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CPC Calculator

Cost per click (CPC) shows what you pay for each click in a paid search or social campaign. Calculate CPC from total cost and clicks, or work backwards to find cost or clicks from your budget.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-29

CPC Calculator inputs

Fill in the fields below, then select Calculate. Nothing is submitted automatically.

Total amount spent on the campaign.

Total clicks received.

Total impressions for CTR calculation.

Total conversions for conversion rate.

Changing the currency changes formatting only. It does not convert values between currencies.

Calculations run locally in your browser. Your figures are not sent to a server or stored by us.

Results

Enter your figures above and select Calculate. Results appear here with clear labels — never colour alone.

What is CPC?

Cost per click (CPC) is the amount an advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad. It is the primary pricing model for paid search (Google Ads) and many social media platforms. CPC directly connects ad spend to user action — you only pay when someone engages.

CPC is most meaningful when paired with conversion data. A $2 CPC is cheap if 10% of clicks convert, and expensive if 0.1% do. Always evaluate CPC alongside conversion rate and ROAS.

CPC formula

  • CPC = Total Cost ÷ Clicks
  • Clicks = Budget ÷ CPC
  • Cost = Clicks × CPC
  • CTR = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100
  • Cost per Conversion = Cost ÷ Conversions

Worked example

A campaign spends $500, receives 250 clicks from 10,000 impressions, and generates 25 conversions.

  • CPC = $500 ÷ 250 = $2
  • CTR = 250 ÷ 10,000 × 100 = 2.5%
  • Conversion Rate = 25 ÷ 250 × 100 = 10%
  • Cost per Conversion = $500 ÷ 25 = $20

How to use this calculator

Choose a mode: calculate CPC from cost and clicks, calculate clicks from budget and CPC, or calculate total cost from clicks and CPC. Optionally enter impressions and conversions to see CTR, conversion rate and cost per conversion.

Interpreting the results

A low CPC is not inherently good. What matters is the cost per conversion and the revenue each conversion generates. A $5 CPC that converts at 20% is better than a $0.50 CPC that converts at 0.5%. Use the conversion rate calculator to understand the full picture.

Common mistakes

  • Optimising for CPC alone. Cheap clicks that do not convert waste money.
  • Ignoring quality score. Higher ad quality typically lowers CPC on platforms like Google Ads.
  • Comparing CPC across industries. A $5 CPC in finance may be normal; in retail it may be high.
  • Forgetting CTR. A low CPC with a terrible CTR means few clicks regardless of cost.

Frequently asked questions

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Disclaimer

Results from this calculator are estimates for general information only and are not financial, accounting, tax, investment or legal advice. Verify important figures with a qualified professional. Read our full disclaimer.