CPC calculator
This calculator needs JavaScript. The formula and the worked example on this page show how it works.
Result
Enter a value above 0 in each field.
Formula
CPCCPC (cost per click)The average amount an advertiser pays for each click on an ad. Glossary = ad spend / clicks
How do you calculate cost per click?
Cost per click (CPC) is the total ad spend divided by the number of clicks the ads received. If you buy traffic on a cost per click basis, the ad platform reports it for you. If you buy on an impression basis, you can still work out what each click cost.
To get CPC from a CPMCPM (cost per thousand impressions)The cost of showing an ad 1,000 times. Glossary, divide the CPM by 1,000 times the click-through rate. The click-through rate is clicks divided by impressions. A higher click-through rate spreads the same impression cost over more clicks, so the CPC goes down.
The third mode takes the next step in the funnel. Divide the CPC by the landing page conversion rateConversion rateThe share of leads that turn into the outcome the end client wants, such as a booked appointment, a sold job or a signed case. Glossary (leads divided by clicks) to see what each lead cost you in ad spend.
Example (made-up numbers)
Ad spend of $1,000 and 500 clicks: $1,000 / 500 = $2.00 CPC.
A $10.00 CPM and a 1% click-through rate: $10.00 / (1,000 x 0.01) = $10.00 / 10 = $1.00 CPC.
A $2.00 CPC and a 10% landing page conversion rate: $2.00 / 0.10 = $20.00 cost per lead.
How to use the CPC calculator
- Pick a mode: from spend and clicks, from CPM and click-through rate, or CPC to cost per lead.
- Enter the two values the mode asks for. Enter rates as percentages, so a rate of one in a hundred is 1.
- Read the result as you type. Change one input at a time to see which one moves the result most.
- Use Copy result to paste the figure into a report, or Clear inputs to start again.
Take spend, clicks and impressions from the same report and the same date range. For the cost per lead mode, count leads from your own tracking, not only from the ad platform, so that leads lost between the click and the form are counted correctly.
How to read the result
CPC tells you what a visit to your landing page cost. It does not tell you whether the visit was worth paying for. A cheap click that never converts costs more per lead than an expensive click that does, so read CPC next to the landing page conversion rate.
The cost per lead result from the third mode is your ad spend per lead. It does not include returned leads, rejected leads or tracking costs. If you buy leads rather than traffic and want to factor in returnReturnA buyer's request for credit on a lead that fails agreed standards, such as a disconnected number, a duplicate or a lead outside the filters. Glossary credits, use the lead cost calculator. For the concept behind the number, see cost per lead.
If you are paid per lead or per sale, compare your cost per lead with what each lead earns. The EPC calculator shows earnings per click, which you can set directly against your CPC.
Common CPC mistakes
- Counting link clicks and all clicks together. Some platforms count clicks on the profile, the image or "see more" as clicks. Use the click type that sends people to your landing page.
- Entering the click-through rate as a decimal. The calculator expects a percentage. A rate of one in a hundred is 1, not 0.01.
- Judging a campaign on CPC alone. A lower CPC from a broader audience can bring visitors who do not fill in the form. Check the cost per lead before you scale.
- Mixing date ranges. Spend from one week and clicks from another produce a CPC that never happened.
- Ignoring landing page drop-off. If the page loads slowly or the form breaks, the conversion rate falls and the cost per lead rises, even when the CPC stays the same.
Embed this calculator
You can add this CPC calculator to your own site. Copy the code below and paste it into your page. It loads the calculator in a frame and includes a credit link to this page.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cost per click?
Divide the total ad spend by the number of clicks. If you only know the CPM, divide the CPM by 1,000 times the click-through rate instead.
What is the difference between CPC and CPM?
CPC is the cost of one click. CPM is the cost of 1,000 impressions. The CPM calculator works with impression costs, and this page converts a CPM into a CPC.
How do I turn CPC into cost per lead?
Divide the CPC by your landing page conversion rate, written as a decimal. The calculator does this in the "CPC to cost per lead" mode, where you enter the rate as a percentage.
Is a lower CPC always better?
No. What matters is the cost per lead or per sale. A lower CPC with a lower conversion rate can cost more per lead than a higher CPC with a higher conversion rate.
Related tools
Buying clicks for lead offers?
Send MVA or home improvement traffic to Summit landers. Email us your traffic sources, states and expected volume.
Or write to team@summitleads.ai. We reply by email.
What happens next
- Step 1: You email us.
- Step 2: We reply by email.
- Step 3: Every publisher is reviewed, and return and payment terms are agreed during onboarding, before you go live.
Already generating leads on your own forms? Sell your leads instead.