Know your worth before your next sponsor call
When a sponsor asks "what's your rate?", the worst thing you can do is guess. This calculator gives you data-backed podcast ad rates based on CPM — the industry standard metric for podcast advertising.
CPM (Cost Per Mille) is what an advertiser pays per 1,000 listens. Podcast CPM typically ranges from $18–$50 in the US, with niche audiences in finance, tech, or health commanding even higher rates due to purchase intent and demographic precision.
Slot pricing standards: mid-roll (in-episode, 60 sec) commands 1.5x the base CPM rate because listener attention peaks mid-episode. Pre-roll (opener, 15 sec) is priced at 1.0x. Outro (closing, 30 sec) is at 0.8x due to higher drop-off rates. Selling all three slots per episode maximizes revenue per episode.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try podcast ad marketplaces like Spotify Audience Network, Podscribe, or Advertisecast. For direct deals, reach out to brands whose products align with your audience. Always lead with your listener demographics and engagement data.
Most sponsors prefer per-episode pricing for easier budgeting. Monthly packages (e.g. 4 episodes) can work well for long-term deals and give you predictable income.