Platform vs platform
Updated 2026-07-01
Google Display Network vs Pre-Roll Video
Google Display Network averages $0.75 CPC and $3.50 CPM. Pre-Roll Video is bought on CPM only, averaging $15.00. Side-by-side cost and performance breakdown for 2026.
Google Display Network
CPC$0.75
CPM$3.50
Best forBrand awareness, Remarketing, Visual products
vs
Pre-Roll Video
CPC—
CPM$15.00
Best forVideo content, Brand storytelling, Engagement
Amber underline marks the lower cost on each metric. Ties get neither. Em dash means the platform is not sold on that basis.
Which one, for you?
Which should I actually pick?
Answer three questions and we'll score Google Display Network vs Pre-Roll Video on budget fit, industry rank and goal alignment.
Quick comparison
Quick Comparison
Delta reads left to right: how Google Display Network compares to Pre-Roll Video on each line.
| Metric | Google Display Network | Pre-Roll Video | Δ Google vs Pre-Roll | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. CPC | $0.75 | — | — | One side is not sold on a CPC basis. |
| Avg. CPM | $3.50 | $15.00 | -77% | Cost to buy 1,000 impressions on each board. |
| Clicks per $5,000 | 6,667 | — | — | Volume advantage before conversion rate is applied. |
| Typical CVR | 0.9% | 1.5% | -40% | Cross-industry typicals by channel type, not board data. |
| Implied CPA | $83 | — | — | At the CVRs above; your account will differ. Implied CPA = CPC ÷ CVR. |
| Min. viable monthly spend | — | — | — | To exit learning / gather bid-strategy signal. |
| Pricing tier | Low | Medium | Board tiers by CPM/CPC percentile. |
By industry · estimated CPM
Where the gap widens
Google Display NetworkPre-Roll Video
Finance
Tech/SaaS
B2B
Healthcare
Education
Real Estate
E-commerce
Retail
Google Display Network 77% cheaper per thousand impressions
Method
Each industry estimate = platform baseline × (industry CPM ÷ cross-industry average CPM of $13.13). The ratio between the two platforms is therefore constant; what changes by industry is the absolute cost.
Under the hood
How each one charges you
Google Display Network
- Billing
- GDN buys impressions across 2M+ publisher sites via a real-time auction. You can bid CPC or CPM depending on the campaign goal. CPCs are 4–7x lower than search, but conversion rates are also lower — it's a top-of-funnel channel, not a decision-point channel.
- Learning phase
- $30–75/day gets a display campaign to statistical signal, though retargeting audiences reach signal faster and are the recommended entry point for smaller budgets.
- Creative
- Responsive Display Ads: 15 images (1200×628 landscape, 1200×1200 square, 1200×1500 portrait), 5 logos, 5 short headlines (30ch), 5 long headlines (90ch), 5 descriptions (90ch). Google auto-assembles.
Pre-Roll Video
- Billing
- Pre-roll (the video ad before online video content, non-YouTube) is CPM-priced at $12–20, sold through DSPs against a video inventory pool separate from social. Skippable and non-skippable formats coexist; non-skippable commands a 20–30% CPM premium.
- Learning phase
- $3K–5K/month for standalone pre-roll; often bundled with programmatic display or OTT in a single video-inclusive DSP buy.
- Creative
- 15s (most common), 6s bumper, or 30s. 1920×1080 16:9, 24 or 30fps, H.264. Captions and audio-off usability increasingly required as autoplay-muted becomes default.
Verdict
When to Use Each Platform
Choose Google Display Network when…
- You're targeting brand awareness
- You're targeting remarketing
- You're targeting visual products
- You want lower cost per thousand impressions ($3.50 vs $15.00)
Choose Pre-Roll Video when…
- You're targeting video content
- You're targeting brand storytelling
- You're targeting engagement
FAQ
Related Comparisons
Is Google Display Network or Pre-Roll Video cheaper?
Per thousand impressions, Google Display Network at $3.50 vs Pre-Roll Video at $15.00. Per acquisition it depends on conversion rate; run the recommender above against your industry.
Can I run both on $5,000 a month?
Yes, but split unevenly toward whichever side has the conversion volume to exit learning. Splitting evenly below $5k usually starves both. Use the min. viable spend row in the table above as the floor for each side.