01 · Core Calculator
Base Model
Adjust all inputs. Outputs recalculate live using the full FAST monetization formula chain. No tax applied anywhere.
Channel Basics
Affects CPM benchmarks
Viewership Metrics
Unique viewers per day
60–180 mins typical
Ad Inventory Settings
Industry standard: 8–12 mins
Typically 15 or 30 sec spots
Programmatic 20–50% · Direct 60–90%
Monetization Parameters
India CTV: ₹150–500 typical
Platform takes 30–40% typically
Calculated Metrics
Total Daily Watch Time
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minutes
Watch Time (Hours)
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hours
Ad Opportunity
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minutes / day
Ad Slots Available
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slots / day
Delivered Impressions
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per day (with fill)
Revenue Outputs
Gross Daily Revenue
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before platform share
Your Daily Revenue
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after platform share
Monthly Revenue
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30 days
Annual Revenue
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365 days
Revenue per DAU/Day
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per user
02 · Scenario Planning
Scenario Comparison
Four monetization scenarios side by side. All inputs editable — outputs update live.
Tip: Premium Direct models a higher revenue share from direct ad sales alongside a larger audience.
Conservative
Base Case
Optimistic
Premium Direct
03 · Sensitivity Analysis
CPM × Fill Rate Sensitivity
Gross daily revenue before platform share across CPM and fill rate combinations.
Reading: Each cell = gross daily revenue. Rows = CPM · Columns = Fill Rate. Darker shading = higher revenue. Multiply by your revenue share % to get your net take.
| CPM ↓ · Fill % → | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|
04 · Scale Analysis
DAU Scale Analysis
Gross daily revenue across audience sizes and four CPM tiers. Shows how DAU growth scales revenue linearly.
All values are gross (before platform share). Multiply by your revenue share % for your net take.
05 · Cost Recovery
Breakeven Analysis
Required DAU to cover monthly operating costs at your channel's modelled revenue per user.
Model Assumptions
Revenue per DAU per Day
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Your breakeven denominator
Formula: Required DAU = Daily Cost ÷ Rev/DAU/day · Rev/DAU/day = (Watch × AdLoad/60 × 60/SpotDur × Fill/100 × CPM/1000) × Share/100
06 · Goal Setting
Revenue Milestones
Work backwards from an annual revenue target to the required DAU. Dynamic — changes with every input.
Model Assumptions
Custom Annual Target
Required DAU
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07 · Global Markets
Country Market Profiles
Top 20 CTV markets with 20M+ connected TV households. Click a card to load its benchmarks into the Base Model. All CPM figures are directional estimates sourced from 2025 industry data (EMARKETER, Ad Age, StackAdapt, MNTN Research). Converted using your exchange rate above.
How to use: Click any market card to (1) pre-populate the Base Model with that country's mid-range CPM and typical fill rate, and (2) show the comparison table below. Set your exchange rate in the header to see values in your preferred currency.
Loaded Market
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CPM Low
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programmatic floor
CPM Mid — Loaded
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benchmark in Base Model
CPM High
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direct / premium
Typical Fill Rate
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programmatic baseline
Your Daily Revenue
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5K DAU · mid CPM · 70% share
Annual Revenue
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5K DAU · mid CPM · 70% share
Side-by-Side Country Comparison
Compare at: 5,000 DAU · 120 min watch time · 10 min ad load · 30 sec spots · 70% revenue share. Mid-CPM and country fill rate used. Gross and net revenue shown.
08 · Reference
Formulas & Assumptions
Industry benchmarks, formula logic, and model assumptions used across all tabs.
Formula Chain
Step 1 · Total Watch Time
DAU × Avg Watch Time (mins)
Total viewing minutes across all users per day.
Step 2 · Ad Opportunity
Total Watch Time × (Ad Load / 60)
Minutes available for ads. Ad Load = mins per 60-min content block.
Step 3 · Ad Slots Available
Ad Opportunity (mins) × 60 ÷ Spot Duration
Total ad positions that could run across all viewers.
Step 4 · Delivered Impressions
Ad Slots × (Fill Rate / 100)
Actual filled impressions. Programmatic fills less than direct-sold.
Step 5 · Gross Daily Revenue
(Delivered Impressions / 1,000) × CPM
Revenue before platform share. CPM = Cost Per Mille (per 1,000 impressions).
Step 6 · Your Revenue
Gross Revenue × (Revenue Share / 100)
Net daily revenue after platform cut (typically 30–40%). No tax deducted.
Breakeven & Milestone DAU
Required DAU = Daily Cost ÷ Rev/DAU/day
Rev/DAU/day is computed dynamically from all inputs — not hardcoded. Changes with every input.
Industry Benchmarks (2025)
Currency: Toggle ₹/$ in the header. Exchange rate is user-editable — no live API, no tax applied anywhere in the model.
Sensitivity & DAU Scale tabs show gross revenue before platform share. Apply your revenue share % for net take.
Country profiles: CPMs stored in USD internally, converted to display currency via your exchange rate. Rates are directional — actual results depend on content vertical, targeting depth, and deal type.
