CPM calculator
Calculate CPM, total ad cost, or impressions from any two values. Free cost-per-thousand-impressions calculator for media planning.
Enter your numbers
Live results
CPM (cost per 1,000)
$12.50
Cost per impression
$0.01
Impressions per $100
8,000
What this calculator does
The CPM Calculator solves the media-planning triangle: cost, impressions, and CPM. Enter your budget and expected CPM to see how many impressions a plan buys, or enter spend and impressions from a live campaign to compute the effective CPM you actually paid. Agencies use it when comparing awareness plans across Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn and programmatic - where quoted CPMs range from a few dollars to over fifty - and when sanity-checking whether a platform delivered impressions at the promised rate. Because clients rarely think in impressions, the tool also expresses reach cost in plain terms: what a thousand views of the ad actually costs at each price point.
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter total spend (or planned budget) and impressions delivered or expected.
- 2
Review the effective CPM and cost breakdown.
- 3
Compare CPMs across channels to negotiate or reallocate awareness budget.
Why this matters for agencies
CPM is the pricing unit of awareness media. Comparing effective CPM across platforms and periods exposes overpriced inventory and quantifies the reach a budget realistically buys before a campaign is committed.
Frequently asked questions
What is CPM in advertising?
CPM (cost per mille) is the cost of one thousand ad impressions. It is the standard pricing unit for awareness and reach campaigns.
What is a good CPM?
Typical ranges in 2026: Meta $8-$15, TikTok $5-$12, LinkedIn $25-$60, programmatic display $2-$8. A "good" CPM depends on audience precision - niche B2B audiences justify far higher CPMs than broad consumer reach.
How do I calculate CPM?
CPM = (total spend / impressions) x 1000. Spending $5,000 for 400,000 impressions is a $12.50 CPM.
CPM vs CPC - which should I optimize for?
Optimize CPM for awareness goals where reach matters, and CPC or CPA when the goal is action. Many agencies monitor CPM even on conversion campaigns as an early signal of rising auction competition.
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