YouTube ads are popping up everywhere, but have you ever wondered what the average YouTube CPM is?
Well, it’s influenced by niche, country, ad format, viewer device, and even the language you speak on camera. But beneath all that complexity, there are some solid numbers. 📊
This blog figures out exactly that. We spent hours digging through real channel data, creator dashboards, and platform benchmarks to put together a clear picture of how YouTube advertising looked in 2026. 👉 Let’s have a look at it.
In this article, we’ll cover…
- What’s the Difference Between YouTube CPM and RPM?
- YouTube Average CPM in 2026
- YouTube CPM by Country
- YouTube CPM by Topic/Niche
- YouTube CPM by Language
- YouTube CPM by Month
- Top YouTube Channels with RPM & Earnings
- YouTube Ad Stats by Viewer Age
- YouTube Ad Stats by Format
- YouTube Ad Stats by Device
- YouTube Shorts Ads Performance
- YouTube CPC Trends and Growth
YouTube CPM vs RPM: What They Are & What’s The Difference?
CPM stands for Cost Per Mille. Here, mille means 1,000 views. This is the amount advertisers pay YouTube for every 1,000 ad impressions. You can use it to estimate the amount a YouTuber earns.
CPM = (Total Ad Revenue / Ad Impressions) × 1000
But there’s a catch: This isn’t exactly the amount you actually earn as a creator.
💰 RPM, that is, Revenue Per Mille, is what you (the creator) earn for every 1,000 views after YouTube takes its cut. And RPM includes all revenue types (ads, memberships, Super Chats, etc.).
RPM = (Your Total Earnings / Total Views) × 1000
YouTube Average CPM in 2026
YouTube’s average CPM (Cost Per 1,000 views) in 2026 hovers around $3.50, but this number is just a general benchmark. In reality, CPM can vary massively depending on:
- Who’s watching,
- Where they’re watching from,
- What the video is about,
- Ad format,
- And even the language used in the video.
Now, let’s check deep as to how CPM changes by various factors like country, language, month, etc. 🔍
YouTube CPM by Country
🌍 YouTube doesn’t pay the same across the globe. YouTubers in some countries earn way more per 1000 views than others.
It depends on a bunch of factors, like how strong the local ad market is, how many advertisers are bidding for viewers in that country, how long people watch, and what type of content they’re seeing. Check out some area-specific YouTube CPM rates:
- Australia’s CPM ($36.21) beats the USA, making it the highest-paying country.
- When we zoom out and look at the global landscape, North America clearly dominates YouTube monetization. The United States ($32.75) and Canada ($29.15) secure the second and third positions, respectively. Meanwhile, Oceania isn’t far behind. Behind Australia, New Zealand sits comfortably in fourth place with $28.15 CPM. An affluent, English-speaking audience with a higher engagement rate drives this rate.
- Europe’s CPMs range widely. Northern countries like Norway ($20.17), Switzerland ($23.13), and Denmark ($17.49) lead, while Southern nations like Spain ($14.22) and Portugal ($10.32) trail. Surprisingly, some reports state that Norway’s CPM hits $43.15, outpacing even Australia.
- Figures once again prove that a bigger market doesn’t mean higher ad value. Despite India having the world’s largest YouTube audience (491 million users), CPM stays low at just $0.70. Yet, smaller countries in Asia, like Singapore ($17.75) and Hong Kong ($17.23) perform much better.
- YouTube CPM rates are pretty low in the Middle East. Only Israel stands out as an exception with $14.08. No other country crosses the $10 boundary.
- Africa’s CPMs are generally low, with South Africa ($10.00) leading due to its developed ad market. Countries like Nigeria ($2.50) and Kenya ($3.20) lag.
