Calculate the cost per completed video view across platforms. Compare CPV, CPCV, and cost efficiency for YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram video ads.
Video advertising pricing can be confusing because "view" means different things on different platforms. YouTube counts a view at 30 seconds (or full length if shorter). Facebook counts 3 seconds. TikTok counts 6 seconds. A "cost per view" comparison across platforms is meaningless without normalizing the definition.
This calculator helps you compute the true cost per completed view (CPCV) — the cost for a user to watch your entire video. CPCV is the most honest metric for comparing video ad costs because it standardizes what you're paying for: a fully delivered message.
By comparing CPCV across platforms, you can allocate video budgets to the channels that deliver complete views most efficiently, factoring in both the cost per impression and the completion rate.
Quantifying this parameter enables systematic comparison across campaigns, channels, and time periods, revealing opportunities for optimization that drive sustainable business growth. This analytical approach empowers marketing teams to run more efficient campaigns, reduce wasted ad spend, and continuously improve the customer acquisition funnel over time.
Different platforms count "views" differently. This calculator normalizes costs to cost per completed view (CPCV), giving you a true apples-to-apples comparison of video ad efficiency across platforms. This quantitative approach replaces gut-feel decisions with data-backed insights, enabling marketers to optimize budgets and maximize return on every dollar invested in campaigns.
Cost Per View (CPV) = Spend ÷ Video Starts Cost Per Completed View (CPCV) = Spend ÷ Completed Views CPM = (Spend ÷ Impressions) × 1,000 Completion Rate = (Completed Views ÷ Starts) × 100
Result: $0.04 CPCV
$5,000 spent with 125,000 completed views gives a CPCV of $0.04. The raw CPV (per start) is $0.02. The completion rate is 50%, meaning half of viewers watched to the end. At $0.04 per completed view, you're paying for fully delivered messages.
One of the biggest challenges in video advertising is that "view" has no universal definition. YouTube: 30 seconds or full video. Facebook: 3 seconds. TikTok: 6 seconds. Twitter: 2 seconds (50% in-view). LinkedIn: 2 seconds (50% in-view). This makes cross-platform CPV comparisons meaningless.
Cost Per Completed View eliminates the definition problem by counting only 100% completions. When comparing platforms, CPCV gives the true cost of delivering your complete message. A campaign optimized for CPCV will reach more fully-engaged viewers per dollar.
YouTube TrueView: $0.03–$0.08 CPCV (high VCR for those who choose to watch). Facebook: $0.05–$0.15 CPCV (low VCR inflates cost). TikTok: $0.03–$0.10 CPCV. CTV/OTT: $0.02–$0.05 CPCV (high CPM offset by near-perfect completion). LinkedIn: $0.10–$0.30 CPCV.
Shorter videos have lower CPCV because completion rates are higher. A 6-second bumper ad with 90% VCR will have a CPCV very close to its CPV. A 60-second ad with 30% VCR will have a CPCV 3x higher than its CPV. Factor video length into your cost analysis.
Cost Per Completed View (CPCV) is the total ad spend divided by the number of users who watched your entire video to 100%. It's the truest measure of what you're paying per complete message delivery.
CPV (cost per view) counts any "view" as defined by the platform — which could be 2 seconds on Facebook or 30 seconds on YouTube. CPCV only counts fully completed views. CPCV is always higher than CPV because not all views are completions.
Average CPCV ranges from $0.02–$0.15 depending on platform, format, and targeting. YouTube: $0.03–$0.08. Facebook: $0.05–$0.15. CTV: $0.02–$0.05 (high CPM but near-100% completion). B2B targeting is typically 2–3x more expensive.
Facebook counts a "view" at just 3 seconds (2 seconds on some formats), which is very easy to achieve with autoplay. But completion rates for Facebook in-feed video are often only 15–30%, making the cost per actually-completed view much higher.
Always compare CPCV for video campaigns. A platform with $25 CPM and 95% VCR (like CTV) often has lower CPCV than a platform with $8 CPM and 20% VCR (like mobile in-feed). CPM doesn't account for completion quality.
Improve completion rate with better creative (strong hook, shorter length). Use non-skippable formats where appropriate. Target audiences more likely to engage with video. Test platforms with better cost-to-completion ratios. Optimize bids for completed views.