Mode 4 of 5
Max CPC calculator
By Oliver Wakefield-Smith, Digital Signet. Updated July 2026.
The most you can afford per click is your target cost per customer multiplied by your conversion rate. This mode runs the formula in reverse: value in, affordable bid out.
The worked example
Worked slip
If one click in 12.5 becomes a customer, a £3.20 click costs £40 per customer on average. Bid more and the customer costs more than your target. If you do not know your conversion rate, the 2026 cross-industry search average is 8.18% LocaliQ, 2026 data; replace it with your own as soon as you have data.
One naming collision to avoid
Google Ads has a bid setting also called max CPC: the ceiling you enter against a keyword. This calculator computes what that ceiling should be. The auction then charges an actual CPC at or under your setting, usually less, because you pay only enough to beat the ad rank below you. Google Ads Help, 2026 data
Related reading: actual CPC vs max CPC, CPC vs CPA, and bidding strategies.