Below is a table showing the top 22 countries with the highest average YouTube CPM rates:
| Countries | YouTube CPM | RPM* |
| Australia | $36.21 | $11.95 |
| United States | $32.75 | $10.81 |
| Canada | $29.15 | $9.62 |
| New Zealand | $28.15 | $9.29 |
| Switzerland | $23.13 | $7.63 |
| United Kingdom | $21.59 | $7.12 |
| Norway | $20.17 | $6.66 |
| Germany | $18.79 | $6.20 |
| Ireland | $18.20 | $6.01 |
| Netherlands | $17.77 | $5.86 |
| Singapore | $17.75 | $5.37 |
| Denmark | $17.49 | $5.29 |
| Hong Kong | $17.23 | $5.21 |
| Austria | $16.86 | $5.10 |
| Belgium | $15.43 | $4.67 |
| Spain | $14.22 | $3.91 |
| Israel | $14.08 | $3.87 |
| Sweden | $13.36 | $3.67 |
| Finland | $11.29 | $3.10 |
| Japan | $10.53 | $2.90 |
| Portugal | $10.32 | $2.84 |
| South Africa | $6.50 | $2.00 |
| Nigeria | $2.89 | $0.92 |
| Algeria | $2.57 | $0.82 |
| Russia | $1.45 | $0.65 |
| Mexico | $1.41 | $0.62 |
| Brazil | $1.14 | $0.58 |
| Colombia | $1.10 | $0.57 |
| Argentina | $1.10 | $0.56 |
| China | $1.00 | $0.55 |
| India | $0.83 | $0.46 |
| Indonesia | $0.74 | $0.41 |
| Bangladesh | $0.70 | $0.33 |
| Philippines | $0.48 | $0.15 |
| Pakistan | $0.36 | $0.20 |
| Egypt | $0.32 | $0.11 |
*RPM is an estimation.
YouTube CPM By Niche
Some creators earn much more simply because of what they talk about. 💬 That’s because advertisers pay a premium for niches tied to valuable purchases or urgent needs.
So, your content topic influences ad competition, CPM, and ultimately your earnings. Check out some niche-based insights:
- Finance, including ‘make money online’ topics, is the highest-paid niche in 2025 with an average CPM of $15-$50. 💸 Affiliate marketing videos average $17 CPM.
- Luxury content that targets high net worth individuals stands at par with the highest CPM of Finance ($15-$50). 👑
- Niches with a larger audience base usually have lower rates. For instance, music niche CPM averages just $1.36. 🎵 Want us to promote your music video? Buy our YouTube Music video promotion package.
- Gaming, despite being super popular, has a lower CPM (around $4- $15) than you might expect.
- Shorts videos (YouTube’s short-form content) have some of the lowest CPMs, often as little as $0.02 per 1,000 views.
- Educational videos have a much higher CPM ($10-$25) as compared to the entertainment niche($2-$8). 📚 So, figures once again prove that the YouTube audience, apart from other social media platforms, prefers serious content.
- In fact, the education sector itself is becoming more competitive. The niche spent a total of $227 billion on digital platforms in 2020. And reached over $400 billion by the end of 2025. 📈
Have a look at some of the highest-paying YouTube niches in 2026:
| Niche | Avg. CPM | Total Revenue | RPM Range |
| Finance | $15-$50 | $12 billion – $20 billion | $4.95 – $16.50 |
| Technology | $5-$30 | $20 billion – $30 billion | $1.51 – $9.08 |
| Health And Fitness | $7-$20 | $1.5 billion – $6 billion | $1.93 – $5.50 |
| Education | $10-$25 | $9 billion – $15 billion | $2.75 – $6.88 |
| Gaming | $4-$15 | $3 billion – $9 billion | $0.88 – $3.30 |
| Beauty and Fashion | $5-$18 | $1.5 billion – $6 billion | $1.38 – $4.95 |
| Travel And Adventure | $6-$20 | $1.5 billion – $4.5 billion | $1.49 – $4.95 |
| DIY | $5-$12 | $4 billion – $4.8 billion | $1.10 – $2.64 |
YouTube CPM By Language
Even the language the creator speaks influences the ad spending. ✨ Have a look at some language-specific facts about YouTube CPM:
- English: English remains the dominant language on YouTube and delivers consistently high CPMs, especially in countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. CPMs typically range around $10.26, and can spike higher depending on niche and targeting. This makes English the most lucrative language overall for creators aiming to earn ad revenue.
- German: German content benefits from access to high-income markets like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. While not as high as English, the average CPM is around $5.53, which is still considered strong due to the relatively premium audience and brand demand in these regions.
- Spanish: Spanish has an enormous global reach, but CPMs are relatively low due to a large portion of the audience coming from Latin American countries with low ad rates. Despite high engagement, the average CPM is closer to $3.00, much lower than earlier assumptions. Only Spanish-speaking audiences in Spain or the U.S. offer higher CPM potential.
- Portuguese: Portuguese content is mostly consumed in Brazil, which has one of the largest YouTube audiences in the world. However, CPMs are modest, around $2.00, due to Brazil’s lower advertising rates. Despite the scale of viewership, creators should not expect high ad payouts unless their audience includes Portugal or premium Lusophone regions.
