Marketing & Ads
CPM Calculator
Calculate CPM (Cost Per Mille) — cost per 1,000 ad impressions.
CPM is the standard pricing model for display, social, and video advertising. Understanding CPM helps you compare media costs across platforms and plan campaign budgets accurately.
CPM
$5.00
- cost Per Impression
- $0.0050
- impressions
- 500,000
- unique Reach Estimate
- ~325,000 (estimated unique reach)
Formula and method
CPM = (Total Cost / Total Impressions) × 1,000
CPM is the universal media buying metric. Unique reach estimate assumes ~65% non-duplicate impressions (frequency of ~1.5 impressions per person on average).
Worked examples
Instagram awareness campaign
- Total Campaign Cost ($):
- 3000
- Total Impressions:
- 300000
CPM: $10.00
LinkedIn B2B targeting
- Total Campaign Cost ($):
- 5000
- Total Impressions:
- 100000
CPM: $50.00
Assumptions and limits
- ~65% unique reach from total impressions
- No frequency capping modeled
This tool provides an educational estimate. Rules, rates and personal circumstances can change the answer. Review the assumptions before relying on a result. Report a correction.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Comparing CPM across platforms without adjusting for audience quality or targeting precision.
- Treating reach and impressions as the same — one person can generate multiple impressions.
- Optimizing for low CPM without checking CTR and conversion rates downstream.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal CPM?
CPMs vary dramatically. LinkedIn: $30-70. Facebook/Instagram: $6-15. Google Display: $2-5. YouTube: $4-10. Premium publishers: $15-50+. Audience quality and targeting precision drive CPM.
Is lower CPM always better?
No. A $2 CPM reaching an unqualified audience is worse than a $25 CPM reaching your exact buyer. Optimize for cost per acquisition (CPA), not CPM in isolation.