Elev8 and Allgood pair ads with CRM and admissions work. Circle Social, MGMT Digital and Healthcare Success do not publish PPC prices. RehabAdmit runs Google Ads on a flat retainer and reports cost per VOB and cost per admission.
Disclosure: RehabAdmit publishes this list and is on it. Every fact about another agency comes from that agency's own website, checked October 22, 2026, with a link next to the claim. Policy facts come from Google, LegitScript and the U.S. Code. Where an agency does not publish something, the table says so.
Can a drug rehab run Google Ads?
Yes, with two approvals. Google says it "restricts the promotion of recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services," and approved advertisers can run these ads in six countries: Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States (source). The policy covers lead generators and referral agencies, not only treatment centers.
In the US, you "must be certified by LegitScript's Addiction Treatment Certification program," and "Advertisers must also be certified with Google" (source). Google adds that services which are not eligible for LegitScript certification "are not allowed to advertise for drug and alcohol addiction services on Google."
LegitScript's own price list, checked October 22, 2026 (source):
- Application fee: $1,395 to $1,595 per facility, nonrefundable
- Annual fee: $2,550 to $3,095 per facility, due only once your application is approved
- Expedited review: an extra $2,500 per application, with review started within 2 business days
- Individual practitioners: $535 to apply and $1,070 a year
For one facility at the 1 to 9 facility rate, year one comes to $4,690 ($1,595 + $3,095). Our LegitScript compliance guide walks through the application.
Can a PPC agency be LegitScript certified?
Not as an ad manager. LegitScript's eligibility list covers treatment providers, interventionists, mutual support groups and crisis hotlines (source). It says a "lead generator, call center, or marketer referring patients to other providers in exchange for compensation" does not qualify (source). The certification has to sit with your facility. So ask an agency whether it has helped centers prepare applications, not whether it is "certified." None of the agencies below claims LegitScript certification for itself on the pages we checked.
Are Google Local Services Ads an option for rehabs?
No. Google says Local Services Ads "are available only for certain service categories" (source). We searched its US category list on October 22, 2026: it has no addiction treatment, rehab, substance use or mental health category. It does list some health roles, such as physical therapist and occupational therapist. For a rehab, PPC means Google Search ads under the certification rules above.
What limits shape a rehab PPC account?
Google lists addiction counseling as a sensitive category for personalized ads. Its policy says "You can use predefined Google audiences" but "You can't use advertiser-curated audiences," and users under 18 get no personalized ads at all (source). That rules out your own remarketing and customer lists, such as Customer Match. Ask any agency how it plans around this before you sign.
How did we pick these agencies?
We started from agencies that publish an addiction or rehab PPC service on their own site. We kept the ones whose claims we could read and check on their own pages on October 22, 2026. Then we compared five things:
- Focus: who the agency says it serves
- Platforms: the ad networks it names
- Pricing: published management fees, or "not published"
- Terms: published contract terms, or "not published"
- Proof and safeguards: results it publishes, what it reports on, and how it handles LegitScript and patient data
We left out directories and lead vendors. The list is unranked, and the order is not a score.
How do the top addiction treatment PPC agencies compare?
| Agency | Focus | Platforms named | Published PPC pricing | Contract terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Admits | Addiction treatment | Google; Bing on upper tiers | $970, $2,470 or $3,970/mo by ad spend | Month-to-month |
| Lead to Recovery | Rehab centers | Not named on pricing page | From $1,000/mo | 90-day minimum |
| Webserv | Addiction and mental health only | Google, Bing | Not found on pages checked | Not found on pages checked |
| Behavioral Health Partners | Treatment centers, US and Canada | Google, Microsoft, paid social | Flat scope quoted after audit | 6 or 12 months |
| RehabAdmit | Operators doing $3M to $30M a year | Google, Meta; Microsoft on request | $5K to $25K/mo flat retainer | No minimum term; 90-day guarantee |
| Addiction Marketing Agency | Rehab centers, one per area | Google, social | From $3,000/mo | Month-to-month, 30 days' notice |
| Elev8 | Addiction, mental health, eating disorder centers | Google, Meta, Microsoft | Custom | 90 days, then month-to-month |
| Allgood Marketing | Treatment centers and healthcare | Google, Meta, TikTok | Plans from $4,500/mo | Month-to-month |
| Circle Social | Behavioral health | Google, Microsoft | Not published | Not published |
| MGMT Digital | Behavioral health first, plus other health fields | Google, paid social | Not published | Not published |
| Healthcare Success | Many healthcare fields, including addiction | Paid search | Not published | Not published |
Every competitor cell comes from that agency's own site, linked in the profiles below and in Sources. Pricing cells are management fees. Check each agency's terms for how ad spend is billed.
