How to use the Sponsorship Pricing Calculator
- Enter your average views per video over the last month or so, not your best video.
- Choose the deal type: a dedicated video, an integration inside a video, or a short mention, and your niche, which changes what advertisers will pay.
- Read the suggested price range and use it as the starting point for the conversation with the brand.
When to use it
The first sponsorship offer most creators receive is far below what the audience is worth, and the second mistake is quoting a number with no basis. This calculator gives you a defensible range built from views, format and niche, so that when a brand asks "what do you charge", you have an answer and a reason for it.
The rate model, in full
The suggested rate is average views ÷ 1,000 × the niche CPM × the format multiplier. The niche CPMs are the site's own model figures: $10 for gaming, memes and reaction content; $15 for entertainment, vlogs and lifestyle; $20 for beauty, fashion and cooking; $25 for education, DIY and science; $35 for technology, business and marketing; $50 for finance, crypto and real estate. The format multipliers are 1.0 for a 30–60 second integration, 2.5 for a dedicated video and 0.4 for a Short. The range is 75% of that figure at the low end and 140% at the high end. These are not surveyed market rates; they are a consistent starting point, and the creator rate cards show the same model expanded for every channel size and niche.
Worked example
A technology channel averaging 40,000 views per video is offered a mid-roll integration. 40,000 ÷ 1,000 × $35 × 1.0 = $1,400, with a range of $1,050 to $1,960. If the brand wants a dedicated video instead, the multiplier is 2.5 and the figure becomes $3,500 (range $2,625 to $4,900). The same 40,000 views on a gaming channel would suggest $400 for the integration, because the model's CPM for that audience is $10: the audience size is identical, the price is not.
Common mistakes
- Entering the best video's views. Brands look at the median of recent uploads; so should you. The label says the last 10 videos for a reason.
- Quoting subscribers. Subscribers do not watch; views are the only figure in the formula.
- Treating the high figure as the price. The high end is the opening number when the brand approached you; the low end is where to stop negotiating, not where to start.
- Ignoring what the deal includes. Usage rights, exclusivity and a link in the description are each worth extra and are not in the model.
When this calculator is the wrong tool
It prices one video for one channel with one deal type. It knows nothing about your audience's country, purchasing power, or how closely the product matches the content, all of which move real offers. Use it to get a defensible first number, then adjust from the offers you actually receive; once you have three real deals, your own data is a better model than this one. For checking how a thumbnail or title will look before the sponsored video goes live, the YouTube Preview tool.
Good to know
Rates vary widely by country, audience purchasing power and how closely the product matches your content, so treat the result as a range rather than a rule. Ask for usage rights and exclusivity to be priced separately; both are worth money on top of the base fee.