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Streaming Audio Medium cost · Audio Updated 2026-07-01

Streaming Audio benchmarks, 2026

Spotify, Pandora, and other audio streaming platforms — $18.00 per thousand — with Commuters and Podcast listeners pulling the strongest returns.

Avg. CPM$18.00Cost per 1,000 impressions
Board rank · CPM7of 9Cheaper than 2 platforms
Strongest in Commuters
Podcast listeners Best-fit use cases from the dataset
How to read this page Figures are weighted medians from ten named sources (see the data dictionary). Your Streaming Audio costs will move with industry, audience size, geography, creative quality and season. Use the industry table to find your lane, and the calculators to plan against your own targets.
Typical campaign math

With $ a month on Streaming Audio, you'd buy roughly…

At the medians above. Change the budget; the figures update. For a finer rate, use the table below or the CPM calculator.

Estimated impressions — at $18.00 average CPM
Compare

Streaming Audio against the alternatives

All 9,750 comparisons →
Streaming Audio vs Google Display Network CPM $18.00 vs $3.50 +414% Display advertising across Google's network of partner sites Streaming Audio vs OTT (Over-The-Top) CPM $18.00 vs $28.00 -36% Connected TV and streaming platforms (Hulu, Roku, etc.) Streaming Audio vs Programmatic Display CPM $18.00 vs $2.75 +555% Automated display ad buying across multiple exchanges Streaming Audio vs Pre-Roll Video CPM $18.00 vs $15.00 +20% Video ads that play before online content Streaming Audio vs Meta Ads CPM $18.00 vs $7.80 +131% Facebook and Instagram advertising - highly targetable social ads Streaming Audio vs TikTok Ads CPM $18.00 vs $9.00 +100% Short-form video advertising on TikTok
By industry

Streaming Audio costs by industry

Estimated by scaling Streaming Audio's baseline by each industry's cost multiplier. Sorted by CPM; the row in amber is the cheapest lane.

$0 $12.69 $25.37
Industry Est. CPM Industry CPA
Retail $10.29 $44.26 →
E-commerce $12.34 $48.00 →
Real Estate $14.40 $102.51 →
Education $17.14 $77.48 →
Healthcare $19.89 $67.36 →
B2B $21.94 $93.69 →
Tech/SaaS $22.63 $93.69 →
Finance $25.37 $74.44 →
Est. = platform baseline × (industry metric ÷ cross-industry average). Industry CPA is cross-platform. USD, Q3 2026. Method: estimated.
Under the hood

How Streaming Audio actually bills you

Billing

Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and podcast networks sell audio ads on CPM. Rates run $15–25 depending on demographic targeting depth. Podcast host-read ads bill differently (flat fee per episode + CPM top-up), but programmatic streaming audio is standard CPM.

Creative

15s or 30s audio, .mp3 or .wav, 128kbps+ recommended, with a companion display banner (300×250) for the app UI. Sound design matters more than script — this is background-attention media.

Minimum viable spend

$2K–5K/month gets meaningful reach on Spotify's self-serve platform. Podcast-network buys typically start at $10K/month for host-read integration.

Calculators for Streaming Audio

Turn the benchmark into a plan

ROASROAS calculator→ CPMCPM calculator→ CPACPA calculator→ BE·RBreak-even ROAS→
Guides on Streaming Audio

Read next

FAQ

Common questions

What is the average CPM on Streaming Audio?
The current average CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) on Streaming Audio is $18.00, based on the most recent benchmark dataset (updated July 2026). CPM tends to be higher for narrow targeting and premium placements; broader campaigns generally see lower CPMs.
Is Streaming Audio more expensive than Pre-Roll Video?
On a CPM basis, Pre-Roll Video is the lower-cost option of the two, with a difference of roughly 20%. Cost shouldn't be the only factor though — audience fit, conversion intent, and creative format matter just as much. Use our side-by-side comparison to weigh the trade-offs.
Who is Streaming Audio best for?
Streaming Audio is typically a strong fit for: Commuters, Podcast listeners, Music fans. While the platform isn't in the cross-industry top-three for any single vertical, it's a common complement to higher-intent channels and works well when the use case matches the strengths listed above.
How often is Streaming Audio benchmark data updated?
Benchmark data on this page is refreshed quarterly. The current dataset was last updated on July 1, 2026. The next scheduled refresh is October 1, 2026.