The CPC workbench
CPC calculator
By Oliver Wakefield-Smith, Digital Signet. Updated July 2026.
One state model, five lenses. Start with clicks-from-budget if you are pricing a month of ads; switch modes as the question changes. Pick an industry to pre-fill the 2026 median CPC and conversion rate.
When to use each mode
Clicks from budget
You have a monthly number in mind and want to know what it buys. The homepage ticket runs this mode. Worked through in the plumber scenario.
Plumber scenarioBudget planner
You know how many clicks or enquiries you need and want the spend that gets there. Clicks x CPC = budget. Worked through in the online-shop scenario.
Online-shop scenarioFind your CPC
You have spend and clicks in a dashboard and want your own number, placed on the 2026 industry band.
Dedicated mode pageMax CPC
You know what a customer is worth and want the most you can afford to bid. Target cost per customer x conversion rate.
Dedicated mode pageBreak-even CPC
The sharpest version of "is my CPC good": the price at which a click stops paying. Profit per customer x conversion rate.
Dedicated mode pageTurning clicks into customers
The conversion-rate band behind the enquiries estimate, documented with the 2026 benchmark it comes from.
Clicks to customers