Podcast sponsorship calculator
Podcast advertisers pay per 1,000 downloads, and the price changes with where in the episode their ad plays. Enter downloads per episode, episodes per month, the CPM for each ad slot, the share of slots you actually sell and any agency commission, and the calculator estimates sponsor income per episode and per month. Further down, a table shows what the show would earn with a bigger audience.
One ad in each slot
The gross price of a single ad in one episode, before commission. Mid-rolls normally earn the most per slot.
Sponsor income at higher download levels
Bigger and smaller audiences, with your rates, ad slots and sell-through unchanged. Sponsor money rises in direct proportion to downloads.
| Downloads per episode | Per episode | Per month | Per year |
|---|
How sponsor income is calculated
Every ad slot is priced by CPM, the rate per 1,000 downloads. The calculator prices a whole episode, removes the slots you will not sell and any commission, and scales the result to a month.
Price one slot
Downloads divided by 1,000, multiplied by the CPM for that slot.
slot price = downloads ÷ 1,000 × CPM
Price an episode
All pre-rolls, mid-rolls and post-rolls added up.
full episode = Σ slot price × ads in that slot
Allow for empty slots
Very few shows sell every slot.
sold = full episode × sell-through
Remove commission
The share a network or agency keeps.
per episode = sold × (1 − commission)
Turn it into a month
Episodes per month multiplied by income per episode.
monthly = per episode × episodes
Podcast sponsorship FAQ
How much do sponsors pay podcasts?
Most podcast ads are sold on CPM, a price per 1,000 downloads. Host-read spots commonly go for about $15 to $30 CPM for a 30-second pre-roll and $20 to $40 for a 60-second mid-roll, with post-rolls cheaper. Niche business, finance and tech shows can charge more because their listeners are hard for brands to reach.
Which downloads do sponsors count?
Usually the downloads in an episode's first 30 days, because that is when most people listen and when sponsors can measure results. Use your host's 30-day figure per episode rather than lifetime downloads.
How many downloads before sponsors are interested?
Some networks and marketplaces look for a few thousand downloads an episode, but small shows with a tight audience can sign direct deals much sooner. A show with 1,000 downloads from small business owners can matter more to the right brand than 10,000 general listeners.
Why do mid-rolls cost the most?
People still listening halfway through are engaged and less likely to skip, and a host-read ad there feels like part of the episode. Pre-rolls reach the most listeners, and post-rolls the fewest, which is why they sell for less.
What does sell-through mean?
It is the share of your ad slots that actually sell. Few shows fill every slot every month, so planning on 50 to 80 percent gives a more honest income figure than a fully booked calendar.
Is it better to use an ad network or sell directly?
Networks and marketplaces find sponsors and handle billing, but often keep 20 to 40 percent. Selling directly keeps the full rate but takes time to find and manage deals. Many podcasters sell their best slots themselves and fill the rest through a network.
Are these sponsorship rates guaranteed?
No, they are planning figures. Real rates depend on your niche, your audience, how the ad is read and the market when you sell.