Podcast CPM & Ad Revenue Calculator
Pre + mid + post-roll, blended into realistic monthly revenue. Not a fantasy number — what shows your size actually clear.
$3,264
$816 per episode × 4 episodes
- Host-read vs programmatic CPM blending.
- Genre / niche CPM benchmarks (B2B, finance, true crime, comedy, news).
- Fill-rate modeling (inventory sold vs unsold).
- Reality check: flag when ad load is hurting retention.
This estimate is directional while we calibrate against fresh benchmark data. The full math, range bands, and reality-check verdicts ship next.
Common questions
What CPM should I expect for a podcast?▾
Industry averages (IAB): pre-roll $15–$25 CPM, mid-roll $25–$40 CPM, post-roll $10–$20 CPM. Niche B2B/finance shows can clear $50+ mid-roll.
Host-read vs programmatic — which pays more?▾
Host-read consistently 2–4x programmatic CPM. Programmatic fills inventory faster but at lower rates. Most growing shows hybrid: host-read mid-roll + programmatic pre/post.
How many ad slots can I run per episode?▾
Standard load is 1 pre-roll + 1–2 mid-rolls + 1 post-roll. More than 3 mid-rolls in a 30-min episode tanks listener retention and re-subscribe rate.
Do downloads or listens count for ads?▾
Downloads are the billable unit in podcast advertising (IAB v2 standard). A download = unique IP + 60s+ playback within 24h window.