- Japanese: Japan offers a mature, stable ad market, but YouTube CPMs are lower than commonly expected. The average CPM is about $2.93, supported by consistent engagement and a culture of digital consumption. While reliable, it’s not among the top earners when compared to English or some European languages.
| Language | Estimated CPM | Estimated RPM |
| English | $10.26 | $5.64 |
| Norwegian | $7.03 | $3.87 |
| German | $5.53 | $3.04 |
| Danish | $6.38 | $3.51 |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | $2.85 | $1.57 |
| Dutch | $5.53 | $3.04 |
| Spanish | $3.00 | $1.65 |
| Hebrew | $2.50 | $1.38 |
| Swedish | $5.41 | $2.98 |
| Finnish | $4.10 | $2.26 |
| Japanese | $2.93 | $1.61 |
| Portuguese | $2.00 | $1.10 |
| Arabic | $1.80 | $0.53 |
| Hindi | $0.82 | $0.26 |
YouTube CPM By Month
Even though annual averages matter, monthly CPM rates also vary a lot. Surprisingly, we’ve found out about a 3× difference between low and high months.
Want to know when YouTube advertisers open their wallets wider? 💵 Check it out:
- Dec 2024 averaged $5.70 CPM, with the highest week hitting $6.93 during Cyber Week. It’s a clear sign of holiday-season ad competition.
- Early-year dips (e.g., $1.98 in Jan 2025) and summer slumps ($1.76 in Aug 2024) offer low-cost spotlight opportunities.
- Average CPM in April-May climbed to over $6 ($6.33 in Apr and $6.30 in May 2025), perhaps due to brands using spare Q2 budgets.
- Monday is the priciest day of the week with an average CPM of $3.53. 🗓️
- Post-holiday weeks (late Dec to mid-Jan) can offer lower CPMs. That’s a perfect time for funnel-building ahead of Valentine’s Day. 💲
| Month | Average CPM | Estimated RPM |
| January | $2.99 | $0.90 |
| February | $2.87 | $0.86 |
| March | $4.66 | $1.40 |
| April | $3.87 | $1.16 |
| May | $3.65 | $1.10 |
| June | $3.61 | $1.08 |
| July | $2.19 | $0.66 |
| August | $1.76 | $0.53 |
| September | $2.81 | $0.84 |
| October | $4.70 | $1.41 |
| November | $4.73 | $1.42 |
| December | $5.70 | $1.71 |
Top YouTube Channels with RPM & Revenue
Ever wondered how much top YouTubers actually take home? That’s where you need to know about RPM, the metric that shows how much revenue a YouTuber earns per mille (a thousand views).
Just like CPM, it depends on many factors. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve included real RPM and earnings estimates from top YouTube channels in 2026.
| Channel Name | Niche | Subscriber Base | RPM | Monthly Views | Annual Revenue |
| PewDiePie | Gaming | 111 million | $2 – $4 | 14M | $336K – $672K |
| Mr Beast | Entertainment | 411 million | $3 – $5 | 3.5B | $126M – $210M |
| Graham Stephan | Finance | 4.55 million | $8 – $12 | 14M | $1.34M – $2.02M |
| Andrei Jikh | Finance | 2.39 million | $8 -$12 | 4M | $384K – $576K |
| Khan Academy | Education | 8.12 million | $5 – $8 | 3M | $180K – $288K |
| TED-Ed | Education | 19 million | $5 – $8 | 25M | $1.5M – $2.4M |
| Marques Brownlee | Technology | 17 million | $7 – $11 | 35M | $2.94M – $4.62M |
| Unbox Therapy | Technology | 24.7 million | $6 – $10 | 20M | $1.44M – $2.4M |
| Shelby Church | Lifestyle | 1.6 million | $3 – $5 | 680K | $24.48K – $40.8K |
| Rachel “RCLBeauty101” Levin | Beauty | 14.2 million | $3 – $5 | 614K | $22.1K – $36.84K |
| Wayne Goss | Beauty | 4 million | $3 – $5 | 656K | $23.62K – $39.36K |
| The Food Ranger (Trevor James) | Food | 5.74 million | $3 – $5 | 1M | $36K – $60K |
Disclaimer: Estimates reflect only YouTube ad revenue and exclude sponsorships, merch, or membership.
Want to estimate the revenue of any other creator? 😊 Try our free YouTube Money Calculator. 💸 It’s built to show how much your favorite creator is earning, based on niche, region, and format.
YouTube Ad Stats By Age
You might think YouTube is just another social media hub for Gen Z. But that’s far from the full picture. The truth is that different age groups are worth very different amounts to advertisers.
