The five inputs, and where to find them
SponsorCraft's YouTube calculator asks for five inputs, and each one is a number you can already read. Avg. Engaged Views is the median of your recent long-form uploads. YouTube now counts a public view when playback starts, so the app asks for engaged views, the viewers who kept watching. Use the median, not one outlier. Engagement Rate is likes plus comments divided by views, and the app treats about 3% as YouTube's average. US Audience (%) is the US share in your YouTube Studio analytics, set with a slider or with a preset from Emerging to Premium. For how location changes a YouTube CPM, read YouTube CPM by country.
| Input in SponsorCraft | What to enter | In the example |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | Your current subscriber count | 20,000 |
| Avg. Engaged Views | The median views of your recent long-form uploads | 9,000 |
| Engagement Rate | Likes plus comments, divided by views | 4.2% |
| Niche and sub-niche | One of 19 niches, with an optional sub-niche (111 in all) | Education, Language learning |
| US Audience (%) | The US share of your viewers in YouTube Studio analytics | 40% |
What each input does to the price
Change one input at a time and the mid-roll shows what matters. Views dominate: doubling average views from 9,000 to 18,000 takes the mid-roll from $333 to $645, while doubling subscribers at the same 9,000 views only reaches $423. The app adds a smaller amount for reach and trust on top of a price set by views. In the example, views alone put the mid-roll at about $323 and a 20K subscriber channel adds about $10. Very low views meet the app's minimum price for the channel size. The Language learning sub-niche lifts the rate from $302 to $333, and some sub-niches move a rate while others do not. For rates by channel size and niche, read YouTube sponsorship rates. Divide the example's mid-roll by its views and you get about $37 per 1,000 views; the CPM calculator shows how to check an offer against that.
| Change from the example | Mid-roll | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Example: 20,000 subscribers, 9,000 views, 4.2%, Language learning, 40% US | $333 | $240 to $439 |
| Average views 18,000 | $645 | $465 to $852 |
| Average views 4,500* | $292 | $210 to $385 |
| Engagement 2.0% | $292 | $211 to $386 |
| US audience 70% | $374 | $269 to $493 |
| No sub-niche (Education only) | $302 | $218 to $399 |
| Subscribers 40,000, same 9,000 views | $423 | $305 to $559 |
*At 4,500 views the app's minimum price for an education channel of this size applies, so lower views would not lower it further.
Three prices, not one
The same channel prices three placements differently: a dedicated video at $582, a 60-second mid-roll at $333 and a pre-roll mention at $250. A dedicated video is the whole video about the brand, a mid-roll is a segment inside it and a pre-roll is a 30-second mention near the start. Quote the placement the brand asks for, and if a brand offers a pre-roll budget for a mid-roll, name the gap. Usage rights and exclusivity are separate lines; read how much to charge for a YouTube sponsorship to price them. Shorts are priced on their own views, so use the YouTube Shorts calculator for those.
Worked example: a 20,000-subscriber language learning channel
Here is the example behind the numbers above, run in SponsorCraft: a language learning channel with 20,000 subscribers, 9,000 average engaged views, 4.2% engagement and 40% of its viewers in the US.
- Platform
- YouTube
- Niche
- Education, Language learning
- Subscribers
- 20,000
- Average engaged views
- 9,000
- Engagement
- 4.2%
- US audience
- 40%
- Placement
- Mid-roll integration, 60 seconds
$333Range $240 to $439
The dedicated video prices at $582 (range $419 to $769) and the pre-roll mention at $250 (range $180 to $329). SponsorCraft's Why this rate line reads: "Your views alone put a mid-roll at about $323. Brands also pay for the reach and trust of a 20K subscriber channel, which adds about $10." That is about $37 per 1,000 views.
In a reply, open near the estimate and use the range as your room to negotiate. The app itself calls its output a data-backed starting point, not a guarantee.
Assumptions: a model estimate, not a guarantee. The 40% US share is set with the slider, between the Global (30%) and Mixed (50%) presets. Mid-roll only selected, add-ons off.
Want your own three prices? Calculate your sponsorship rate in SponsorCraft.
When another calculator fits better
If you want a channel looked up by name, or a quick benchmark before you open an app, read YouTube sponsorship calculators compared to see how the options differ. SponsorCraft's YouTube calculator does a different job: it prices your own channel from the numbers you enter.
SponsorCraft
Know what your content is worth.
- Separate prices per placement: dedicated video, mid-roll and pre-roll on YouTube
- 19 creator niches with 111 optional sub-niches
- Audience location from your YouTube Studio US share
- A negotiation range around every rate and a plain-language "Why this rate" explanation
- Add-ons for usage rights, whitelisting, exclusivity and rush delivery
- Editable rates and an exportable PDF rate card
- One-time purchase, no subscription, no login, runs offline
Creator License $49 one-time; Agency and Brands License $129 one-time.
Common questions
How do I calculate a YouTube sponsorship rate?
Enter five inputs in SponsorCraft: subscribers, average engaged views, engagement rate, niche and US audience share. A 20,000-subscriber channel averaging 9,000 views prices a mid-roll at USD 333, a dedicated video at USD 582 and a pre-roll at USD 250.
Which input changes the price the most?
Average views. Going from 9,000 to 18,000 views takes the mid-roll from USD 333 to USD 645, while doubling subscribers at the same views gives USD 423.
What are engaged views?
They are the viewers who kept watching, not every playback start, because YouTube now counts a public view when playback starts. Use the median engaged views of your recent long-form uploads.
Should I quote exactly what the calculator says?
Treat it as a starting point. Open near the estimate and use the range, USD 240 to 439 in this example, as room to negotiate. The app itself calls its output a data-backed starting point, not a guarantee.