Caveat: This is a planning tool, not a guarantee. Real FAST revenue depends on demand quality, geo mix, time-of-day patterns, and platform relationship.
09 · Reference
India FAST — CPM Guide by Content Category
Directional CPM benchmarks and supported ad formats for India FAST channels. Not platform rate cards — use for planning and scenario stress-testing only.
On these numbers: India FAST CPM data by content category is not publicly disclosed by any OEM or platform. Ranges below are derived from Pitch Madison Advertising Report 2025, MiQ Advanced TV Report India 2025, global FAST benchmarks adjusted for India's market (85–92% discount to US equivalents at ₹84/USD), and content-category demand signals from linear TV and YouTube India. Actual CPMs vary by platform, fill source, campaign size, and seasonality. Validate against current IO proposals before using in client plans.
CPM Ranges by Content Category
| Content Category | CPM Range (₹) | Demand Tier | Fill Rate | Primary Advertiser Categories | Planning Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PREMIUM TIER | |||||
| Live Sports | ₹400 – 900 | Premium | 60–80% | FMCG, Auto, BFSI, Beverages | Cricket commands the ceiling. Non-cricket sits at the low end. Direct-sold only above ₹500 — programmatic rarely clears ₹400. |
| News · English | ₹300 – 600 | Premium | 45–65% | BFSI, Auto, B2B, EdTech, Fintech | Higher CPM than Hindi news due to premium advertiser targeting profile. Smaller reach, more valuable per impression. |
| HIGH TIER | |||||
| News · Hindi | ₹250 – 500 | High | 50–70% | FMCG, BFSI, Telecom, Auto | Broadest advertiser demand in India. Primetime (6–10 PM) commands 40–60% premium over run-of-day. |
| Kids | ₹200 – 420 | High | 40–60% | FMCG (food/personal care), Education, Toys | India DPDP Act 2023 limits targeting of minors — buyers pay for contextual placement premium instead. Demand is consistent year-round. |
| General Entertainment (GEC) | ₹200 – 450 | High | 50–70% | FMCG, Consumer Durables, Telecom | Drama serials, reality formats. Zee/Sony/Star catalog FAST performs similarly to their linear equivalents. Strong mid-roll load tolerance. |
| Infotainment / Documentary | ₹200 – 420 | High | 40–60% | BFSI, Auto, EdTech, Travel | Higher-income, educated audience profile commands premium. Under-monetised relative to audience quality — good opportunity for direct buyers. |
| Movies · Hindi | ₹180 – 400 | High | 50–65% | FMCG, Beverages, Consumer Durables | Evergreen demand. Mid-roll load up to 20 min/hr makes per-hour revenue competitive even at mid-range CPMs. |
| Fitness / Yoga / Health | ₹180 – 380 | High | 35–55% | Pharma (OTC), FMCG Personal Care, Health Supplements | CPM is higher than audience size suggests due to strong intent signal. Post-COVID stickiness holds. |
| MEDIUM TIER | |||||
| Cooking / Food | ₹180 – 360 | Medium | 40–60% | FMCG, Kitchen Appliances, Food Delivery | Contextual targeting appeal is high. Consistent demand outside festive peaks. |
| News · Regional | ₹150 – 350 | Medium | 30–55% | FMCG, Regional BFSI, Telecom | Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi attract the most advertiser spend. Bengali and Odia growing but fill rates are lower. Highly variable by language. |
| Movies · Regional | ₹120 – 280 | Medium | 35–55% | FMCG, Consumer Durables (South India) | Tamil and Telugu cinema growing advertiser demand. Malayalam cinema has premium niche audience with low fill competition. |
| Music · Hindi / Bollywood | ₹120 – 280 | Medium | 35–55% | FMCG, Personal Care | Background-viewing behaviour limits engagement metrics. Lower CPM than GEC despite similar audience scale. |
| Comedy / Clip Shows | ₹140 – 280 | Medium | 30–50% | FMCG (volume buyers) | Broad audience, low advertiser specificity. Primarily sold at volume discounts in FMCG programmatic packages. |
| LOW TIER | |||||
| Devotional / Spiritual | ₹80 – 200 | Low–Med | 25–45% | Ayurveda, FMCG, Consumer Health | Highest channel count in India FAST, lowest CPM. Most revenue is direct-sold at scale discounts. Morning (5–8 AM) and evening (7–9 PM) slots significantly outperform run-of-day. |
| Music · Regional / Indie | ₹80 – 180 | Low | 20–40% | FMCG (seasonal only) | Low advertiser demand outside seasonal campaigns. Fill rate is the primary challenge — not the CPM ceiling. |
Ad Formats — What's Supported Where
| Ad Format | Sports | News | GEC / Movies | Kids | Devotional / Music | Where Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Roll (non-skip, 15–30s) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | All FAST apps. Universal format. |
| Pre-Roll (bumper, 6–10s) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | Samsung TV+, JioCinema. Growing for frequency-capped reach extension. |
| Mid-Roll (non-skip, 15–30s) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | All FAST apps. Up to 20 min/hr. Pods of 2–4 spots. Avoided in music/devotional — viewer tolerance is low. |
| Mid-Roll (skippable, after 5s) | Limited | ✗ | Limited | ✗ | ✗ | JioCinema, Zee5 FAST only. Less common on FAST than OTT. |
| Overlay / L-Band | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Samsung TV+, select OEM apps. Static/animated banner on bottom 20% of screen. Lower CPM — used for reach extension. |
| Interactive Mid-Roll (QR Code) | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✗ | ✗ | JioCinema, Samsung TV+. Off-device measurement only. Engagement ~1.5–3% scan rate. |
| Pause Ad | ✗ | ✗ | Limited | ✗ | ✗ | Samsung TV+, JioCinema (select inventory). Appears when viewer pauses. Premium placement — bundled with direct IO. |
| Home Screen Takeover | Not content-specific — placement on OEM home screen regardless of what the viewer watches. | Samsung TV+, LG Channels. Direct-sold. CPM ₹300–500. Separate from in-content buys. | ||||
| Channel Sponsorship | Full-channel or content-block sponsorship. Bought direct — Cost-per-Hour or Cost-per-Day, not CPM. | Samsung TV+, LG Channels, JioCinema. Negotiated individually. | ||||
CPM Multipliers
Apply these as adjustment factors on top of the base category CPM when modelling specific scenarios in the Base Model tab.
