RPM vs CPM — what's the difference?
These two acronyms get conflated constantly, including by platforms themselves. The difference is which side of the transaction you're standing on — and the gap between them is exactly YouTube's 45% cut plus your monetized-view ratio.
RPM (Revenue Per Mille)
What you, the creator, actually earn per 1,000 video views.
When to use: Forecasting your own income, comparing your channel month over month, or benchmarking against other creators.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
What advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions, before YouTube takes its cut.
When to use: Sizing the advertiser-side market, comparing seasonal demand, or pricing your own sponsorships against ad rates.
Bottom line
RPM is roughly 35–55% of CPM in the long-form pool. The gap is YouTube's 45% revenue share plus the share of your views that are not monetized (Shorts, demonetized topics, kid content, ad-blockers).
Frequently asked
If I see CPM in YouTube Studio, is that what I earn?
No. Studio shows both 'CPM' (advertiser-side) and 'Playback-based CPM' / 'RPM' (your-side). Only RPM matches your bank account.
Why do brands quote CPM instead of RPM?
Because they don't care what platforms keep. From their seat, CPM is the only number that's apples-to-apples across YouTube, Meta, TikTok, and podcasts.