How to calculate CPM (the formula)
CPM = (cost ÷ impressions) × 1,000. For $500.00 spent on 100,000 impressions:
- Cost per impression: $500.00 ÷ 100,000 = 0.0050
- CPM: 0.0050 × 1,000 = $5.00
Solve for spend or impressions instead
- CPM + impressions → cost: cost = (CPM ÷ 1,000) × impressions. $8.00 CPM for 125,000 impressions → $1,000.00.
- Cost + CPM → impressions: impressions = (cost ÷ CPM) × 1,000. $1,000.00 at $8.00 CPM → 125,000 impressions.
CPM vs. CPC, CPA and RPM
CPM prices impressions (exposure), not results. CPC (cost per click) and CPA (cost per acquisition) price actions instead -- see the CPC calculator and ROAS calculator for those. For YouTube and other creator platforms, don't confuse advertiser-side CPM with a creator's RPM (revenue per mille): RPM reflects the platform's revenue share and often excludes non-monetized views, so it's typically reported well below CPM for the same inventory -- this tool calculates CPM, not creator payouts.
| Impressions | Ad spend |
|---|---|
| 1,000 | $5.00 |
| 5,000 | $25.00 |
| 10,000 | $50.00 |
| 25,000 | $125.00 |
| 50,000 | $250.00 |
| 100,000 | $500.00 |
| 250,000 | $1,250.00 |
| 500,000 | $2,500.00 |
| 1,000,000 | $5,000.00 |
Table computed at a $5.00 CPM. Enter your own CPM above to recalculate it.
More marketing calculators
- CPC calculator: cost per click and cost per acquisition from spend and clicks.
- CTR calculator: click-through rate from impressions and clicks.
- ROAS calculator: return on ad spend and break-even ROAS.
- UTM builder: tag your campaign links so this traffic shows up correctly in analytics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CPM formula?
CPM = (cost ÷ impressions) × 1,000 -- "cost per mille," or cost per 1,000 impressions. For $500.00 spent on 100,000 impressions: ($500.00 ÷ 100,000) × 1,000 = $5.00 CPM.
How do I calculate CPM?
Divide your total ad spend by the number of impressions it bought, then multiply by 1,000. $500.00 ÷ 100,000 impressions × 1,000 = $5.00 CPM. Use the "Spend + impressions" mode above for your own numbers.
How do I calculate impressions from CPM and budget?
Impressions = (budget ÷ CPM) × 1,000. A $1,000.00 budget at an $8.00 CPM buys ($1,000.00 ÷ $8.00) × 1,000 = 125,000 impressions. Use the "Spend + CPM" mode above to plan a budget this way.
How do I calculate cost from CPM and impressions?
Cost = (CPM ÷ 1,000) × impressions. At an $8.00 CPM for 125,000 impressions: ($8.00 ÷ 1,000) × 125,000 = $1,000.00. Use the "CPM + impressions" mode above to quote a campaign this way.
What does CPM stand for?
"Cost per mille" -- mille is Latin for thousand, so CPM means cost per 1,000 ad impressions. It's the standard way display, video and social ad inventory is priced and compared, regardless of how many impressions a campaign actually buys.
What is a good CPM?
It varies enormously by platform, ad format, audience and season: social feed ads often run low single digits to around $15-20, video and connected-TV inventory often runs $15-40+, and highly targeted B2B or finance audiences can run well over $50. Compare your CPM to your own account's history and your specific platform/format/audience, not to a single universal benchmark.
Is CPM the same as CPC or CPA?
No. CPM is cost per 1,000 impressions (how much you pay for exposure, regardless of clicks). CPC is cost per click (only counts clicks); CPA is cost per acquisition/conversion. A campaign can have a low CPM but a poor CPC or CPA if the ad doesn't get clicked or convert -- see the CPC calculator and CTR calculator to check those separately.
What's the difference between CPM and RPM for YouTube or creator revenue?
CPM (what advertisers pay per 1,000 impressions) and RPM (revenue per mille) are not the same number for a creator. RPM is calculated from the creator's actual earnings per 1,000 views across a video -- after the platform's revenue share and often after excluding non-monetized or non-ad views -- so it's normally reported well below the advertiser-side CPM for the same inventory. This calculator solves advertiser-side CPM; it isn't a creator-payout estimator.
Does CPM include agency fees or platform markup?
Only if you include them in the "ad spend" figure you enter. Some platforms and agencies quote a "net" CPM (media cost only) versus a "gross" CPM (including fees/markup) -- use whichever total cost matches what you actually enter as spend, and be consistent when comparing CPMs across vendors.
Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
Your entries are saved only in your own browser so they are there next time. Nothing is sent to our servers.