AdSense reports both Page RPM (per pageview) and Impression RPM (per ad impression) — easy to mix up when you’re comparing your numbers to a benchmark. This calculator uses page RPM, the one most publishers actually mean.
Impression RPM divides revenue by ad impressions served; Page RPM divides revenue by total pageviews. A single page can serve several ad impressions, so Page RPM is always lower than Impression RPM on the same site — and it’s the more useful figure for planning content strategy, since it reflects your actual traffic value regardless of ad density.
AdSense is usually the entry-level network: most publishers start here before qualifying for a managed network like Mediavine, Raptive, or Ezoic, all of which typically post higher RPMs at the cost of a traffic minimum.
| Network | RPM range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Google AdSense | $1–$10 | per 1,000 pageviews |
| Newor Media | $4–$18 | per 1,000 pageviews |
| Ezoic | $3–$20 | per 1,000 pageviews |
| Mediavine | $8–$30 | per 1,000 sessions |
| Raptive | $10–$35 | per 1,000 pageviews |
$3–$5 is a common blended average for lifestyle and general-interest blogs. Niche and geography swing this considerably — finance and B2B content in Tier 1 markets can clear $10, while low-competition niches can sit under $1.
Seasonal advertiser spend is the most common cause — January and July both see broad dips as budgets reset or pause. A sudden, isolated drop can also indicate an ad-serving or policy issue worth checking in AdSense’s own reporting.
Most publishers consider switching once they clear the traffic minimums for networks like Newor Media (5,000 monthly users), Mediavine (10,000 sessions), or Raptive, since managed header bidding across those networks typically outperforms a single AdSense setup.