OTT Advertising CPM Calculator
Calculate the cost per thousand impressions for your OTT and Connected TV campaigns. Enter your streaming ad spend and completed views to determine CPM rates across platforms like Hulu, Roku, Peacock, and Tubi — where premium, non-skippable video commands CPMs of $25–$40.
Campaign Comparison
What Is OTT Advertising CPM?
OTT (Over-The-Top) Advertising CPM is the cost per 1,000 video ad impressions served on streaming platforms and Connected TV (CTV) devices. OTT ads play on services like Hulu, Peacock, Tubi, Pluto TV, and Roku Channel, delivering TV-quality, full-screen, non-skippable video to cord-cutters. Average OTT CPMs range from $25 to $40, making it the premium tier of digital advertising.
OTT CPM matters because streaming is rapidly absorbing linear TV budgets. As audiences shift from cable to streaming, advertisers need to understand the cost structure of reaching those viewers digitally. OTT's non-skippable, full-screen format delivers 95%+ video completion rates — far exceeding pre-roll web video — which justifies the higher CPM compared to other digital channels.
TV and video buyers use OTT CPM to compare streaming costs against traditional linear TV CPMs ($10–$30 for broadcast, $5–$15 for cable). Brand strategists evaluate OTT CPMs when building cross-screen reach plans that combine linear, OTT, and digital video. Media planners use this calculator to forecast campaign costs and negotiate competitive rates with streaming ad sales teams.
OTT Advertising CPM Formula
OTT CPM is calculated by dividing total streaming ad spend by the number of completed video views (impressions), then multiplying by 1,000. Because OTT ads are non-skippable, impressions and completed views are nearly identical, making the CPM calculation straightforward.
OTT CPM = (Streaming Ad Spend ÷ Completed Views) × 1,000 OTT CPM Playground
$500 ÷ 100,000 = 0.005 × 1,000 = $5.00
How to Calculate OTT Advertising CPM – Step by Step
Follow these steps to determine the CPM for your OTT/CTV advertising campaigns and compare costs across streaming platforms.
Compile OTT Ad Spend
Sum all costs for your OTT campaign, including media spend, platform fees, and any data-targeting surcharges. If buying through a DSP, include the DSP's technology fee. If buying direct from a streaming service, use the total invoice amount.
A 30-day Hulu campaign cost $45,000 including media, data targeting, and platform fees.
Record Completed Video Views
Pull the total number of completed video ad views from your campaign report. OTT ads are typically non-skippable 15-second or 30-second spots, so completion rates are 95%+ and impressions closely match completed views.
The campaign delivered 1,350,000 completed views across Hulu's ad-supported tier.
Calculate OTT CPM
Divide total spend by completed views and multiply by 1,000. The result is your effective OTT CPM — the cost for every thousand full, non-skippable video ad completions delivered to streaming viewers.
($45,000 ÷ 1,350,000) × 1,000 = $33.33 CPM.
Benchmark Across Platforms
Compare your OTT CPM against platform-specific benchmarks: Hulu averages $28–$38, Peacock $25–$35, Roku Channel $20–$30, and FAST channels (Tubi, Pluto) $15–$25. Premium content and advanced targeting push CPMs toward the higher end.
Your $33.33 Hulu CPM is mid-range for the platform, suggesting room to negotiate volume discounts for campaigns over $100K.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average CPM for OTT/CTV advertising?
How does OTT CPM compare to linear TV CPM?
Why are OTT ad CPMs so high?
What is the difference between OTT and CTV advertising?
Can I target specific audiences with OTT ads?
What is a FAST channel and how does its CPM compare?
Free Marketing Calculators
Explore our suite of free online calculators for digital marketers. Each tool is designed to help you measure, compare, and optimize your advertising campaigns.