CPM Calculator

Find the cost per thousand impressions of an ad campaign, or solve for the cost or impressions instead. The CPM calculator works for display, social, and video ads.

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Solve for

CPM
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How to use the CPM Calculator

  1. Choose what to Solve for: CPM, cost, or impressions.
  2. Enter the other two values.
  3. Press Calculate. The answer appears with the cost per single impression.

How it works

CPM = cost ÷ impressions × 1,000
cost = CPM × impressions ÷ 1,000
impressions = cost ÷ CPM × 1,000

CPM stands for cost per mille, Latin for thousand.

Examples

  • $500 for 200,000 impressions: $2.50 CPM.
  • At an $8 CPM, 1,000,000 impressions cost $8,000.
  • $1,200 at a $4 CPM buys 300,000 impressions.

CPM versus CPC

With CPM you pay for views, whether or not anyone clicks. With CPC you pay only for clicks. CPM suits awareness campaigns; CPC suits campaigns that need traffic. You can compare them by working out effective CPC: CPM ÷ (CTR × 1,000).

Limitations

  • Assumes all impressions cost the same. Real auctions vary by audience, time, and placement.
  • Viewability is not considered: some served impressions are never seen.

Frequently asked questions

What does CPM mean?

Cost per mille: the price of 1,000 ad impressions.

How do I calculate CPM?

Divide the cost by the number of impressions and multiply by 1,000.

What is a good CPM?

It varies widely by platform and audience, from under $2 for broad display to $20 or more for niche social or video.

Often used together with the CPM Calculator.