Calculator · 100% free, no signup · Updated May 2026
Which format earns more for your niche.
A free calculator that compares YouTube short-form vs long-form ad revenue using 2026 niche-specific RPM data. Inputs: monthly views, niche, current shorts/long split. Outputs: revenue per format + optimal split recommendation + breakeven analysis for repurposing investment.
Enter monthly views + niche + your shorts-vs-long-form split. The comparator outputs estimated monthly revenue per format using 2026 niche RPM data, plus a projection for the optimal split.
Your channel
2026 RPM data: long-form $12, shorts $0.08 (after YouTube cut)
Shorts revenue / mo
$28
Long-form revenue / mo
$1800
Total monthly ad revenue
$1828
Long-form earns 64.3× per view vs shorts in business / b2b.
Strategy: Shorts are a discovery channel, not a revenue channel. Use them to drive subscribers, then monetize via long-form. Repurposing shorts FROM your long-form is the highest-leverage move.
Who this is for
YouTubers debating whether to invest more in shorts or double down on long-form for revenue.
The problem this solves
YouTube shorts RPM is ~$0.05-0.10. Long-form RPM is ~$3-15 depending on niche. A million shorts views ≈ $50-100. A million long-form views ≈ $3,000-15,000. The comparator forces this math instead of letting view counts mislead you.
YouTube long-form RPM averages $3-15 per 1,000 views across most niches; YouTube Shorts RPM averages $0.05-0.10 — a 30-150× difference per view that view counts alone obscure.
Source: Tubefilter Creator Earnings Report 2024 + YouTube Partner Program disclosures
How to use it
- 01
Monthly views
Total combined views across shorts + long-form.
- 02
Pick niche
15 niches with 2026 RPM data (finance, tech, lifestyle, etc.).
- 03
Current split
What % of views are shorts vs long-form?
- 04
See breakdown
Revenue per format + recommended split for max revenue.
What you get
- ✓ Revenue estimate per format
- ✓ 2026 niche-specific RPM data
- ✓ Optimal split recommendation
- ✓ Breakeven analysis for repurposing investment
Frequently asked
Why is YouTube Shorts RPM so much lower than long-form?
Shorts ad revenue comes from a pooled fund split among all Shorts creators (Creator Pool), not pre-roll/mid-roll ads. The math caps total revenue regardless of how many ads "would have run" on individual views.
Should I stop making Shorts because revenue is low?
No. Shorts are a discovery channel — they drive subscribers who then watch your monetizable long-form. Treat Shorts as a top-of-funnel CAC tool, not a revenue tool.
What's the highest-RPM niche on YouTube?
Finance/investing ($10-25 RPM in US-targeted audiences), B2B/SaaS ($8-15), real estate ($10-20). Lowest: gaming ($2-4), music ($1-3), general lifestyle ($3-6).
How do I increase my long-form RPM?
Target older / higher-income audiences, lengthen videos past 8 minutes (enables mid-roll ads), focus on commercial-intent topics (reviews, "best X" comparisons). Geographic shift toward US/UK/Canada/Germany audiences increases CPM significantly.
What's the right shorts-to-long-form ratio?
Most growing channels publish 4-7 Shorts per 1 long-form video. The optimal split depends on goals: prioritize Shorts during audience-building phase, shift toward long-form once subscriber growth stabilizes.
Related tools
Author + maintainer
Adrian Berisha — Founder of Clipflow. Indie SaaS builder shipping creator tools full-time since 2024. All tools and benchmarks on this page are reviewed quarterly. Last review: May 2026.
@clipflow on X · LinkedIn · hi@clipflow.to
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