What does each agency offer for rehab PPC?
Digital Admits
Digital Admits sells rehab PPC in three fixed tiers and says "No spend-based fees" (source). LITE is $970 a month for ad spend up to $10k, on Google only. IGNITE is $2,470 a month for $10k to $30k in spend, on Google and Bing. ELITE is $3,970 a month for $30k+ in spend. Each tier lists how many campaigns, ad groups and landing pages it covers, so you can see the scope before a call.
It works "Month-to-month with no long-term contracts," and offers a lower rate if you pay yearly.
Best for: centers that want to know the PPC fee up front and scale it with spend.
RehabAdmit
Disclosure: this is our agency. We work with treatment centers doing $3M to $30M a year that already have an admissions team.
We run Google Ads and Meta for LegitScript-certified programs, with Microsoft Advertising on request. We report cost per VOB and cost per admission by campaign. We charge a flat retainer of $5K to $25K a month, with ad spend paid at cost and never a fee per admission. There is no minimum term. Our 90-day guarantee says: if you don't see measurable admissions growth in 90 days, we keep working for free until you do. The ad account, tracking numbers and data stay in your name. We do not build remarketing lists for addiction treatment.
Where we do not fit: anyone who wants to pay per admission or buy calls. We are not a lead vendor and we don't sell calls. Pre-launch centers get consulting on setup, LegitScript prep and tracking.
See our rehab PPC management service for how we run accounts.
Best for: established operators who want one flat fee and reporting down to the admission.
Lead to Recovery
Lead to Recovery lists PPC at "Prices Starting at $1,000 /mo." with a 90-day minimum commitment (source). The scope covers account setup, conversion tracking, ad copy, landing page work, bid management and a live dashboard with your own login. You get one dedicated PPC account manager and one 60-minute call a month.
It states an admit potential of "2-5+ admits per month after completion of 90 day foundational work." Treat that as the agency's own projection.
Best for: smaller programs testing paid search with a published starting fee.
Webserv
Webserv says it works "exclusively with addiction treatment and mental health facilities," runs Google and Bing ads, and is trusted by "200+ Treatment centers" (source).
Its 2025 benchmark, published February 2026, pools PPC data across all active Webserv clients: $16.5M in ad spend, 40,652 leads and 994 admits (source). That works out, by its numbers, to $406 per lead, $2,552 per VOB and $16,608 per admit, with only 15.9% of leads completing a VOB. This is the agency's own unaudited data. It covers every stage from lead to admit.
We did not find a PPC management fee on the pages we checked.
Best for: operators who want an agency that reports the full funnel from lead to admit.
Behavioral Health Partners
Behavioral Health Partners runs addiction treatment PPC "across the United States and Canada" on Google Ads, Microsoft Ads and paid social, and says every campaign "reports cost per admission, not clicks" (source). It quotes "flat scopes after the audit, never a percentage of ad spend," and takes "one center per market, per level of care." Its consulting team "prepares LegitScript applications."
The Denver firm also does licensing and accreditation consulting. It offers "6-month and 12-month partnership terms," with pricing quoted on the second call (source).
Best for: startups and growing centers that want certification help and ads from one firm.
Addiction Marketing Agency
Addiction Marketing Agency (AMA) says management "starts at $3,000 a month, month-to-month," with ad spend separate (source). It states "We handle certification. LegitScript is part of the engagement," charges a "Flat fee, never per admission," and takes "one center per market."
