Youtube RPM

If you're a content creator on YouTube or just getting started, understanding YouTube RPM is essential. It gives you a clearer picture of how much money you actually earn for every 1,000 views, after YouTube’s cut and including all monetization sources like ads, memberships, Super Chats, and more. In this guide, I’ll break down what YouTube RPM means, how it’s calculated, and what you can do to increase your RPM and maximize your earnings.

What is Youtube RPM?

YouTube RPM stands for Revenue Per Mille, with mille meaning 1,000 views. It’s a metric that tells you how much money you earn per 1,000 total views on your channel, not just monetized views, but every single view, whether or not an ad was shown.

Unlike CPM (Cost Per Mille), which represents what advertisers are willing to pay for 1,000 ad impressions, RPM gives creators a clearer picture of their actual earnings. It's calculated after YouTube takes its 45% revenue share, making it a more accurate reflection of your income as a YouTuber.

How Is Youtube RPM Calculated?

YouTube uses the following formula to calculate RPM:

   RPM = (Total Revenue ÷ Total Views) × 1,000   

Here’s an example:
If you made $100 from 20,000 views, your RPM would be:
($100 ÷ 20,000) × 1,000 = $5.00 RPM

This means you’re earning $5.00 for every 1,000 views, regardless of how many ads were displayed.

Why RPM Matters for Creators

For YouTube creators, RPM is one of the most important metrics to understand and track. While CPM often gets more attention because it reflects what advertisers are paying, RPM is far more relevant when it comes to your actual income. It tells you exactly how much you’re earning for every 1,000 views on your channel, regardless of whether those views resulted in an ad being shown. This makes RPM a powerful tool for evaluating the true profitability of your content.

Unlike CPM, which can be misleading due to fluctuations in ad placements and view monetization rates, RPM provides a complete picture of your revenue performance. It includes not only ad revenue but also other income streams such as YouTube Premium earnings, channel memberships, Super Chats, and more. This makes it easier to assess the financial impact of your overall content strategy. For instance, two videos with similar view counts might have vastly different RPMs if one generates more revenue from Premium viewers or memberships.

Moreover, tracking RPM over time allows creators to identify trends and make data-driven decisions. If your RPM increases after introducing longer videos or adding new monetization features, it’s a clear indicator that your strategy is working. On the other hand, a drop in RPM might signal the need to adjust your content, improve viewer engagement, or explore new income opportunities.

In short, RPM matters because it’s the most accurate reflection of how much you earn on YouTube. It helps you understand the value of each view, maximize your revenue potential, and make smarter choices to grow your channel financially. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced creator, focusing on RPM can lead to more consistent earnings and sustainable growth on the platform.

How to check your Youtube RPM?

If your YouTube channel is monetized, you can easily check your RPM in YouTube Studio to see how much you’re truly earning per 1,000 views across all revenue sources.

1. Log into YouTube Studio
   Go to YouTube Studio and sign in with your creator account.
2. Go to Analytics
   On the left-hand sidebar, click on “Analytics”. This opens your dashboard with performance data for your channel.
3. Navigate to the Revenue Tab
   At the top of the Analytics page, you’ll see several tabs: Overview, Content, Audience, and Revenue. Click on the “Revenue” tab.
4. Find Your RPM
   In the Revenue section, you’ll see a card or box labeled “RPM” alongside “Estimated Revenue,” “CPM,” and “Monetized Playbacks.” Your RPM value will be displayed here.

⚠️ Tip: By default, the data shown covers the last 28 days, but you can change the date range (top-right corner) to see your RPM over the past 7 days, 90 days, or custom periods.

What is the difference between Youtube RPM and CPM?

Many YouTube creators confuse RPM and CPM, but understanding the key differences between these two metrics is essential if you want to accurately measure your earnings and optimize your channel for revenue growth.

Let’s start with CPM, which stands for Cost Per Mille. This metric represents the amount of money advertisers pay YouTube for 1,000 ad impressions. It’s important to note that CPM reflects the advertisers’ side of the equation, not the creators’. For example, if an advertiser agrees to pay $10 CPM, that means they’re paying $10 for every 1,000 times their ad is shown to viewers. However, not all views generate ads, and YouTube takes a 45% cut of that ad revenue before paying creators.

