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ChatGPT Ads pricing 2026: CPC, CPM and minimum budget, the real numbers

The Perroly team·October 2, 2026·9 min read

“ChatGPT ads pricing” is one of the fastest-rising searches around ChatGPT advertising on Google Trends. No surprise: in eight months the entry ticket dropped from $200,000 to zero, and prices were more than halved. Here is where pricing stands on October 2, 2026, what advertisers actually pay, and how to set a test budget that teaches you something.

Key takeaways

There has been no minimum spend since May 5, 2026: you can test ChatGPT Ads with a few hundred dollars.
Three ways to pay: CPM (per 1,000 impressions), CPC (per click) or conversions. OpenAI recommends starting at $3–5 per click in the US.
Reported US CPCs range from $3 to $22 depending on advertiser and country. Early published French tests sit between €0.51 and €2.
The launch CPM ($60) has fallen to around $25, although some B2B advertisers still paid over $60.
For a usable test, aim for 300–500 clicks: budget $1,500–3,000 in the US over three to four weeks.

Price history: from exclusive club to self-serve

ChatGPT Ads started as a premium platform for very large accounts, then opened to everyone within months. This timeline explains why figures vary so much between articles: they come from different periods.

How ChatGPT Ads pricing changed in 2026

February 9: US launch, around $60 CPM and a $200,000 minimum commitment

Mid-April: CPMs fall as low as $25

May 5: minimum spend removed, cost-per-click bidding introduced

August 24 and 31: Europe opens, then self-serve through Ads Manager

August 31: $1 billion annualized revenue run rate, in under 200 days

The three buying modes and what they cost

In Ads Manager, each campaign picks a buying goal. The final price is set by auction: the more advertisers compete for conversations in your category, the higher it goes.

ChatGPT Ads buying modes

You payBallpark (Oct. 2026)

Views (CPM)Per 1,000 impressionsAround $25; over $60 seen in B2B

Clicks (CPC)Per click$3–5 recommended to start (US)

ConversionsOptimised toward a purchase or leadDepends on your conversion rate

What advertisers actually pay

OpenAI publishes no benchmarks. The only numbers available come from advertisers and agencies who shared their results. Search Engine Journal compiled several in September 2026:

Common Thread Collective (ecommerce, about $9,600 spent): $4.41 average CPC, 0.94% CTR, ROAS between 3.3x and 6.8x depending on attribution model.
Floyd Blaikie (B2B, about CA$7,000): $9.29 CPC, $64.34 CPM, 0.7% CTR; only 5 of 146 identified organizations matched the ideal customer profile.
Synter (about $4,400): $9.89 average CPC, but highly variable by country: $5.10 in the UK, $10.62 in the US, $17.59 in Australia, $22.89 in New Zealand.
Hostinger (about $70,000): CPMs above $65; CTR, more than CPC, was the weak spot.

What about Europe?

European prices are much lower for a simple reason: the platform only opened there on August 24, 2026, and few advertisers compete in the auctions yet. French agency Studio en-tête published the most detailed test: €25 a day, a €0.55 average CPC and a 2.11% CTR over four days. Other public reports (Gamned!, Havas Market) put CPCs between €0.51 and €2 and CPMs around €10–12.

These prices will not last: as advertisers arrive, auctions get pricier. If your category fits, now is the time to test.

How much to plan for a first test

The right question is not “what is the minimum budget?” (there is none) but “how many clicks do I need to conclude?”. Below 300 clicks you cannot tell a real signal from noise. The formula:

Test budget = target clicks × expected CPC

300–500clicks for a usable test

$3–10typical US CPC

$1.5–3ksuggested US test budget

3–4 wksminimum duration

Is ChatGPT Ads expensive compared with Google Ads?

In the US, the average Google Ads (Search) CPC is $5.42 across industries according to LocaliQ × WordStream. ChatGPT Ads sits in the same range, or above it for B2B. The difference lies in when the ad appears: often after several exchanges, once the user has described their need in detail. The click can therefore be worth more, or much less if the landing page does not follow through. We compare both platforms in detail in ChatGPT Ads vs Google Ads.

Where Perroly fits

ChatGPT Ads campaigns are run in OpenAI’s Ads Manager. Perroly lets you compare their cost with your other platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat) from the Ads module, and automatically answer the Instagram and Facebook messages this traffic generates with messaging automations.

To launch your first campaign step by step, read our complete ChatGPT Ads guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum budget to advertise on ChatGPT?

There has been none since May 5, 2026. Early European testers started at €25 a day.

What is the average CPC on ChatGPT Ads?

In the US, $3 to $22 depending on advertiser and country (Search Engine Journal, September 2026). Early published French tests show €0.51 to €2.

What is the CPM on ChatGPT Ads?

About $60 at launch in February 2026, around $25 since spring. Some B2B advertisers paid over $60.

Can you pay per click on ChatGPT Ads?

Yes, cost-per-click bidding has existed since May 2026. OpenAI recommends a starting bid of $3–5 per click in the US.

Why are ChatGPT Ads cheaper in Europe?

Because the platform only opened there in late August 2026, so few advertisers compete in the auctions yet. Prices should rise with competition.