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How to use a YouTube CPM calculator
CPM is the price advertisers pay for 1,000 ad impressions. It is not the same as RPM, which is what a creator actually earns per 1,000 total views after YouTube's cut, unfilled ads, skipped ads, and other revenue sources are blended in.
For a clean estimate, start with total monthly views, estimate what percentage are monetized, then multiply those monetized playbacks by CPM. Apply the 55% creator share to translate gross ad spend into creator ad revenue.
- Finance, software, and business channels usually command higher CPMs.
- Entertainment, gaming, and broad viral content usually earns lower CPMs.
- Audience geography can swing CPM more than niche alone.
CPM vs RPM: which number matters more?
CPM is useful for understanding advertiser demand. RPM is better for forecasting creator income because it reflects your real take-home revenue per 1,000 views. If your goal is budgeting content output, use RPM. If your goal is valuing ad inventory, use CPM.
FAQ
What is a good YouTube CPM?
A good YouTube CPM depends on niche and audience. Broad entertainment may see $2–$8 CPM, while finance, B2B, and software can reach $15–$40+ in strong markets.
Do creators receive the full CPM?
No. CPM is gross advertiser spend. YouTube generally pays creators 55% of ad revenue on long-form videos, and actual RPM is lower once unmonetized views are included.
Why is my RPM lower than CPM?
RPM includes all views, not just monetized ad impressions, and reflects YouTube's revenue share, ad fill rate, skipped ads, viewer location, and Premium revenue.