Google Ads Bid Adjustment Calculator

Bid adjustments let you increase or decrease your bids by a percentage for specific segments — devices (mobile, desktop, tablet), locations, time of day, audiences, and demographics. For example, a +30% bid adjustment on mobile means you bid 30% more when the searcher is on a mobile device. A -50% adjustment means you bid half your base bid for that segment.

Bid adjustments range from -100% (completely exclude the segment) to +900% (bid 10x your base bid). They are applied multiplicatively — if you have both a +20% location adjustment and a +30% device adjustment, the combined effect is 1.2 × 1.3 = 1.56, or a 56% increase over your base bid.

The simplest approach is the performance ratio method: divide the segment's conversion rate by the account average conversion rate. If mobile converts at 5.5% and your average is 3.75%, the ratio is 1.47 — suggesting a +47% bid adjustment for mobile. This ensures your bids are proportional to each segment's conversion potential.

For CPA-based calculations, work backward from your target CPA. If your target CPA is $50 and a segment converts at 5.5%, you can afford a CPC of $2.75 for that segment. Compare this to your base CPC to determine the appropriate adjustment percentage.

Device adjustments are the most impactful for most accounts. Mobile and desktop often have dramatically different conversion rates — a 2x difference is common. Increase bids for the better-converting device and decrease for the weaker one. Some B2B advertisers set mobile to -100% because their products require desktop evaluation.

Location adjustments let you bid more in high-value markets. If customers in New York convert at 2x the rate of rural areas, increase NYC bids accordingly. Schedule adjustments concentrate budget during business hours for B2B or evenings for B2C. Audience adjustments increase bids for retargeting lists and in-market segments that convert better.

Review bid adjustment performance monthly. Segment your reports by device, location, time, and audience to verify that your adjustments align with actual performance. Market conditions change — a device adjustment that was optimal six months ago may need recalibration as user behavior evolves.

Graphed helps you visualize performance by segment across all campaigns, making it easy to identify where bid adjustments are needed and how existing adjustments are performing. AI-powered recommendations suggest specific adjustment changes based on your latest performance data.