CPM (cost per mille) is the price paid for one thousand ad impressions—counted when the ad starts playing, regardless of how much the viewer watches. CPV (cost per view) charges when the viewer has watched a defined minimum—typically three seconds or longer. CPCV (cost per completed view) charges only when the viewer watches the entire ad from start to finish without skipping. Each metric defines a different point at which an advertiser pays, and each exposes the buyer to different risks.
In India CTV, CPM is the dominant buying metric for non-skippable formats because non-skippable ads guarantee completion anyway—making CPCV and CPM functionally equivalent for those formats. CPV is more common on skippable formats like YouTube TrueView, where many viewers skip before the full ad plays. CPCV is preferred by performance-oriented advertisers on skippable inventory who only want to pay when the full message has been delivered. For a 30-second skippable pre-roll, CPCV pricing means you pay nothing if the viewer skips at five seconds—which can significantly improve budget efficiency on platforms with high skip rates.
When to use each metric
- CPM: Best for non-skippable inventory where completion is guaranteed; simplest for planning and comparison across publishers
- CPV: Appropriate for skippable formats where you want to pay only for minimum engagement; common on YouTube CTV buys through Google Ads
- CPCV: Preferred for performance brands that need the full message delivered; effective for longer-form ads (30–60 seconds) on skippable placements
To convert between metrics: if a platform reports a 70% completion rate on CPM inventory, your effective CPCV is approximately CPM divided by 0.70. This allows cross-metric comparison when planning across publishers with different buying models.
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: CPM vs CPV vs CPCV: which metric matters most for India CTV buying?