And they behave differently. Some watch more, some skip less, and some incur higher ad costs. These hidden patterns can be a goldmine for creators and advertisers who know where to look. 💡 Here are some such surprising age-based trends that often get overlooked, but seriously matter:
- The biggest YouTube audience is 25–34 years old. They constitute about 21.5% of all users worldwide.
- 35–44 year olds are the next largest group, with 17.9% of users. 18–24 year olds are close behind at 15.7%. Even seniors (65+) are active (9.5%).
- In the UK, almost half of YouTube users (44%) are aged 25–44.
- The fun fact 🎉 is that even though the platform started out with a younger crowd, older viewers (55 and up) have become one of YouTube’s fastest-growing segments in recent years.
- Watch time among users aged 55+ grew by over 60% year-over-year.
- Male users aged 25–34 alone make up 12% of the global YouTube ad audience, 👨 while females in the same age group are just 9.7%. 👩
| Age | View Rate | Cost Per View (CPV) | Cost Per Mile (CPM)* |
| 18-24 | 31.5% | $0.025 | $0.79 |
| 25-34 | 29.6% | $0.029 | $0.98 |
| 35-44 | 31.4% | $0.028 | $0.89 |
| 45-54 | 32.3% | $0.029 | $0.90 |
| 55-64 | 34.7% | $0.025 | $0.72 |
| 65+ | 31.3% | $0.024 | $0.77 |
| Unknown | 37.4% | $0.020 | $0.53 |
*CPM values are calculated as average. Actual CPV and CPM rates may vary based on multiple factors such as country, audience segment, industry niche, ad format, and so on.
YouTube Ad Stats by Format
YouTube offers a variety of ad formats. Each one works differently, both for viewers and advertisers. Here are some surprising facts about them:
- Advertisers can reach up to 2.49 billion people worldwide through YouTube. That’s almost a third of the planet! 🌍
- Overlay ads (those little banners on desktop videos) were discontinued in April 2023 because most people watch on mobile now, and overlays just don’t work there.
- AI now controls ad targeting and placement, making sure ads appear to the right people at the right time, ⏰ based on interests, device, and even past searches.🔍
- 🏆 Masthead ads (the big banners at the top of YouTube’s homepage) are the most premium YouTube ad format. It can cost over $300,000 per day but reach millions instantly.
- 📈 View rates of 16-20 second video ads increased to 65.3% from 60.54% in 2023.
- View rates of short-form video ads (less than 15 seconds) also increased from 61.98% in 2023 to 64.9%. Similarly, last year, they delivered 5% efficacy when compared to the overall 2023 CPV for Instream Skippable ads.
Below is a table with the average CTR, completion rate, and average cost of each mainstream YouTube ad format:
| Ad Format | Average CTR | Completion Rate | Average Cost (CPM/CPV) |
| Skippable In-Stream | 0.5–0.65% | 30% | $0.02–$0.03 CPV |
| In-Feed Video | Changes per the ad | Click To Watch | $0.10 CPV |
| Shorts Ads | Changes per the ad | Included in the Feed | $0.10–$0.30 CPV |
| Non-Skippable (15s) | Less than 0.3% | 100% | $6–$10 CPM |
| Bumper (6s) | Less than 0.1% | 100% | $10+ CPM |
YouTube Ad Stats by Device
Advertisers are closely watching how viewer behavior shifts across devices. And it’s clear that Connected TVs (CTVs) are now commanding serious attention. As YouTube becomes the #1 streaming platform on TV screens in 2025, more households are watching long-form content in living rooms rather than on the go. This has opened up prime ad real estate for brands looking to reach viewers during longer, more immersive sessions.
Here are some facts based on these changing trends:
- About 80% of YouTube watch time still comes from mobile devices.📱
- YouTube usage on TV screens grew by 63% compared to phones in the last five years. In-stream ads now reach millions watching YouTube like regular TV.
- Connected TV’s cost efficiency improved by 10% from 2023 without a drop in the high engagement rates. Now, CTV is 7% more cost-effective than mobile ads.
- Surprisingly, Connected TV (CTV) now drives 75% of YouTube ad spend in 2025.
- Yet, audience do not pay attention to 55% of TV advertising time due to multitasking (26%), switching channels (15%), and fast-forwarding (14%).
- Paid mobile ads is 84% more likely to receive attention 👀rather than TV advertising.
- Desktops are also becoming a good, cost-effective alternative with a 25.9% YoY CPV decrease and a view rate exceeding 56%.
- Mobile YouTube ads have a 12% higher engagement rate than desktop ads. Plus, 70% of mobile YouTube ads lead to a website visit.