On the other hand, RPM (Revenue Per Mille) shows the creator’s perspective. It tells you how much money you actually earn per 1,000 total views, after YouTube’s cut and across all revenue streams. This includes ad revenue, but also YouTube Premium earnings, channel memberships, Super Chats, and more. Unlike CPM, RPM is calculated based on total views—not just monetized views—so it gives a clearer picture of your real-world earnings.

Another key difference lies in the calculation method. CPM is based only on monetized playbacks (i.e., views where ads are shown), and it’s calculated before YouTube takes its share. RPM is based on all views, whether monetized or not, and it is calculated after YouTube’s revenue share is deducted. This means RPM will always be lower than CPM, but it’s a more realistic and useful metric for creators who want to understand their actual income per view.

Here’s a quick example to clarify:
Let’s say your CPM is $10. Out of that $10, YouTube keeps 45%, and you get 55% — which is $5.50 per 1,000 monetized views. But if only half of your total views are monetized, and your video gets 10,000 views, only 5,000 of them generate ad revenue. This reduces your overall income per view, and this is where RPM steps in to provide a more accurate earning rate per 1,000 views.

In summary, CPM shows how much advertisers pay YouTube per 1,000 ad views, while RPM shows how much money you earn per 1,000 total views on your channel, across all revenue sources. Creators should focus on RPM to get a true measure of their income and to make strategic decisions about content, audience targeting, and monetization.

What affect Youtube RPM?

YouTube RPM isn’t a fixed number, it varies constantly based on several factors related to your content, audience, and overall monetization strategy. Knowing what influences your RPM helps you identify areas to improve and ultimately boost your earnings per 1,000 views.

1. Audience Location

One of the biggest factors that affects RPM is where your viewers are located. Advertisers pay higher rates to target audiences in wealthier countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. These regions typically have higher CPMs and more YouTube Premium users, both of which increase your RPM.

In contrast, audiences in countries with lower purchasing power or less advertising demand (such as parts of Africa, South Asia, or South America) tend to generate lower RPMs. Therefore, if the majority of your views come from high-CPM countries, your RPM will likely be higher.

2. Niche and Content Type

The topic of your videos plays a significant role in RPM. Some niches attract high-paying advertisers, while others do not. For example, content about finance, investing, software tutorials, online business, and digital marketing tends to have higher RPMs because advertisers in these sectors are willing to spend more to reach potential customers.

On the other hand, popular niches like gaming, entertainment, or vlogging often have lower RPMs. These niches may generate more views overall, but the revenue per 1,000 views is generally lower because of lower advertiser competition or less valuable viewer intent.

3. Viewer Engagement and Watch Time

How viewers interact with your content also impacts your RPM. Videos with high engagement rates (likes, comments, shares) and longer watch times are more likely to be promoted by YouTube’s algorithm, bringing in more views—and more monetization opportunities.

Longer videos (especially those over 8 minutes) allow for multiple ad placements (mid-roll ads), which increases the potential revenue per view. Higher watch time can also mean more YouTube Premium earnings, as Premium members tend to engage longer with content.

4. YouTube Premium Viewership

YouTube Premium subscribers watch videos without ads, but creators still earn revenue from these views. The more Premium users that watch your content, the more additional revenue you earn, which increases your RPM.

Even if your video doesn’t show ads to Premium viewers, you still get paid a portion of their subscription fee, based on how much watch time your content receives. In markets with high Premium usage, RPM tends to be higher due to this extra income stream.

5. Time of Year (Seasonality)

RPM fluctuates throughout the year due to changes in advertiser spending. For example:

• Q4 (October to December) is the most lucrative period. Advertisers spend heavily on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday campaigns, leading to higher CPMs and RPMs.

• January often sees a sharp drop in RPM because many companies reduce or reset their ad budgets.

Seasonality affects all creators, but those who understand and prepare for it can maximize revenue during high-RPM months by publishing more content or launching special campaigns.

How to Increase Your YouTube RPM?

1. Create Content in High-RPM Niches

Your niche plays a major role in determining your RPM. Some topics naturally attract higher-paying advertisers who are willing to spend more for viewer attention. For example, channels that focus on finance, investing, entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and tech tutorials tend to enjoy much higher RPMs compared to entertainment or gaming channels.

If your content allows, try to position your videos in a niche with higher advertiser demand. Even within a general niche, you can find subtopics that are more profitable. For instance, a gaming channel could create content about game development or in-game purchases, which may attract more valuable ads.

2. Grow an Audience in High-Value Countries

Geographic location of your viewers significantly impacts your RPM. Countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany have higher CPMs and more YouTube Premium users, resulting in higher RPM for creators.

