CPM Calculator
CPM = cost per 1,000 impressions: the currency of awareness buying. Enter any two of spend / impressions / CPM and this solves the third — then check the 2026 channel table to see whether your rate is a bargain or a mugging.
CPM = spend ÷ impressions × 1,000. $500 for 80,000 impressions = $6.25 CPM — fine for Meta, expensive for TikTok, a steal on LinkedIn.
- $500 / 80K impressions$6.25 CPM
- TikTok typical$3.50–7
- Meta/Facebook typical$8–14
- LinkedIn typical$30–60
Benchmarks: 2025–26 platform planning ranges (see table); actuals swing by audience and season.
2026 CPM benchmarks by channel
| Channel | Typical CPM |
|---|---|
| TikTok | $3.50–7 |
| Snapchat | $3–7 |
| X / Twitter | $4–8 |
| YouTube | $6–12 |
| Meta / Facebook | $8–14 |
| $9–16 | |
| Podcast (host-read) | $18–26 |
| $30–60 |
Planning ranges from 2025–26 platform benchmarks (Digital Applied, Feb 2026; podcast ranges from Libsyn/AdvertiseCast guides). CPMs swing with industry, audience and season — Q4 runs hottest.
Reading the spread: cheap CPMs buy reach, not results — TikTok’s $4 impressions skew young and fleeting; LinkedIn’s $40 impressions carry job titles. Judge channels on cost per outcome (our ROAS calculator), and use CPM to spot when a platform is quietly repricing your audience.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate CPM?
Spend ÷ impressions × 1,000. $500 buying 80,000 impressions is a $6.25 CPM.
What is a good CPM in 2026?
Channel-relative: TikTok/Snapchat run $3–7, Meta $8–14, YouTube $6–12, LinkedIn $30–60, host-read podcasts $18–26. Within a channel, 'good' is beating your own account's trailing average.
CPM vs CPC vs CPA — which should I optimize?
CPM prices attention, CPC prices interest, CPA prices results. Awareness campaigns buy CPM; performance campaigns should ultimately answer to CPA/ROAS regardless of how the platform bills.
Why did my CPM spike in Q4?
Auction pressure — retail ad budgets flood in from October through Black Friday and CPMs commonly jump 30–60%. It's seasonality, not necessarily worsening targeting.
Sources & methodology
Sources: Digital Applied 2026 platform benchmarks · Libsyn/AdvertiseCast podcast rates.
Results update as you type; general estimates, not financial or tax advice.