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CPM & Cost Comparison for Two Campaigns

Calculate campaign cost, impressions or cost per thousand and compare two campaigns using their CPM.

  • Formula & worked example
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Calculator inputs

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How to use this calculator

  1. Enter the known values in the units shown. Results update as you type.
  2. Where results are editable, change one to solve backwards. Lock a value to hold it fixed.
  3. Use the worked example to check the method. Reset restores the starting fields.

Use the result with context

Results are estimates for planning and education. Confirm rates, taxes, fees, and legal requirements with the relevant institution or a qualified professional before making a financial decision.

Formula and method

A campaign costing 200 for 50,000 impressions has CPM 4. A second costing 150 for the same impressions has CPM 3.

CPM = cost × 1,000 ÷ impressions; cost = CPM × impressions ÷ 1,000

Worked example

Enter these known values and leave the other values blank.

Campaign 1 cost
200 USD
Campaign 1 impressions
50000
Campaign 2 cost
150 USD
Campaign 2 impressions
50000 impressions
Campaign 1 CPM
4 USD
Campaign 2 CPM
3 USD

Assumptions and limitations

  • Impressions are positive. Cost and CPM are nonnegative; a zero-cost campaign has zero CPM.
  • The comparison uses cost per thousand, not total spending, conversion rate or revenue.
  • Use matching definitions of impressions, including whether they must be viewable. No clicks, conversions or unique audience counts are inferred.

Common questions

Does lower CPM mean a better campaign?

It means lower cost per thousand of the entered impressions. Audience quality, conversions and business results require separate measures.

Can I recover impressions from cost and CPM?

Yes when CPM is positive. Zero cost and zero CPM do not determine an impression count.

References

Bookify permits zero-cost campaigns while retaining positive impression counts.

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