What is CPM (cost per mille)?

In short: What advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions, before the platform takes its share.

CPM stands for cost per mille: the price an advertiser pays for 1,000 ad impressions. It is measured from the advertiser's side, before YouTube's share, and only counts views where an ad actually ran.

That is why your CPM is always higher than your RPM. Many views show no ad at all, and YouTube keeps part of what the advertiser paid. For estimating your own income, use RPM. CPM is useful for understanding why some topics and countries pay more than others.

Example

Say a long video gets 10,000 views and ads run 6,000 times on it, at a $10 CPM (hypothetical numbers). Advertisers pay 6,000 ÷ 1,000 × $10 = $60. You keep 55% of net ad revenue, so roughly $33 reaches you. Spread over all 10,000 views, that is an RPM of about $3.30. Same video, two very different numbers: the $10 CPM describes what the advertiser paid, while the $3.30 RPM describes what you earned per 1,000 views.

Tips for creators

• In brand deals, CPM means the price per 1,000 views of your sponsored video. A brand paying $500 for a video that gets 50,000 views is paying a $10 CPM.
• Don't multiply your total views by a CPM to estimate ad income. Many views show no ad, and YouTube keeps part of what advertisers pay. Use RPM for that instead.
• Watch how CPM moves across your own videos and months rather than chasing quoted averages. Topic and audience country change what advertisers are willing to pay.

Common questions

Why is my CPM high but my RPM low?

CPM only counts views where an ad actually ran, and it is measured before YouTube's share. RPM counts every view, including ones with no ad, after YouTube's share. On long videos creators keep 55% of net ad revenue, so a big gap between the two numbers is normal.

What CPM do brands pay for sponsored TikToks and Reels?

Modash, an influencer marketing company, publishes ranges of about $7 to $25 per 1,000 views for TikTok videos and $15 to $45 for Instagram Reels. It says these come from experience and conversations rather than a large study. We found no reliable public range for sponsored YouTube Shorts.

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All 29 glossary terms · Reviewed on 2026-11-05.