LESSON 3 OF 8 · BASICS
CTV pricing models: CPM, outcome pricing, minimums and fees
QUICK ANSWER
Most streaming TV is bought on a CPM basis. Some platforms add CPA or outcome-based options. The total cost also depends on minimums, fees and how much you hold back for testing.
By The Tuning Desk · CTV Ad Finder · Published 2026-10-06 · Updated 2026-10-06 · 3 min read
How does CPM pricing work in CTV?
CPM is the price of 1,000 impressions. If a platform bills on CPM, your cost is the number of impressions delivered divided by 1,000, times the CPM. In auctions the CPM varies with demand, targeting and inventory: narrow audiences and premium live content usually cost more per impression than broad audiences on less contested apps. Some platforms show estimated CPM ranges in planning tools; treat these as estimates, not rate cards.
What is outcome-based or CPA pricing?
With CPA or outcome-based pricing you pay for an agreed result, such as a conversion, instead of for impressions. It moves some risk to the platform, but the definition of a result, the attribution method behind it and the eligible inventory all matter. Ask how a result is counted, over what window, and whether you can see the impressions behind it.
What do minimum spend figures mean?
Platforms describe minimums in different ways: a hard minimum per campaign or account, budget guidance for first-time advertisers, a minimum only for managed service, or no minimum at all. Read the exact wording. A stated minimum per campaign is not the same as a recommended starting budget, and neither tells you how much you need to measure lift with confidence.
Scroll the table sideways
| Platform | Entry terms as published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon DSP (now part of Amazon Ads Agent) | "DVA+ uses cost per mille (CPM) billing with no minimum spend." Amazon Ads' About us FAQ says managed-service campaigns run through an account executive "typically require a minimum spend of $50,000 (US)". | Source: Amazon Ads: About us (FAQ) |
| Disney Campaign Manager (formerly Hulu Ad Manager) | "a low minimum spend of $500 per campaign". | |
| MNTN | "No upfront commitments. No minimums." The enterprise page describes "fully at-will buying". | Source: MNTN homepage |
| Roku Ads Manager | Guidance, not a stated hard minimum: "get started with existing creative and as little as $500", and $500–$1,000 is enough to get a campaign live for most first-time advertisers, per Roku's guide dated February 25, 2026. | Source: Roku Ads: how much does it cost to advertise on Roku |
| StackAdapt | A minimum budget is not stated. The plans FAQ says "Programmatic ad campaigns perform best when they have enough budget". | Source: StackAdapt plans and packages |
| Tatari | "Tatari supports flexible minimums"; no dollar minimum is stated. | |
| The Trade Desk | No public pricing or minimum on the pages we read. | Source: The Trade Desk homepage |
| tvScientific (tvScientific by Pinterest) | Minimum spend, CPM and fees are not stated on the homepage, inventory or measurement pages. | Source: tvScientific homepage |
| Universal Ads | Minimum spend and CPM are not stated on the homepage. | Source: Universal Ads homepage |
| Vibe (vibe.co) | Vibe's pages describe both a $50 per day figure and no minimums; confirm current terms with Vibe. | Source: Vibe pricing page |
Which fees should you ask about?
- Platform or technology fees charged on top of media.
- Managed-service or campaign management fees.
- Data fees for third-party audience segments.
- Measurement or study fees for lift tests and third-party partners.
- Creative production or versioning fees.
Few platforms publish all of these on their public pages. Ask for them in writing and check how they appear on invoices.
How should you compare costs across platforms?
Compare on the same basis. A lower CPM on broad inventory is not the same purchase as a higher CPM on named premium services, and neither tells you the cost of a result. The fairer comparison is cost per incremental result: what you paid, divided by the results a holdout or geo test says the ads caused. That needs a test design, which is why pricing and measurement belong in the same conversation. When a platform quotes outcome-based pricing, ask how many of those outcomes a holdout would have produced anyway.
Also compare what is included. One platform may bundle creative tools, measurement studies or support into its media price, while another lists them separately or not at all on its public pages. Write the full cost of a pilot down for each shortlisted platform before you compare.
How much budget does a test need?
Enough to reach the audience size your measurement design needs over your purchase cycle. A holdout test needs a large enough exposed group and holdout group to see a difference; a geo test needs enough comparable regions. Ask the platform to size the test against your goal before launch rather than starting from its minimum.
Key terms
AttributionCPA (cost per acquisition)CPM (cost per mille)CTV (connected TV)Geo testHoldout groupLiftManaged serviceMinimum spendOutcome-based pricingStreaming TV