How the estimate works
YouTube sponsorships are priced on expected views, not subscribers. The calculator takes the views you enter, divides them by 1,000 and multiplies them by a cost per thousand views (CPM) range for the channel niche. Then it adjusts for the audience market and the format, and applies a minimum fee per video. For a Short, the CPM is the range OutlierKit gives for sponsored Shorts, whatever the niche. The effective CPM shown is the final price divided by the views and multiplied by 1,000, so it always matches the price.
The numbers behind the model
See every number the model uses, with sources
| Input | Value used | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and money | CPM $50-$200 | Creators Agency, May 2026 (finance mid-roll integrations) |
| Tech, software, VPN | CPM $20-$60 | Creators Agency, May 2026 |
| Beauty and lifestyle | CPM $10-$30 | Creators Agency, May 2026 |
| Gaming | CPM $4-$12 | Creators Agency, May 2026 |
| Education, travel, other | CPM $15-$30 | General YouTube sponsorship CPM, Influencer Marketing Hub, Aug 2026. We found no public range for these niches. |
| Audience market | US, UK, Canada, Australia 100%, Spain 60%, mixed Spanish-speaking 50%, Latin America 40% of the CPM | ICONX estimate. We found no public source for these markets. |
| Integration (60-90 s) | 1× | Creators Agency gives the finance range for mid-roll integrations; for the other niches it does not state a format. |
| Dedicated video | 2× to 4× the integration price | Creators Agency gives this range for its finance creators. Applying it to every niche is an ICONX estimate. |
| YouTube Short | CPM of $5 to $15 on the Short’s own views, the same for every niche (adjusted for the audience market) | OutlierKit, Sep 2026: sponsored Shorts typically pay a $5 to $15 CPM |
| Minimum fee | $60 per video | HypeAuditor, 2024 data (sponsored videos with 1K to 10K views) |
| Package notice | Above $250,000 | ICONX threshold: at that size the price is negotiated as a package. |
Creators Agency represents finance creators and does not publish how it calculates its ranges; OutlierKit sells YouTube analytics tools. Read their figures as working ranges, not as studies. More context in our YouTube sponsorship rates guide.
Real quotes move with things a calculator cannot see: the creator’s demand, the date, usage rights for ads, exclusivity with competitors, and how many videos you book. That is why we treat this as a starting point. When you send us your brief, we come back with named creators, their real recent views and a fixed price per video.
FAQ
How is the range calculated?
Expected views divided by 1,000, multiplied by the CPM range for the channel niche, then adjusted for the audience market and the format, with a minimum of $60 per video. A Short uses a $5 to $15 CPM whatever the niche. Every number and its source is listed on this page.
Is the price per subscriber or per view?
Per view. Two channels with the same subscribers can have very different views, so serious buyers price on the median views of recent videos.
Why is the CPM so different between niches?
Because what the audience buys matters more than its size. Creators Agency quotes $4 to $12 per 1,000 views for gaming and $50 to $200 for finance mid-roll integrations.
What is not included in the estimate?
Usage rights to run the video as an ad, exclusivity with competitors, extra revisions and agency management. Each can add to the base fee.
Can ICONX find creators at my budget?
Yes. Send us the range you got and your goal, and we will propose named creators with their real views and a fixed price per video.