- Mobile ad spend on YouTube grew 18% in 2023. 📈
- Campaigns designed for mobile get 1.4x higher conversions than those made for desktop.
- But 70% of mobile viewers skip ads faster than desktop users.
- Meanwhile, tablets’ 30.7% CPV rise signals a shrinking role in digital ad strategies.
- Paid YouTube mobile advertising is 84% more likely to receive viewers’ attention than TV advertising.🔄
| Device | Ad Retention Rate | View Rate |
| Mobile | 47% | 42% |
| Connected TV (CTV) | 63% | 67% |
| Desktop | 49% | 56% |
| Tablets | 47% | 50% |
YouTube Shorts Ads Stats
YouTube Shorts are emerging as a powerful ad ecosystem with growing appeal and new monetization mechanics. Here’s what’s really happening under the hood:
- The average daily views of Shorts increased from 30 billion in 2021 to 70–90 billion views. That’s more than doubled in just 4 years!
- The audience shift is visible everywhere. The views are now omnichannel, not restricted to mobile phones. Connected TV (CTV) Shorts viewership doubled in the past year.
- 💰 As of now, the average CPM of YouTube Shorts stands at about $4.
- Brands often pay just $0.10–$0.30 per view for Shorts ads. Thus, it’s a top choice for reaching wide audiences without breaking budgets.
- 🎬 Creator payouts currently sit between $0.01 and $0.06 RPM. Even though it’s a small slice of the ad money, it adds up with high volume.
- The value of YT Shorts ads is increasing faster than we think. In 2025, short-form content accounted for a full 22% of YouTube’s ad revenue, up from 15% in 2024.
- 📊 Shorts ad impressions increased by 32% in Q3 2023.
- 62% of brands are putting more ad money into Shorts than TikTok or Reels due to more targeting options and better integration with long-form content.
- 🔥 Shorts have an average engagement rate of 5.91%, which is higher than both TikTok and Instagram Reels. That obviously means more results for Shorts ads.
- Brands using Shorts ads report 50% faster audience growth compared to those not using Shorts.
- 70% of Shorts ads lead directly to website visits, 🌐 and 80% of users recall seeing a Shorts ad in the last week.
- Shorts ads now make up 12% of all YouTube ad spend.
- Reports state that Shorts delivers about 20% higher return on ad spend (ROAS) than regular YouTube ads.
- Shorts ads under 6 seconds are likely to improve engagement by 30%.
| Category | Estimated RPM | Estimated CPM |
| Low Shorts | $0.01 | $0.02 |
| Typical Shorts | $0.05 | $0.09 |
| High Shorts | $0.08 | $0.15 |
YouTube CPC Trends & Growth
CPC (💰 Cost Per Click) is how much an advertiser pays when a viewer actually clicks on their ad. It’s one of the most important metrics for performance-driven campaigns, especially when the goal is to drive sales. Unlike CPM (cost per thousand views), CPC only charges when the viewer takes action. ✅
Now let’s look at how CPC trends played out over 2023 and 2024:
| Quarter | Average Cost Per Click (CPC) |
| Q4 2023 | $0.42 – $1.29 |
| Q1 2024 | $0.41 – $1.11 |
| Q2 2024 | $0.16 – $0.33 |
| Q3 2024 | $0.09 – $0.79 |
| Q4 2024 | $0.53 – $1.37 |
In early 2024 (Q1), CPCs remained steady but began to rise slightly by March as brands 🏷️ ramped up ad efforts after the holiday lull, increasing competition for clicks. However, things shifted in Q2, with CPCs dropping in May as many advertisers adopted AI-powered tools to target audiences better and optimize bids.
They were able to spend less while still attracting quality traffic. At the same time, YouTube Shorts ⏱️ helped reduce costs, with brands leveraging short-form videos to capture attention more efficiently and guide viewers further down the sales funnel. 🛒
Click-through rates (CTR) followed a similar curve: starting at 0.35% in Q1, then climbing steadily to 0.81% by September. 📅 As the year wrapped up, CTR saw another bounce, hitting 0.48% in December, likely due to festive-season ad pushes.🎉
Conclusion
If there’s one thing to take away from all these numbers, it’s this: YouTube earnings are not limited to the number of views you get. Every click, every country, every niche, and even the device your audience uses can change your revenue figures completely.
And if you’re serious about turning your channel into a revenue engine, don’t just guess. Make use of all these figures and adapt your strategy based on what actually pays.
Keep going, you’re doing amazing! 😄👏
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