Baidu is a powerful platform for businesses aiming to expand their reach, generate leads, and connect with their target audience in China. Recent updates have made it easier for overseas companies to advertise on Baidu, even without a legal entity in China. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Baidu advertising, including costs, setup, deposit options, budget, and step-by-step instructions to get started.
For a successful Baidu campaign, costs can range from 6,600 RMB to over 100,000 RMB depending on various factors such as industry, competition, and target audience. But how much do you need to spend on Baidu for a successful campaign? Estimating the cost of Baidu advertising can be difficult for non-Chinese speakers, and Baidu is frequently changing its deposit prices. This blog goes through all the fees and costs when setting up a Baidu advertising account.
Baidu Account Set-Up Fees
While creating a Baidu account is technically free, the deposit amount significantly impacts the benefits you receive. There are three main channels for making deposits when setting up a Baidu account: the Baidu Official Site, Oxygen, or the Baidu Hong Kong Office. The best option depends on your company's documentation and budget.
Baidu Official China
Once you qualify to open a Baidu advertising account with Baidu official China office, you must select a deposit amount and sign a contract with Baidu. Unlike Google, Baidu requires advertisers to maintain a balance in their accounts before launching ads.
The deposit table below is for any Chinese companies or overseas companies. We simplify the benefits associated with different deposit amounts, giving you a clear comparison of what each tier offers.
Note:
- Baidu charges a one-time 1,000 RMB service fee and an annual 600 RMB company verification fee, both deducted from your deposit.
- Official Baidu is required to use their designated translation agencies to do the required documentation translation, which usually takes 1,000-2,000 RMB, depending on the document's language.
Baidu Ads Deposit Options (RMB) - Overseas & Chinese Company | Official Baidu
|
Deposit |
Annual Fee |
Company Verify Fee |
Coupon (After opening account) |
Baidu Search Ads Coupon |
Baidu Feed Ads Coupon |
Total Account Balance |
|
6,600 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+1,000 |
+1,300 |
7,900 |
|
10,000 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+1,500 |
+1,300 |
11,800 |
|
15,000 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+1,900 |
+1,300 |
17,200 |
|
20,000 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+2,400 |
+1,300 |
22,700 |
|
30,000 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+3,400 |
+1,300 |
33,700 |
|
40,000 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+4,600 |
+1,300 |
44,900 |
|
50,000 |
-1,000 |
-600 |
+600 |
+6,000 |
+1,300 |
56,300 |
|
Translation Fee (Overseas Company): 1,000 - 2,000 RMB |
||||||
Oxygen - Baidu Agency
If you qualify to open a Baidu advertising account but prefer to avoid the 1,000–2,000 RMB fee for using Baidu’s designated translation agency, you can work with Oxygen, a trusted Baidu agency. Oxygen allows you to use Google Translate for document translation, helping you save on costs.
Note: Oxygen waives the one-time 1,000 RMB account opening service fee, but an annual 600 RMB company verification fee still applies.
Baidu Ads Deposit Options (RMB) - Overseas Company | Oxygen
|
Deposit |
Account Opening Service Fee |
Company Verify Fee |
Baidu Search Ads Coupon |
Baidu Feed Ads Coupon |
Total Account Balance |
|
7,000 |
-1,000 (Waived) |
-600 |
❌ |
❌ |
6,400 |
|
10,000 |
-1,000 (Waived) |
-600 |
❌ |
❌ |
9,400 |
|
15,000 |
-1,000 (Waived) |
-600 |
❌ |
❌ |
14,400 |
|
20,000 |
-1,000 (Waived) |
-600 |
❌ |
❌ |
19,400 |
|
25,000 |
-1,000 (Waived) |
-600 |
❌ |
❌ |
24,400 |
Baidu Hong Kong Office
If you prefer to pay Baidu directly while avoiding translation agency fees, you can opt for the Baidu Hong Kong Office. This option allows you to use Google Translate for document translation, reducing costs. However, unlike Official Baidu and Oxygen, which charge a one-time 1,000 RMB account service fee, Baidu Hong Kong imposes an annual account service fee of 1,500 RMB.
Note: Baidu Hong Kong charges an annual 1,500 RMB service fee and a 600 RMB annual company verification fee (waived for the first year). Both fees are deducted from your deposit.
Baidu Ads Deposit Options (RMB) - Overseas Company | Hong Kong Office
|
Deposit |
Annual Fee |
Company Verify Fee |
Baidu Search Ads Coupon |
Baidu Feed Ads Coupon |
Total Account Balance |
|
7,000 |
-1,500 |
-600 (Waived) |
❌ |
❌ |
5,500 |
|
10,000 |
-1,500 |
-600 (Waived) |
❌ |
❌ |
8,500 |
|
20,000 |
-1,500 |
-600 (Waived) |
❌ |
❌ |
18,500 |
|
30,000 |
-1,500 |
-600 (Waived) |
❌ |
❌ |
28,500 |
Minimum Deposit Package (RMB): Overseas Company (Baidu vs Oxygen vs Hong Kong)
The minimum deposit amount for opening a Baidu Ads account with an International Business Registration is RMB 7,000 with Oxygen or HK Baidu office, or RMB 6,600 with a mainland China Baidu office.