| Factor | CPM Impact | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| Primetime (6–10 PM) | +30–50% | All categories. Highest concurrent viewership, strongest fill competition. |
| Morning peak (6–9 AM) | +10–20% | News, Devotional. Smaller but highly engaged, habitual audience. |
| Festive season (Oct–Nov) | +40–80% | All categories. Diwali, Navratri, Dhanteras — FMCG budgets peak sharply. Programmatic floor prices rise across the market. |
| IPL season (Mar–May) | +50–120% on Sports | Sports and News only. Other categories see modest 10–20% lift from general ad market buoyancy. |
| Direct-sold vs programmatic | +40–100% | All categories. Direct IO commands a significant premium over open-market programmatic fill at every tier. |
| Strong contextual match | +20–40% | News (BFSI), Infotainment (Auto/EdTech), Kids (FMCG). Advertisers pay premium when content signal tightly matches their audience. |
| Metro-heavy distribution | +15–30% | Tier 1 city audience profile is more valuable to most national advertisers. Most FAST is distributed nationally — metro skew is difficult to guarantee. |
| Fill rate below 30% | −20–40% | All low-tier categories. Weak programmatic demand means the effective realised CPM drops well below the nominal rate even when fill happens. |
| Regional language (non-Hindi) | −10–30% | Music, Movies, News. Lower advertiser demand pool outside FMCG for most Indian regional languages vs Hindi. |
What India FAST Cannot Do Yet
No cross-app frequency capping
Buying Samsung TV+ and JioCinema simultaneously does not cap frequency across both. Each platform enforces caps independently. Household overexposure is common — this depresses repeat-buy advertiser demand and caps effective fill rates.
No content-level brand safety
India FAST does not uniformly support IAS/DoubleVerify at the content-placement level. Buyers get app-level verification, not scene-level. This suppresses premium programmatic demand — particularly from BFSI and pharma advertisers who require content adjacency controls.
Household vs individual ambiguity
All CTV targeting is household-level (IP address). India's average household size is 4.4 people. A campaign targeting "women 35–50" reaches whoever is in the room. CPMs do not fully account for this — smart buyers apply a discount to claimed audience precision.
No viewability standard on OEM home screen
Home screen ads are rendered directly by the TV OS, not through a browser or JS layer. Standard viewability measurement (VAST/VPAID) does not apply. An impression means served, not confirmed-viewed — unlike in-app mid-roll where VCR is trackable.
Programmatic fill lag vs global markets
India's CTV programmatic ecosystem is 3–5 years behind the US. Most SSPs do not have deep CTV-specific demand. Fill rates below 40% are common on long-tail FAST channels. This is the primary monetisation ceiling for new entrants — not CPM, but fill rate.
Bottom line: The categories with the best monetisation potential are those with strong direct-sales demand (Sports, News, GEC) where fill rate and CPM can both be negotiated directly. Relying on programmatic fill alone for a devotional or regional music channel will not produce a viable FAST revenue business at current India market maturity.
Sources: Pitch Madison Advertising Report 2025 (India CTV market ₹1,500 Cr, 35% YoY growth); MiQ Advanced TV Report India 2025; Storyboard18 / BestMediaInfo CTV reporting (Dec 2025); Ad Age Streaming CPM Analysis 2024 (global FAST $14–35 USD); Mordor Intelligence FAST Market Report (Jan 2026); IAB Tech Lab CTV Ad Portfolio standards; StratPulse TechLabs practitioner benchmarks. India CPM ranges are directional, derived from global benchmarks adjusted for India market conditions (85–92% discount to US equivalents). These are not platform rate cards. Validate against current IO proposals before client use.