads is generally the better first choice for local businesses because of its larger search audience and strong local advertising capabilities. Microsoft Advertising can be tested as a secondary channel once the business has enough data.
Which is better for international advertising?
Google Ads is usually the stronger starting point because of its global search reach. International businesses should still evaluate Microsoft Advertising in individual markets rather than assuming one platform will perform identically everywhere.
Which is better for B2B advertising?
Both can work. Google is strong for capturing active search intent, while Microsoft Advertising has a notable advantage through LinkedIn profile targeting based on characteristics such as company, industry and job function.
Which is better for ecommerce?
Google Ads is generally the stronger primary platform because of its larger search audience. Microsoft Advertising can be valuable for expanding reach and diversifying profitable product campaigns.
Can I use Google Ads and Bing Ads together?
Yes. Many businesses can benefit from using Google as the primary platform and Microsoft Advertising as an additional channel. The budget split should depend on conversion and revenue performance rather than an arbitrary percentage.
Should a small business advertise on both platforms?
Not necessarily from day one. If the budget is limited, concentrating on one platform can make it easier to collect enough data to optimise the campaign. Once the campaign becomes stable, test the second platform.
Does Microsoft Advertising have an advantage for B2B?
It can. Microsoft Advertising offers LinkedIn profile targeting using information such as company, industry and job function, which can be useful for suitable B2B campaigns.
How should I compare Google Ads and Bing Ads?
Compare both platforms using the same business metrics: qualified leads, conversion rate, cost per qualified lead, customer acquisition cost, revenue, profit and return on ad spend.
Should I move my Google Ads budget to Bing?
Not simply because Bing has a lower CPC. Move budget only when your data shows that Microsoft Advertising produces better or additional business results for your specific goals.
Is Bing Ads still worth using?
Yes, when it reaches customers who matter to your business and produces profitable results. Its smaller market share does not make it worthless; it simply means the available search audience is much smaller than Google’s.
Our Authors
Written by Atiq Ur Rehman
Atiq Ur Rehman is an SEO content writer with 6+ years of experience creating people-first, search-focused content. He focuses on search intent, topical relevance and turning complex SEO topics into clear, practical content.
Reviewed by Afaq Sadiq Khan
Afaq Sadiq Khan is an SEO expert with 10 years of experience in SEO strategy and organic search. He reviews content from a practical SEO perspective, focusing on search visibility, website performance and sustainable organic growth.