Enter your subscribers, open rate and CPM to see what to charge a sponsor per placement, a ready-made rate card for every ad position, and how much sponsorships could earn you each month.
CPM helper: not sure what to charge per 1,000 opens? Pick your niche for an example starting CPM (USD), then adjust it to what sponsors actually pay you.
Planning estimate only. CPM starting points and placement ratios are common guide points, not fixed market prices. Confirm prices with each sponsor before agreeing a booking.
Quick answer: Multiply your subscribers by your open rate to get opens per issue. Divide by 1,000 and multiply by your CPM to get the price per placement. For example, 10,000 subscribers at a 40% open rate is 4,000 opens; at a $30 CPM that’s $120 per placement, or $480 a month for one sponsor in each weekly issue.
The calculator prices your ad space on the people who actually open your emails, using only the numbers you enter.
Opens per issue = subscribers × open rate
Price per placement = opens ÷ 1,000 × CPM
Monthly income = price per placement × ad slots × sponsored issues
Price per 1,000 subscribers = price per placement ÷ (subscribers ÷ 1,000)
Monthly package = price per placement × sponsored issues × (1 − package discount)
Rate card: dedicated email ≈ 2.5×, middle ≈ 70% and footer ≈ 50% of the main sponsor price.
Sponsors pay to be seen. A list of 10,000 where only 2,000 open is worth less than a list of 6,000 where 3,600 open. Pricing on opens is fairer to sponsors and rewards you for an engaged list, so cleaning out inactive subscribers can actually raise your price per 1,000 subscribers.
The top spot gets the most attention, so it’s your full rate. Ads in the middle and footer are seen by fewer readers and usually sell for less. A dedicated email, where the whole send is about one sponsor, is worth the most because the sponsor has your readers’ full attention.
Example values are only placeholders. Your rate is only as accurate as the numbers you put in, so use real data as soon as you have it:
| Input | Where to find it | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Active subscribers | Your email platform (MailerLite, systeme.io, Kit, beehiiv) | Leave out unsubscribed and bounced addresses. |
| Open rate | Your platform’s campaign reports | Average your last 5–10 issues. Apple Mail can inflate opens, so be cautious. |
| CPM | Past sponsor deals, or sponsorship marketplaces in your niche | Start with a guide figure, then raise it once sponsors book again. |
| Click rate | Your platform’s campaign reports | Not used in the formula, but share it with sponsors: good clicks justify a higher CPM. |
8,000 subscribers × 45% opens = 3,600 opens. At a $50 CPM: 3.6 × $50 = $180 per placement. One sponsor in each of 4 weekly issues = $720 a month.
15,000 subscribers × 35% = 5,250 opens. At a $35 CPM, each placement is $183.75. Two sponsors per issue, 4 weekly issues: $183.75 × 2 × 4 = $1,470 a month.
5,000 subscribers × 50% = 2,500 opens. At an $85 CPM, each placement is $212.50, more than a list twice the size in a cheaper niche.
50,000 subscribers × 28% = 14,000 opens. At a $22 CPM, each placement is $308. One sponsor in each of about 20 weekday issues = $6,160 a month.
Your price is opens × CPM, so raising either one lifts every placement. Pick the lever that’s easiest for you to move:
It depends on your niche and how engaged your readers are. Niches where readers buy expensive products, such as finance or business software, usually command a higher CPM. Start with a guide figure, then raise it when sponsors re-book or ask for more slots.
Opens. Sponsors only reach people who open the email, so pricing on opens is fairer and more common. The calculator also shows your price per 1,000 subscribers for sponsors who ask for it.
Not always. A smaller list with a high open rate in a valuable niche can earn more per placement than a large list where few people open.
Many newsletters start once they have a steady open rate and a clear audience, often from a few thousand subscribers. Small, focused lists can also sell sponsorships to brands in the same niche.
Apple Mail privacy features can count emails as opened even when they weren’t read, which inflates open rates. If many of your readers use Apple Mail, use a slightly lower open rate to stay honest with sponsors.
No. It only changes the symbol shown. Enter your CPM in the currency you choose.
Want more income from your list? Start with What Is Affiliate Marketing?, then see our free traffic methods for beginners.
Disclaimer: This calculator is a planning tool, not a guaranteed rate. It uses only the numbers you enter and standard arithmetic. Sponsorship prices vary by niche, audience and sponsor, so confirm pricing before agreeing any booking.
Last updated: 9 October 2026 · By Udaychandra, IncomeJets