Cost Per Click (CPC) Calculator
Work out your average cost per click from ad spend and clicks — and how many clicks a budget will buy.
How it works
CPC = total ad spend ÷ clicks · Clicks from budget = budget ÷ CPC
Cost per click is the price you actually paid for each visitor an ad delivered — total spend divided by clicks. It is the lever between budget and traffic: once you know your CPC you can predict how many clicks any budget will buy, or back out the budget a traffic goal requires. Lowering CPC through better targeting or ad relevance stretches the same spend across more visitors.
Worked example
$500 of spend produced 250 clicks, so CPC is 500 ÷ 250 = $2.00. At that rate a $1,000 budget would buy 1,000 ÷ 2 = 500 clicks.
Frequently asked questions
How is CPC different from CPM?
CPC charges per click, so you pay only when someone acts; CPM charges per thousand impressions, so you pay for views whether or not they click. CPC ties cost to traffic, while CPM ties it to reach.
What is a good cost per click?
It varies enormously by industry and platform — competitive keywords in finance or law can cost many dollars per click, while niche display ads cost cents. Judge CPC against the revenue each click produces, not an absolute figure.
How can I lower my CPC?
Improve ad relevance and quality scores, tighten targeting, add negative keywords, and test creatives. Higher click-through and relevance usually earn a lower price per click on auction-based platforms.
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Educational estimate, not financial or tax advice.