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Media Plan Cost Calculator

Work out media plan cost instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Media Plan Cost Calculator

A media plan must buy more impressions than it needs, because part of the audience falls outside the target. Grossing up for wastage before applying the cost per thousand gives the budget actually required.

Formula

Media cost

Gross impressions = reach × frequency / (1 - wastage); cost = impressions/1000 × CPM

Worked example

With the default values below, Media Plan Cost Calculator returns Total Media Cost of $1,680,000.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

People To Reachaccepts 1–1,000,000,000
1,500,000
Target Frequencyaccepts 1–30
4
Cost Per Thousand Impressionsminimum 0
210
Audience Wastageaccepts 0–70 %
25 %

Results

Total Media Cost
$1,680,000.00
Gross Impressions To Buy
8,000,000
Cost Per Person Reached
$1.1200
Spend On Out-Of-Target Audience
$420,000.00

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Media cost
  3. 3Total Media Cost= 1,680,000.00
  4. 4Gross Impressions To Buy= 8,000,000
  5. 5Cost Per Person Reached= 1.1200
  6. 6Spend On Out-Of-Target Audience= 420,000.00

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation or tax into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Figures are estimates based on the inputs given. Marketing performance, platform fees and conversion behaviour vary by audience, channel and season. Use this as a planning guide, not a forecast.
  • This is an estimate for general information and not professional financial, tax or legal advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Figures are estimates based on the inputs given. Marketing performance, platform fees and conversion behaviour vary by audience, channel and season. Use this as a planning guide, not a forecast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is wastage unavoidable?

Because targeting is imperfect. Broad reach media in particular delivers to many people outside the target definition.

Is a low cost per thousand always better?

No. Cheap inventory usually carries higher wastage, so cost per person reached in target is the metric that counts.

Related Calculators

Media Plan Cost Calculator – Calculate Total Media Cost