Earn side · what creators are paid
Newsletter sponsorship rates
By Oliver Wakefield-Smith · updated July 2026
The short answer
There is no published industry-standard newsletter CPM, and anyone quoting one is negotiating with you. The honest pricing method is comparable listings: marketplaces like Paved show what newsletters of your size and niche actually list for. Anchor there, then charge for the engagement your stats can prove.
The quoting math
issue price = subscribers ÷ 1,000 × your CPM
12,000 ÷ 1,000 × $20 chosen CPM = $240 per issue
12,000 ÷ 1,000 × $35 chosen CPM = $420 per issue
The CPMs here are quoting inputs you choose after checking comparables, not benchmarks; this site publishes none for newsletters because none exists.
Decide your denominator before the sponsor does. Quoting per subscriber is standard and favors you; a sophisticated buyer will counter-compute per open (their math, worked). A list with strong verifiable opens should volunteer the per-open number: it turns your engagement into the premium instead of a discount discovered later.
What moves you above your comparables
- Niche purchasing power. A list of 5,000 procurement leads outbills 50,000 general readers; sponsors buy buyers.
- Provable engagement. Open and click screenshots beat adjectives. Expect to be asked; ask yourself first.
- Scarcity. One sponsor slot per issue sells the exclusivity a roadblock buyer wants; three slots sell cheaper each.
- Format. A dedicated send prices far above an embedded placement; price them as different products.
Flat fee or CPM?
Quote flat, compute CPM privately. Sponsors compare newsletters in CPM terms whether you like it or not, so know where your flat fee lands per thousand (run it in the calculator) and make sure the number survives contact with your marketplace comparables. Adjacent seller markets: podcast income and blog display RPM.