It runs paid campaigns "across Google and social," works with 30 days' written notice to stop, and is a CallTrackingMetrics partner (source).
Best for: centers that want a published starting fee, no lock-in and one agency per market.
Elev8
Elev8 serves addiction, mental health and eating disorder centers with "One team running paid media, SEO, call tracking, CRM, and admissions enablement" (source).
Pricing is custom. Its management fees are "separate from your media spend," you control your budget with Google, Meta and Microsoft, and "you always own your ad accounts" (source). It asks for a 90-day initial commitment, then goes month-to-month.
Best for: groups that want paid media, call tracking and CRM run by one team.
Allgood Marketing
Allgood runs paid media on Google, Meta and TikTok and says it works toward cost per admit, not cost per click (source). Plans "start at $4,500/mo, month-to-month." Ad spend is separate, and it suggests at least $2,400 a month in spend on its Growth plan. It says it signs Business Associate Agreements with covered-entity clients.
Best for: centers that want social channels beyond Meta alongside Google.
Circle Social
Circle Social manages Google Ads and Microsoft Ads for behavioral health and says that "Even on a small account, we average 60 optimizations a month" (source). It states "We use a BAA."
It publishes client results on the same page: "We helped AAC see a 20% lift in admissions in their TX, NV, and CA markets within 3 months of campaign launch," and an "82% reduction in cost per admissions" for Foundations. It does not publish pricing or contract terms.
Best for: operators who want named-client admissions results and frequent account changes.
MGMT Digital
MGMT Digital calls itself "a boutique digital marketing agency that specializes in the behavioral healthcare industry," working since 2017 from Los Angeles and Miami (source). Its service list includes PPC and LegitScript. It says it has run paid advertising for Casa Serena, a women's addiction, mental health and eating disorder center, since May 2021.
It does not publish pricing or contract terms.
Best for: programs that want a boutique behavioral health team handling PPC with SEO and web.
Healthcare Success
Healthcare Success is an Irvine, California agency that serves hospitals, telehealth, senior care, pharma and other fields alongside addiction treatment (source). Its addiction PPC page says it will "build your campaign, set your targeted keywords and daily budget as well as build your ads and landing pages." It says it has helped treatment centers "for over 30 years" and is a Certified Google Partner.
It does not publish pricing or contract terms.
Best for: multi-service healthcare groups that want one agency across many lines.
What should you ask a rehab PPC agency before you sign?
- Whose name is on the ad account? Elev8, Behavioral Health Partners and RehabAdmit all say the account stays yours. Get it in writing.
- How is the fee set? Fixed tiers, flat scope or percentage of spend. Behavioral Health Partners and Digital Admits both say they do not tie fees to spend.
- What do they report? Cost per lead is easy to make look good. Ask for cost per VOB and cost per admission by campaign.
- Who else do they run in your market? Behavioral Health Partners and AMA both say they take one center per market.
- How do they handle LegitScript? Ask what they have prepared before. Remember the certification is yours, not theirs.
- How do they get paid if admissions go up? Walk away from any per-admission fee.
Is per-admission PPC pricing legal?
We treat per-admission pricing as patient brokering risk and won't price that way. The federal Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (EKRA) applies to anyone who "solicits or receives any remuneration" in return for referring a patient to a "clinical treatment facility," with fines up to $200,000 and up to 10 years in prison "for each occurrence" (source).
Courts and lawyers read EKRA differently. In U.S. v. Schena, the Ninth Circuit said a percentage-based marketing deal, "without more," is not a per se violation. Our EKRA guide covers the case. Talk to your healthcare lawyer before you sign any pay-per-outcome deal.
Which addiction treatment PPC agency is best for which need?
