What it is.
Google holds roughly 90% of global search. Microsoft sits at about 4% globally and 12% on desktop, which is where enterprise buyers work.
The arbitrage is price: Microsoft runs 20% to 40% cheaper on identical B2B SaaS queries in our portfolio. The catch is volume, which is why the guide sets a spend threshold before splitting.
Four rules decide it: Google only under $30K a month, add Microsoft now for desktop-heavy enterprise buyers, treat it as a 15% test for developer-led products, and re-run the audit outside the US and UK.
What you get.
- Platform share, at roughly 90% for Google and 4% globally against 12% on desktop for Microsoft
- The CPC gap, 20% to 40% cheaper on identical B2B SaaS queries
- Four decision rules keyed to spend, audience and geography
- The default split above the threshold, Google 70% to 80% and Microsoft the rest
- What AI Overviews are doing to paid click-through, at roughly 68% on affected queries
- The five steps we run for dual-platform accounts, starting with attribution
Read it at the source.
Read the guide
When does a second platform earn budget?
Is this an upsell?
Is Microsoft Ads worth it for B2B SaaS?
When should you stay on Google only?
How should you split budget between Google and Microsoft?
What are AI Overviews doing to paid search?