RATE GUIDE

YouTube sponsorship rate per view: what you should actually charge

CPM benchmarks, integration rates by channel size, niche multipliers, and why negotiating by per-view rate is the wrong frame entirely.

The short answer

YouTube sponsorship CPMs (cost per thousand views) typically range from £8 to £35 depending on channel size, niche, and engagement. But negotiating on a per-view basis is rarely how deals are structured — brands pay a flat fee per integration or per deliverable, not per view. The CPM rate is a benchmark tool for checking whether a flat offer is reasonable, not a price list.

YouTube sponsorship rates by channel size (GBP)

Based on general-niche channels with average engagement. Apply niche multipliers below.

Channel sizeAvg views/videoImplied CPM60s integrationDedicated video
Under 50k subs2k – 8k£18 – £35£400 – £1,200£700 – £2,000
50k – 200k subs8k – 40k£15 – £30£1,200 – £4,000£2,500 – £8,000
200k – 1M subs30k – 150k£12 – £25£4,000 – £15,000£10,000 – £35,000
1M+ subs150k+£8 – £20£15,000 – £60,000+£30,000++

UK/general content niche. Finance, tech, and health channels command a significant premium — see multipliers below.

Why “rate per view” is the wrong way to negotiate

Views aren't guaranteed at the time of booking

A brand books you based on your average — but the specific video you post the integration in might over- or under-perform. Negotiating on a per-view basis creates disputes. A flat fee per deliverable doesn't.

Different videos have different audience quality

A video targeting your core subscribers is worth more per view than a video that goes viral outside your niche. Per-view pricing doesn't account for this.

Brands don't think in CPM when buying creators

Media buyers think in CPM for programmatic display. Creator partnerships teams think in flat fees, deliverable scope, and campaign fit. Meeting them with a per-view rate is unusual and sometimes off-putting.

You lose upside on high-performing videos

If you charge per view and your video hits 10× your average, you've left significant money on the table. A flat fee protects you from downside and lets you benefit from upside.

Use CPM as a sanity check, not a price tag.If a brand offers you a flat fee, divide it by your average views ÷ 1,000 to get your implied CPM. If it's below £8, the offer is low. If it's above £35, it's very strong. This gives you a frame for negotiation — not a starting point for quoting.

Niche multipliers

The rates above are for general-interest channels. Multiply by these factors if your content targets a higher-value niche.

1.7×
Finance / investing: High CPA value. FCA-regulated brands pay premium for compliant, targeted reach.
1.45×
Tech / software / SaaS: B2B-adjacent intent. Brand spend is high for subscription software.
1.35×
Health / fitness: High supplement and health brand spend. UK market particularly strong.
1.1×
Gaming: Large audiences with endemic brands (peripherals, energy, hardware).
1.0×
Beauty / lifestyle: High volume of creators, competitive rates, agency buying common.
1.0×
General / vlog: Baseline. Mixed audiences, harder to target, lower CPM value.

Rate by deliverable type

Not all YouTube placements are equal. Here's how they stack up relative to each other.

60s mid-roll integrationMost common rate benchmark

A 60-second read or produced segment placed in the middle of a video. Standard for most brand deals.

Dedicated / sponsored video2–3× integration rate

The entire video is about or heavily features the brand. Commands a 2–3× premium over integration rates.

Pre-roll mention (15–30s)30–50% of integration rate

Short mention at the start of the video. Lower value — shorter, lower retention.

End card CTA20–30% of integration rate

Brief mention at the end. Lowest retention point. Rarely used standalone now.

YouTube Shorts integration20–40% of long-form rate

Emerging format. No solid benchmark yet. Generally 20–40% of long-form integration at similar view counts.

Community post / pinned commentBundle add-on only

Very low standalone value. Usually bundled with a video deal.

What brands actually look at when evaluating your rate

01
Average views per video (not subscriber count)

Subscribers are a lagging indicator. A channel with 200k subscribers and 8k average views is less valuable to a brand than one with 50k subscribers and 25k average views.

02
Engagement rate

Likes and comments relative to views signal how invested the audience is. A highly engaged smaller audience often converts better than a passive large one. See our engagement rate benchmarks guide.

03
Audience demographics

A 35-44 male UK audience is worth more to a finance brand than a 16-24 global audience. Rates should reflect this — and your media kit should make the demo clear.

04
Past brand deal performance

If you have data from previous campaigns (clicks, promo code redemptions, sign-ups), share it. It shifts the conversation from 'how much do you charge?' to 'what do I get for this?'

05
Brand category fit

An off-niche deal (a fitness creator promoting accounting software) will underperform no matter how large the channel. Brands that fit your audience will pay more because they get more.

Related guides

How much to charge for brand deals — full rate guide across all platformsWhat is a good engagement rate for brand deals?How to negotiate brand deals: rate, terms, and contractBrand deal rate calculator — get your personalised rate range

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