Youtube Ads benchmark data for 2026. Compare performance by channel, industry, and metric.
| Metric | Median | 25th percentile | 75th percentile | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPV (cost per view) | $0.05 | $0.02 | $0.10 | <$0.01 |
| CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) | $7.50 | $3.80 | $14.20 | <$2 |
| CTR (click-through rate) | 0.65% | 0.32% | 1.20% | 2%+ |
| View rate | 30.0% | 18.0% | 45.0% | 55%+ |
| Completion Rate | 45.0% | 28.0% | 62.0% | 75%+ |
| CPA (cost per acquisition) | $58.00 | $28 | $112 | <$15 |
| Industry | Median | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce | 32.0% | 20.0% | 48.0% |
| Automotive | 38.0% | 24.0% | 55.0% |
| Education | 35.0% | 22.0% | 52.0% |
| Healthcare | 28.0% | 17.0% | 42.0% |
| Financial Services | 24.0% | 14.0% | 38.0% |
| SaaS | 26.0% | 16.0% | 40.0% |
| Home Services | 31.0% | 19.0% | 47.0% |
| Industry | Median | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | $12.40 | $7 | $22 |
| Healthcare | $10.80 | $6 | $19 |
| SaaS | $11.20 | $6 | $20 |
| Legal | $13.50 | $8 | $24 |
| Ecommerce | $6.80 | $3.5 | $12 |
| Education | $7.40 | $4 | $13 |
| Automotive | $8.20 | $4.5 | $15 |
| Home Services | $7.90 | $4 | $14 |
The median YouTube in-stream view rate is 30%. A view rate above 35% indicates strong creative-audience fit. Rates below 20% suggest the first 5 seconds are not compelling enough to prevent skipping. View rate and completion rate together tell you more than CTR alone.
The median CPV is $0.05. Anything under $0.03 is excellent. CPV varies significantly by targeting: remarketing campaigns often achieve $0.01–$0.02 CPV, while broad prospecting campaigns run $0.05–$0.12. Industry also matters - competitive B2B verticals can hit $0.15+ CPV.
YouTube Ads CTR (click-through to website) averages 0.65% for skippable in-stream ads. This is a different action than a view - users must click through to your site. CTRs above 1% indicate strong intent-matching between your ad content and the call-to-action.
YouTube works for both, but the mechanics differ. For brand awareness: optimize for view rate and completion rate, use skippable in-stream, measure brand lift. For direct response: use non-skippable (15-second) or in-feed video ads, optimize for conversions, retarget viewers who watched 50%+ of your ad.