|
|
Oxygen |
Hong Kong Baidu |
Mainland Official Baidu |
| Minimum Deposit | 7,000 | 7,000 |
6,600 |
| Annual Account Fee | 0 | -1,500 |
-1,000 |
| Annual Company Verification Fee | -600 | -600 (waived for the first year) |
-600 |
| Translation Fee | ❌ | ❌ |
-1,000 |
| Coupon (After opening account) | ❌ | ❌ |
+600 |
| Baidu Search Ads Coupon | ❌ | ❌ |
+1,000 |
| Baidu Feed Ads Coupon | ❌ | ❌ |
+1,300 |
| Total Current Assets | 6,400 | 5,500 |
6,900 |
Daily and Monthly Costs of Baidu Ads
When planning your Baidu ad budget, it's essential to factor in the daily ad costs. The minimum required spend for Baidu ads is 50 RMB per day, but just like Google Ads, highly competitive keywords cost more due to market demand. Your total budget will depend on the competitiveness of your industry and target keywords.
Below is an estimated monthly cost breakdown based on average daily spending in niche and high-demand industries.
|
Industry Type |
Daily Budget (RMB) |
Monthly Budget (RMB) |
|
Niche |
300 - 500 |
9,000 - 15,000 |
|
High-Demand |
1,000 - 4,000 |
30,000 - 120,000 |
Daily and Monthly Costs of Baidu Ads
When planning a Baidu advertising campaign, it's important to factor in additional expenses beyond deposits and ad spend. These costs can significantly impact your overall budget and campaign success:
- Website Hosting: Hosting your website locally in China is crucial for faster load times and compliance with local regulations. Many businesses choose Alibaba Cloud, which costs around 3,000 RMB per year. A locally hosted site enhances campaign performance and improves user experience for Chinese audiences.
- Translation Fees: Since all ad content must be in Mandarin, professional translation services may be necessary. Costs typically range from 1,000–2,000 RMB, depending on the content's complexity and volume.
- Agency Handling Fees: Managing a Baidu campaign can be challenging, especially as the platform operates entirely in Chinese. To learn more about this, take a look at our blog regarding finding the right Baidu agency to help with your marketing efforts in China. Many businesses hire specialized agencies to handle account setup, strategy, and optimization. These agencies usually charge 10–20% of the ad budget as a service fee, along with a setup fee. However, most agencies require a minimum monthly ad spend of 100,000 RMB, making this option more suitable for larger companies looking to invest heavily in Baidu advertising.
Baidu Advertising FAQ
1. What industries are restricted from advertising on Baidu?
Baidu restricts certain industries due to Chinese regulations, including gambling, medical products, auctions, pharmaceuticals, and more. If your business falls into one of these categories, you can consult our China marketing expert to explore alternative advertising platforms.
2. Does Baidu offer tools similar to Google Ads for analytics and tracking?
Yes, Baidu provides analytics tools like Baidu Tongji, which functions similarly to Google Analytics. These tools help advertisers track performance metrics, audience engagement, and keyword effectiveness, allowing for better campaign optimization.
3. How does Baidu determine ad placement rankings?
Baidu's ad ranking system is based on a combination of:
- Bid price
- Ad quality score
- User engagement metrics
To secure premium placements, businesses should focus on high-quality, relevant ads with competitive bids.
4. Can I use English content for Baidu ads?
No, all ad content must be in Mandarin to comply with Baidu’s language requirements. To ensure effective and culturally appropriate ads, hiring a localization expert is highly recommended.
5. What is Baidu Jimuyu, and why should I use it?
Due to China’s Great Firewall, overseas websites often experience slow load times in mainland China, which can lead to poor user experience and wasted ad spend. To optimize ad performance and maintain strong conversion rates, businesses have two options:
- Use Baidu’s landing page solution, Jimuyu
- Host your website within China
Benefits of Baidu Jimuyu Landing Pages:
- Lower setup costs
- Simpler functionality
- Easier maintenance
Industries such as healthcare, business services, and logistics often require Baidu landing pages, while other industries may have more flexibility.
6. What are the advantages of using a local hosting solution for Baidu campaigns?
Hosting your website locally in China improves page load times and ensures seamless accessibility within the country’s internet infrastructure. Faster load speeds enhance user experience, reduce bounce rates, and positively impact ad performance.
Conclusion
The cost of Baidu advertising varies greatly depending on your strategy. With a minimum deposit and a focus on niche keywords, you can start with a budget of 6,600 RMB to test the water. However, for a successful campaign, it's essential to consider your industry competitiveness and be prepared to invest more for better results.
Want to learn more about Baidu advertising? We’ve compiled a comprehensive 2025 Baidu Master Guide for you to learn everything you need to know about Baidu advertising.
Need expert guidance for advertising in China? Connect with our Baidu specialists today and unlock your brand’s full potential in the Chinese market!
