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RPM

General

Revenue per Mille

The amount a content creator actually earns per 1,000 views, after the platform's revenue share and unmonetised views are accounted for ā€” distinct from CPM, which is what advertisers pay.

Definition

RPM (Revenue per Mille) is the amount a content creator or publisher actually earns per 1,000 views, after the platform's revenue share and any unmonetised views are factored in. It's distinct from CPM, which represents what an advertiser pays per 1,000 ad impressions ā€” RPM is the creator-side equivalent, reflecting actual take-home earnings rather than advertiser spend.

On YouTube specifically, the relationship between the two is shaped by the Partner Program's revenue split: creators keep 55% of ad revenue, with YouTube retaining the remaining 45%. This means RPM is typically lower than the underlying CPM advertisers are paying, since it accounts for that revenue share along with the fact that not every view results in a monetised ad impression.

Formula

Gross Ad Revenue = (Views Ć· 1,000) Ɨ RPM

Or, working from the advertiser side:

RPM ā‰ˆ CPM Ɨ Creator Revenue Share (55% for YouTube's standard Partner Program split)

Worked Example

A video with 100,000 views and an RPM of ā‚¹100 generates:

Gross Ad Revenue = (100,000 Ć· 1,000) Ɨ ā‚¹100 = ā‚¹10,000

If the underlying CPM advertisers paid was closer to ā‚¹180, that maps to an RPM of roughly ā‚¹180 Ɨ 55% ā‰ˆ ā‚¹99 ā€” consistent with the ā‚¹100 RPM figure, after YouTube's revenue share is applied.

Key Things to Know

  • RPM is creator take-home; CPM is advertiser spend: the two terms are often confused but describe different sides of the same ad transaction.
  • Geography and niche drive most of the variation: viewer location and content topic explain most of why RPM differs so widely between channels.
  • Doesn't include non-ad income: sponsorships, memberships, and merchandise sit outside the RPM figure entirely.
  • Check YouTube Studio for your actual RPM: industry estimates are a starting point, but your real RPM is always visible in your own channel's analytics.

Related Calculators

YouTube Earnings Calculator ā†’Estimate your YouTube channel's monthly and annual ad revenue from views and RPM. Accounts for YouTube's 45% revenue share automatically, free and instant.
CPM Calculator ā†’Calculate your Cost Per Mille (CPM) instantly. Enter your total ad spend and impressions to find CPM, or work backwards to plan your campaign budget and reach.
Influencer Rate Calculator ā†’Estimate influencer post pricing based on follower count, engagement rate, and platform. Get a price range for Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms instantly.

Related Terms

CPMCost Per Mille (Cost Per Thousand Impressions)CTRClick-Through Rate

Frequently Asked Questions

CPM (Cost per Mille) is what an advertiser pays per 1,000 ad impressions, while RPM (Revenue per Mille) is what the creator or publisher actually receives per 1,000 views, after the platform's revenue share is deducted. On YouTube, RPM is roughly CPM multiplied by 55%, since creators keep 55% of ad revenue under the Partner Program.
RPM depends heavily on viewer geography (US, UK, Canada, and Australia typically generate higher rates), content niche (finance and technology topics command premium advertiser rates compared to general entertainment), and the proportion of views that are actually monetised. Two channels with identical view counts can have very different RPMs.
No ā€” RPM specifically refers to advertising revenue per 1,000 views. Many creators earn substantial additional income from channel memberships, sponsorships, and merchandise, none of which is reflected in the RPM figure.
If you're a monetised YouTube Partner, your actual RPM is visible directly in YouTube Studio's Analytics under the Revenue tab, calculated from your specific audience and content rather than an industry estimate.
RPM varies enormously by niche and audience location, commonly ranging from under ā‚¹20 to over ā‚¹500 per 1,000 views (or roughly $0.25 to $10+ USD), with finance, business, and technology content typically earning toward the higher end.