How do you calculate CPM?

CPM means cost per mille, or cost per thousand impressions. Divide spend by impressions and multiply by 1,000. A spend of 5,000 across 400,000 impressions gives a CPM of 12.50.

What will a number of impressions cost at a given CPM?

Set Solving to Spend, then enter the CPM and impression count. The formula is impressions times CPM divided by 1,000. A CPM of 4 for 50,000 impressions costs 200.00 in the same currency as the rate.

How many impressions does a budget buy?

Set Solving to Impressions, then enter spend and CPM. The formula is spend divided by CPM times 1,000. A budget of 5,000 at a CPM of 12.50 buys 400,000 impressions. Fractional results are displayed as whole impressions, with the unrounded value underneath.

How do I calculate publisher revenue or effective CPM?

Choose Selling to label the money as Revenue. Solve CPM from revenue and ad impressions to calculate effective CPM, or solve Revenue from a known CPM and impression count. Use revenue after any fees you want the calculation to reflect. Page RPM uses page views as its denominator, so it is not interchangeable with an ad-impression CPM.

What is the difference between CPM and CPC or CPA?

CPM is a price per thousand impressions, CPC is a price per click and CPA is a price per action. Comparing these rates also requires the corresponding click or action count. This tool solves the impression arithmetic; it does not convert click, action or view rates.

What counts as an impression here?

Use the impression count from your placement report. Impressions are exposures, not unique people or reach: one person seeing an ad five times can produce five impressions. A delivered-impression report and a viewable-impression report can use different counting rules. The calculator cannot verify the count you enter.

Can I use CPM for podcast, print, TV, email or influencer placements?

Yes, when the placement is priced per thousand counted units. Enter the count defined by its contract or report as Impressions. For a podcast that may be eligible downloads; other media can use different counting rules. The calculator applies the stated rate and count, without measuring audiences or supplying market rates.

What is the CPM formula in Excel or Google Sheets?

If A2 contains total spend or revenue and B2 contains impressions, use =A2/B2*1000 for CPM. If C2 contains CPM, use =B2*C2/1000 for money or =A2/C2*1000 for impressions. The impression count must be positive when calculating CPM, and CPM must be positive when calculating impressions.

Can I use dollars, pounds, euros or rupees?

Yes. Spend or revenue and CPM must use the same currency. This works for campaigns in India, the UK and other countries because the formula is unchanged. It does not convert currencies. Enter decimals with a point, and use commas only for thousands grouping.

Does it work in a phone or desktop browser?

The calculator runs in current browsers on phones and computers, including iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Chromebook. Its core calculation is free and needs no account or installation. Inputs stay in your browser; the boxes and choices are remembered there until you clear browser data.

CPM Calculator

Enter two figures to calculate CPM, spend or impressions. Switch between Buying for advertiser costs and Selling for publisher revenue. The tool shows your numbers in the formula, identifies rounded results and runs in your browser without an account.

CPMReadyEnter any two of spend, impressions and CPM

CPM: -
Spend
Impressions
Solving

Side

Fill in any two boxes and the third is the answer. A k, m or b ending is read, so 400k is 400,000, and the money is in whatever currency you use: the arithmetic is the same in dollars, euros or rupees.

Buying: the CPM is what you pay for a thousand impressions, and the money figure is what left the budget. Impressions are what the ad server counted as delivered, which is not the same as clicks or reach.

Worked examples

Spend 5,000, 400k impressionssolve CPM
CPM 12.50
CPM 12.50, spend 5,000solve impressions
Impressions 400,000
CPM 12.50, 400k impressionssolve spend
Spend 5,000.00

Per thousand, not per impression. The thousand is the whole reason the M is in the name, and it is where the arithmetic usually goes wrong: 5,000 across 400,000 impressions is 0.0125 per impression, which is a CPM of 12.50, not 0.0125 and not 12,500. Going the other way, impressions are the money divided by the CPM and then multiplied by a thousand, so 5,000 at a CPM of 12.50 buys 400,000 of them. Both lines are printed above with your own figures inside them.

What the figures are, and are not. An impression is what the ad server counted as delivered, which is not reach, not clicks and not people. Exact arithmetic: CPM is spend divided by impressions, times one thousand. Enter any two and the third is solved; it computes the stated formula and gives no media-buying advice.

Common questions

How do you calculate CPM?: CPM means cost per mille, or cost per thousand impressions. Divide spend by impressions and multiply by 1,000. A spend of 5,000 across 400,000 impressions gives a CPM of 12.50.
What will a number of impressions cost at a given CPM?: Set Solving to Spend, then enter the CPM and impression count. The formula is impressions times CPM divided by 1,000. A CPM of 4 for 50,000 impressions costs 200.00 in the same currency as the rate.
How many impressions does a budget buy?: Set Solving to Impressions, then enter spend and CPM. The formula is spend divided by CPM times 1,000. A budget of 5,000 at a CPM of 12.50 buys 400,000 impressions. Fractional results are displayed as whole impressions, with the unrounded value underneath.
How do I calculate publisher revenue or effective CPM?: Choose Selling to label the money as Revenue. Solve CPM from revenue and ad impressions to calculate effective CPM, or solve Revenue from a known CPM and impression count. Use revenue after any fees you want the calculation to reflect. Page RPM uses page views as its denominator, so it is not interchangeable with an ad-impression CPM.
What is the difference between CPM and CPC or CPA?: CPM is a price per thousand impressions, CPC is a price per click and CPA is a price per action. Comparing these rates also requires the corresponding click or action count. This tool solves the impression arithmetic; it does not convert click, action or view rates.
What counts as an impression here?: Use the impression count from your placement report. Impressions are exposures, not unique people or reach: one person seeing an ad five times can produce five impressions. A delivered-impression report and a viewable-impression report can use different counting rules. The calculator cannot verify the count you enter.
Can I use CPM for podcast, print, TV, email or influencer placements?: Yes, when the placement is priced per thousand counted units. Enter the count defined by its contract or report as Impressions. For a podcast that may be eligible downloads; other media can use different counting rules. The calculator applies the stated rate and count, without measuring audiences or supplying market rates.
What is the CPM formula in Excel or Google Sheets?: If A2 contains total spend or revenue and B2 contains impressions, use =A2/B2*1000 for CPM. If C2 contains CPM, use =B2*C2/1000 for money or =A2/C2*1000 for impressions. The impression count must be positive when calculating CPM, and CPM must be positive when calculating impressions.
Can I use dollars, pounds, euros or rupees?: Yes. Spend or revenue and CPM must use the same currency. This works for campaigns in India, the UK and other countries because the formula is unchanged. It does not convert currencies. Enter decimals with a point, and use commas only for thousands grouping.
Does it work in a phone or desktop browser?: The calculator runs in current browsers on phones and computers, including iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Chromebook. Its core calculation is free and needs no account or installation. Inputs stay in your browser; the boxes and choices are remembered there until you clear browser data.

Exact arithmetic: CPM is spend divided by impressions, times one thousand. Enter any two and the third is solved; it computes the stated formula and gives no media-buying advice.