Podcast CPM Calculator

Work out the cost per thousand listeners of a podcast placement from spend and downloads.

About Podcast CPM Calculator

Dividing spend by the number of listens gives the unit economics of the channel scaled to a per-thousand basis as the metric is conventionally quoted. The reciprocal — listens delivered per unit of currency — is shown alongside, because that is the figure to maximise when a budget is fixed. Unit cost is the only number that lets you compare channels with wildly different budgets, and it is the input every bid and budget decision ultimately rests on.

Formula

Podcast CPM

Podcast CPM = Podcast placement cost ÷ Downloads or listens × 1,000

Podcast placement cost: Total amount spent in the period
Downloads or listens: Countable outcomes delivered for that spend

Worked example

With the default values below, Podcast CPM Calculator returns Podcast CPM of $25.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Podcast placement costminimum 0: 2,500
Downloads or listensminimum 0: 100,000

Results

Podcast CPM: $25.00
Listens per Unit of Spend: 40.00
Spend per 1,000 listens: $25.00
Listens Needed to Justify Spend at Current Rate: 100,000

Step by step

1Values used
2Podcast CPM
3Podcast CPM= 25.00
4Listens per Unit of Spend= 40.00
5Spend per 1,000 listens= 25.00
6Listens Needed to Justify Spend at Current Rate= 100,000

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Podcast CPM calculated?

Podcast CPM = Podcast placement cost ÷ Downloads or listens × 1,000 Dividing spend by the number of listens gives the unit economics of the channel scaled to a per-thousand basis as the metric is conventionally quoted. The reciprocal — listens delivered per unit of currency — is shown alongside, because that is the figure to maximise when a budget is fixed.

Why does Podcast CPM matter?

Unit cost is the only number that lets you compare channels with wildly different budgets, and it is the input every bid and budget decision ultimately rests on.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 2 inputs: Podcast placement cost, Downloads or listens. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.