CPM Calculator
CPM (Cost Per Mille, or cost per thousand impressions) is the standard pricing model for display advertising and brand awareness campaigns. Enter any two of the three variables — total cost, impressions, or CPM — and this calculator solves for the third.
CPM is calculated as (Total Cost / Impressions) x 1000. It tells you how much you're paying for every 1,000 times your ad is shown, regardless of whether anyone clicks. This is the primary metric for comparing the relative cost of ad inventory across different platforms, placements, and publishers.
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By The Paper Room Editorial Team — Calculators
Frequently asked questions
What does CPM stand for?▼
CPM stands for Cost Per Mille — 'mille' being Latin for thousand. It's the cost an advertiser pays for 1,000 ad impressions. A $5 CPM means you pay $5 for every 1,000 times your ad is displayed.
What's a good CPM?▼
CPMs vary enormously by platform, audience, and ad format. Social media display ads might run $5-15 CPM, premium publisher placements $20-50+, and programmatic display $1-5. Compare CPMs within the same channel and audience segment rather than across different media.
What's the difference between CPM and CPC?▼
CPM charges per 1,000 impressions (views), regardless of clicks. CPC (Cost Per Click) charges only when someone clicks. CPM is better for brand awareness campaigns where visibility matters; CPC is better for performance campaigns where you want measurable actions.