CPC calculator
Work out cost per click from spend and clicks without mistaking low click costs for profitable customers.
Last updated
Written by Madly editorial
01 / Your inputs
Run the numbers
Example figures are filled in so you can see a result straight away. Replace them with your own. Results update as you type; no data is sent or saved.
Total media spend in the same currency as your revenue.
Choose link-click CPC or all-click CPC; use that same click count and media-spend window throughout.
02 / Calculation
Cost per click
Calculated result
£0.83
Unit: £/click
Formula
CPC (£/click) = ad spend (£) ÷ clicks.
How to read this
Lower CPC alone is not a success measure: compare conversion rate, contribution margin and acquisition cost.
Assumptions
Use the same currency, attribution scope and reporting period for spend and clicks. A click is not necessarily a visit or sale.
How to use this tool
- Take the total amount spent on the ads and the number of clicks they received over the same period.
- Enter both and read the cost for each click.
- Work backwards: divide the CPC by your site conversion rate to see what a purchase is costing you.
- Compare against the maximum you can afford to pay per customer before judging whether the CPC is acceptable.
Worked example
Illustrative example: £180 spent for 300 clicks gives £0.60 per click.
What this measures
Cost per click (CPC) divides ad spend by the clicks attributed to the same campaign window.
Formula and units
CPC (£/click) = ad spend (£) ÷ clicks.
Assumptions and review notes
Use the same currency, attribution scope and reporting period for spend and clicks. A click is not necessarily a visit or sale.
Lower CPC alone is not a success measure: compare conversion rate, contribution margin and acquisition cost.
A good CPC is one that leaves a profit after your conversion rate and margin. A cheap click that never converts is worse than an expensive click from a buyer. Because CPC depends on competition, season, audience size and creative quality, any quoted average comes from a mix of accounts that may look nothing like yours. Use your last few weeks of data as the reference.
- Auction competition rises in busy retail periods.
- Narrow audiences tend to cost more per click.
- Creative relevance affects delivery cost on many platforms.
- Landing page speed changes how many clicks become visits.
- Chasing the lowest CPC without checking conversion rate.
- Comparing CPC across channels with different click definitions.
- Ignoring that CPC and CTR move together: a better ad often lowers CPC.
- Judging CPC from a very small spend, where a few clicks swing the number.
A closer look
Common questions.
- What does CPC mean?
- Cost per click is how much you pay on average for each click on your ad. It is spend divided by clicks.
- What is a good CPC for ecommerce?
- It depends on your margin and conversion rate. A CPC is good when it leaves profit after those two are applied, so there is no single figure we can responsibly give.
- Why did my CPC go up?
- Common causes are higher auction competition, audience fatigue, a narrower audience or a weaker creative. Check frequency and compare against the previous period.
- Is CPC the same as cost per purchase?
- No. CPC is the cost to get a visit. Cost per purchase also depends on how many visits become orders.
- Does lowering CPC raise profit?
- Only if conversion rate holds. A cheaper click from a less interested person can reduce profit.