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💰 Financial · Rex's Toolbox

Podcast Production Cost Calculator

Cost per episode, per download, and the CPM you need to break even.

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Rex says

Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.

Try a scenario

Click to load — tweak from there.

Inputs

Result

Cost per episode

$553.75

Cost per download

$0.2215

Break-even CPM per slot

$110.75

Ad revenue per episode

$110.00

Profit per episode

-$443.75

Monthly profit

-$1,775

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How to use this

  1. 1Enter editing & mixing per episode ($).
  2. 2Enter your hours per episode.
  3. 3Enter value of your hour ($).
  4. 4Enter hosting & tools per month ($).
  5. 5Enter episodes per month.
  6. 6Enter downloads per episode (30 days).
  7. 7Enter ad slots per episode.
  8. 8Enter sponsor cpm ($).
  9. 9Read your cost per episode on the right — it updates as you type.
  10. 10Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.

About this calculator

Podcasting economics come down to cost per episode against downloads per episode. Once you know your true cost per download, you can tell instantly whether sponsorship at typical CPMs will ever cover it.

FormulaCost per download = episode cost ÷ downloads; break-even CPM = cost ÷ (downloads ÷ 1000).

Worked example

Using the values the calculator loads with:

Inputs

  • Editing & mixing per episode: 180 $
  • Your hours per episode: 6
  • Value of your hour: 60 $
  • Hosting & tools per month: 55 $
  • Episodes per month: 4
  • Downloads per episode (30 days): 2500
  • Ad slots per episode: 2
  • Sponsor CPM: 22 $

Results

  • Cost per episode: $553.75
  • Cost per download: $0.2215
  • Break-even CPM per slot: $110.75
  • Ad revenue per episode: $110.00
  • Profit per episode: -$443.75
  • Monthly profit: -$1,775

What each field means

Inputs

Editing & mixing per episode ($)
The editing & mixing per episode used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 180 $ so you have a working example on load.
Your hours per episode
The your hours per episode used in the calculation. Starts at 6 so you have a working example on load.
Value of your hour ($)
The value of your hour used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 60 $ so you have a working example on load.
Hosting & tools per month ($)
The hosting & tools per month used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 55 $ so you have a working example on load.
Episodes per month
The episodes per month used in the calculation. Starts at 4 so you have a working example on load.
Downloads per episode (30 days)
The downloads per episode (30 days) used in the calculation. Starts at 2500 so you have a working example on load.
Ad slots per episode
The ad slots per episode used in the calculation. Starts at 2 so you have a working example on load.
Sponsor CPM ($)
The sponsor cpm used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 22 $ so you have a working example on load.

Results

Cost per episode
Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
Cost per download
Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
Break-even CPM per slot
Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
Ad revenue per episode
Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
Profit per episode
Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
Monthly profit
Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.

FAQ

What CPM can a small show get?

Programmatic fills land around $8–$18 for a mid-roll. Direct-sold sponsorships on a tight niche audience regularly reach $25–$50 because the advertiser is buying relevance, not reach.

How many downloads before sponsors care?

Networks generally start at 5,000 per episode, but niche direct deals happen far below that. A 900-download show about warehouse automation can outperform a 20,000-download comedy show for the right sponsor.

Accuracy and limitations

  • Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
  • Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
  • This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.

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Cite this calculator

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APA
RevenueLab. (2026). Podcast Production Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/podcast-production-cost
HTML
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/podcast-production-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Podcast Production Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Markdown
Source: [Podcast Production Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/podcast-production-cost) (2026).
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