To attract this audience, ensure your content is in English (if possible), use localized keywords, and create videos that appeal to Western markets. Also, use analytics to track where your views come from and adjust your content strategy to better serve high-RPM regions.

3. Optimize Videos for Longer Watch Time

Longer watch times increase ad revenue potential and Premium earnings. Videos over 8 minutes allow you to insert mid-roll ads, which can double or even triple your ad revenue from a single video.

To boost watch time:

• Start with a strong hook to keep viewers engaged.

• Structure content with teasers and cliffhangers.

• Use visuals and storytelling to maintain interest.

• Analyze Audience Retention in YouTube Analytics to spot drop-off points and improve future videos.

What are the best niches with high Youtube RPM?

Not all YouTube niches are created equal when it comes to earnings. Some topics naturally attract higher-paying advertisers, resulting in higher RPM (Revenue Per Mille) for creators. If you're looking to maximize your revenue per 1,000 views, choosing the right niche can make a massive difference in your YouTube income.

Let’s explore the best niches with high YouTube RPM and why they perform better than others.

1. Finance and Investing

This is widely known as the highest-paying niche on YouTube. Topics like personal finance, investing in stocks or crypto, budgeting, credit cards, and saving money attract banks, financial services, fintech companies, and investment platforms that are willing to pay top dollar to reach potential clients.

• Average RPM: $15 – $30+

2. Digital Marketing and Online Business

Content about SEO, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, eCommerce, freelancing, and passive income often yields high RPM. These videos attract advertisers selling tools, courses, and services to aspiring entrepreneurs.

• Average RPM: $7 – $30

3. Software Reviews and Tech Tutorials

Tutorials and reviews of software, SaaS products, tech gadgets, and apps can generate solid RPMs. This includes how-to guides, app comparisons, and tech hacks.

• Average RPM: $4 – $25

4. Education and Career Development

Channels focused on study tips, language learning, career advice, resume writing, or certification courses attract both educational platforms and recruiters, resulting in a decent RPM.

• Average RPM: $5 – $20

5. Real Estate and Home Improvement

Videos about buying or selling homes, real estate investing, interior design, or DIY home improvement attract high-value advertisers like realtors, banks, and home product brands.

• Average RPM: $17 – $30

6. Health and Fitness

Content about nutrition, fitness routines, mental health, and wellness products can also command a strong RPM. However, it’s important to follow YouTube’s guidelines strictly in this niche.

• Average RPM: $5 – $15

Which Countries Have the Best YouTube RPM?

Your audience’s geographic location has a direct impact on how much you earn on YouTube. Why? Because advertisers pay more in certain countries, where purchasing power is higher and competition among brands is more intense. As a result, creators with viewers in high-value countries enjoy higher CPMs and RPMs, earning significantly more per 1,000 views.

Let’s break down the top countries with the highest RPM on YouTube, and why they consistently outperform others in ad revenue.

1. United States

The USA offers one of the highest RPM rates globally. With a massive advertising market, strong consumer spending, and a large number of YouTube Premium subscribers, creators targeting American viewers can expect premium earnings.

• Estimated RPM: $4 – $8+

2. Canada

Canada closely follows the US, with a strong economy and advertisers willing to invest heavily in digital marketing. Canadian viewers are also more likely to subscribe to YouTube Premium, boosting creator revenue even from ad-free views.

• Estimated RPM: $3.50 – $7

3. United Kingdom

The UK has a highly developed advertising industry and high CPM rates, especially in niches like finance, business, and eCommerce. Creators who capture UK audiences often see stable and consistent RPM throughout the year.

• Estimated RPM: $3 – $6+

4. Australia

Australia’s digital ad market is booming, and advertisers in sectors like tech, education, and travel are highly active. This translates into strong RPM for creators who attract Australian viewers.

• Estimated RPM: $3 – $6

5. Germany

Germany is one of Europe’s largest economies with a high RPM potential, especially for tech and auto-related content. Many German viewers also use YouTube Premium, adding extra revenue streams for creators.

• Estimated RPM: $2.50 – $5

Other High-RPM Countries:

• Switzerland: High consumer spending, smaller audience but strong RPM.

• Norway & Sweden: Wealthy nations with active Premium users.

• New Zealand: Similar to Australia, with consistent ad spend.

• Netherlands: Tech and business ads dominate, driving higher RPM.