CTV Ad Budget Planner
This planner estimates reach, frequency, and total cost for connected TV campaigns using current CPM benchmarks across streaming environments and audience segments. It is built for media planners and performance marketers moving budget from linear TV or digital video into CTV who need quick-turn cost validation. The tool models multiple CPM scenarios — premium, mid-tier, and programmatic — so you can compare the cost efficiency of different buying approaches.
Inputs
Results
How this is calculated
You input your target audience size, desired frequency, and preferred buying tier, and the planner applies environment-specific CPM ranges to calculate gross impressions, budget required, and effective reach.
Every model runs locally in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical CPM for CTV advertising?
CTV CPMs vary widely depending on the streaming platform, audience targeting depth, ad format, and buying method. Direct deals with premium publishers typically range from $30 to $65 CPM. Programmatic CTV CPMs are generally lower, often $15 to $35, but with less guaranteed placement quality. Highly targeted segments such as in-market automotive buyers can push CPMs above $70.
How is CTV different from OTT advertising?
CTV refers specifically to content viewed on a television set via a connected device such as a smart TV, Roku, or Apple TV. OTT is the broader category that includes streaming on any device, including mobile phones and desktop browsers. From a media planning perspective, CTV is valued more highly because the lean-back viewing environment on a large screen produces stronger ad recall and brand lift than mobile or desktop streaming.
How much budget do I need for a CTV campaign to be effective?
Most media buyers recommend a minimum of $50,000 to $75,000 for a CTV campaign to generate statistically meaningful reach and frequency within a defined audience segment. Below that threshold, frequency tends to be too low or the audience pool too small to measure brand impact reliably. Smaller budgets can work for very narrow geographic or demographic targets.