- Published PPC fee tied to spend: Digital Admits
- A la carte channels at published starting prices: Lead to Recovery (PPC from $1,000/mo)
- Full lead-to-admit funnel data: Webserv
- New center needing LegitScript help: Behavioral Health Partners or Addiction Marketing Agency
- Flat fee with cost per VOB and per admission reporting: RehabAdmit (rehab PPC management)
- Ads plus CRM and call tracking from one team: Elev8
- TikTok alongside Google and Meta: Allgood Marketing
- Named-client admissions results: Circle Social
- Boutique behavioral health shop: MGMT Digital
- Health system with many service lines: Healthcare Success
For a wider look that goes beyond PPC, see our rehab marketing agencies comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is drug rehab PPC?
It is paid search advertising, such as Google Ads, for addiction treatment centers. In the US, Google requires LegitScript Addiction Treatment Certification and Google's own certification before these ads can run (source).
Do rehabs need LegitScript certification to run Google Ads?
Yes, in the US. Google says you "must be certified by LegitScript's Addiction Treatment Certification program" and "must also be certified with Google" (source). LegitScript charges $1,395 to $1,595 per facility to apply and $2,550 to $3,095 per facility a year once approved (source).
Can my PPC agency's LegitScript certification cover my ads?
No. LegitScript certifies treatment providers, interventionists, mutual support groups and crisis hotlines, and says marketers who refer patients for pay do not qualify (source). Your facility needs its own certification.
Can rehabs use Google Local Services Ads?
No. Google offers Local Services Ads only for certain categories, and its US list, checked October 22, 2026, has no addiction treatment, rehab or mental health category (source).
How much do addiction treatment PPC agencies charge?
Published PPC fees on this list range from $970 a month (Digital Admits LITE) to $3,970 (Digital Admits ELITE), with Lead to Recovery from $1,000 and AMA from $3,000. Allgood plans start at $4,500 and RehabAdmit's flat retainer is $5K to $25K a month. These are management fees. Check each agency's terms for how ad spend is billed.
Can I use remarketing for rehab Google Ads?
Not with your own lists. Google lists addiction counseling as a sensitive category and says "You can't use advertiser-curated audiences," though predefined Google audiences are allowed (source).
What is a normal cost per admission from rehab PPC?
It depends on your market. Webserv says your numbers "will vary based on your network status, payer mix, geographic market, level of care, and the strength of your admissions process." Its own 2025 data across its PPC clients shows $406 per lead, $2,552 per VOB and $16,608 per admit (source). Compare agencies on the same funnel stage.
Should I pay a PPC agency per admission?
We don't, and we treat it as patient brokering risk. EKRA bars paying or receiving any remuneration for patient referrals to treatment facilities, with fines up to $200,000 per occurrence (source). Courts differ on percentage deals; see our EKRA guide and ask your lawyer.
Want a second opinion on your rehab PPC account?
Book a free 30-minute growth audit. We will look at your cost per VOB, cost per admission and LegitScript status, and show you where the account leaks.
Book my free growth audit →Sources
Competitor facts come from each agency's own website, checked October 22, 2026. Policy facts come from Google, LegitScript and the U.S. Code, checked the same day. Statements about RehabAdmit come from our own service pages. If anything here is out of date, email hello@rehabadmit.com and we will fix it.
- Google Ads policy, healthcare and medicines (addiction services, US)
- Google Ads policy, addiction services
- Google personalized advertising policy, health
- Google Local Services Ads, US categories
- LegitScript, Addiction Treatment Certification and pricing
- LegitScript, Addiction Treatment Certification FAQ
- 18 U.S.C. § 220 (EKRA)
- Digital Admits, rehab PPC pricing
- Lead to Recovery, pricing
- Webserv, homepage
- Webserv, 2025 State of Rehab Marketing
- Behavioral Health Partners, drug rehab PPC
- Behavioral Health Partners, homepage
- Addiction Marketing Agency, PPC for rehab centers
- Addiction Marketing Agency, homepage
- Elev8, pricing
- Elev8, homepage
- Allgood Marketing, services
- Circle Social, PPC marketing
- MGMT Digital, homepage
- Healthcare Success, addiction treatment PPC
- RehabAdmit, rehab PPC management
- RehabAdmit, LegitScript Compliance Guide 2026
- RehabAdmit, What is EKRA?