Free ad calculator · cost per mille
CPM calculator
Enter any two numbers — cost, impressions or CPM — and get the third. You also see the formula with your numbers and what common budgets buy at your rate.
Your CPM
$5.00
cost per 1,000 impressions
$500.00 ÷ 100,000 × 1,000 = $5.00
Your rate card
What common budgets buy at a $5.00 CPM.
| Budget | Impressions | Daily, over 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| $100.00 | 20,000 | 667 |
| $500.00 | 100,000 | 3,333 |
| $1,000 | 200,000 | 6,667 |
| $5,000 | 1,000,000 | 33,333 |
| $10,000 | 2,000,000 | 66,667 |
How to use the CPM calculator
- Choose what to calculate — CPM, total cost or impressions.
- Enter the other two numbers. Commas and currency symbols are fine; pick your currency in the top corner.
- Read the answer and the working. The formula line shows exactly how the number was reached, so you can check it against your ad platform.
The CPM formula
CPM = total cost ÷ impressions × 1,000
Rearranged, the same formula answers the other two questions media buyers ask:
- Total cost = CPM × impressions ÷ 1,000 — 250,000 impressions at a $4 CPM cost $1,000.
- Impressions = total cost ÷ CPM × 1,000 — $1,000 at a $4 CPM buys 250,000 impressions.
What CPM tells you — and what it doesn't
CPM measures the price of attention: how much it costs to show an ad 1,000 times. It is the natural metric for awareness campaigns and for comparing the cost of reaching an audience across platforms, placements and seasons.
It says nothing about results. A $2 CPM on a broad audience can produce fewer customers than a $20 CPM on a narrow, high-intent one. That is why marketers read CPM next to CTR, CPC, CPA and ROAS.
What affects your CPM
- Audience. Narrow, high-income or in-demand audiences cost more to reach.
- Platform and format. Video and premium placements usually cost more per thousand than standard display.
- Season. Prices typically climb in the fourth quarter as retailers compete for the holiday season.
- Ad quality. On auction-based platforms, ads people engage with are often shown for less.
The best benchmark for a "good" CPM is your own history: compare a new campaign with your past campaigns on the same platform and audience.
CPM, CPC and CPA compared
| Metric | You pay for | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| CPM | 1,000 impressions | Awareness and reach |
| CPC | A click | Driving traffic |
| CPA | A conversion (sale, sign-up) | Performance and sales |
Want the full background? Read what CPM means and how it is calculated.
More ad calculators
Frequently asked questions
What does CPM stand for?
CPM means cost per mille — "mille" is Latin for thousand. It is the price of 1,000 ad impressions, the standard way display, video and social ads are priced and compared.
How do you calculate CPM?
Divide the total cost by the number of impressions and multiply by 1,000. $500 for 100,000 impressions is $500 ÷ 100,000 × 1,000 = $5 CPM.
How many impressions will my budget buy?
Switch the calculator to Impressions and enter your budget and the CPM you expect. At a $5 CPM, $1,000 buys 200,000 impressions. The rate card under the calculator shows common budgets at once.
Is a lower CPM always better?
No. A cheap CPM often means a broad or low-intent audience. What matters is what the impressions lead to — compare campaigns on cost per acquisition or ROAS as well as CPM.
What is the difference between CPM and eCPM?
CPM is the price an advertiser pays per 1,000 impressions. eCPM (effective CPM) is the same calculation done from the publisher side: revenue earned ÷ impressions × 1,000. It lets publishers compare earnings from ads sold on different models.
What is the difference between CPM and RPM on YouTube?
CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions on your videos. RPM is what you, the creator, earn per 1,000 video views after YouTube takes its share and counting views that showed no ads — so RPM is always lower than CPM.