Interactive tool · Real niche RPM data

Shorts Break-Even Calculator

See how many Shorts views it actually takes to match your long-form revenue, by niche — using measured RPM data from 274 real channels, not inflated blog estimates.

Before you use this: the source of this data found that optimizing for direct Shorts revenue is the wrong goal in almost every niche.

This calculator shows the direct-revenue math anyway, because it's a useful reality check — then shows you what Shorts are actually good for instead. Full context in our Shorts RPM by niche guide.

Calculator
Midpoint of $0.97–$1.48 measured Shorts RPM range.
Estimated monthly Shorts revenue—
Views needed to match 1,000 long-form views—
🚩 What this number doesn't tell you This is the direct-revenue math only. It does not capture the discovery value of Shorts — the case studies in our guide show channels gaining 33–153% in total revenue from Shorts campaigns that generated almost nothing directly, because the Shorts expanded the audience watching their long-form catalog at full RPM. If the number above looks small, that's expected — it's supposed to. Read the full guide before deciding Shorts aren't worth your time.

Every Short on this site is cut with VidIQ, from real long-form videos

The discovery-first workflow this data supports — 20% off RevID.ai with code THEAIBUILDLAB for the long-form side.

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Methodology

RPM figures sourced to AIR Media-Tech's real YouTube Analytics API data across 274 channels (June 2026) — full methodology and per-niche breakdown in our Shorts RPM by niche guide. Only niches with a directly measured Shorts RPM are included as precise inputs; Education & Science uses the source's own inferred estimate (explicitly labeled), and "General" uses the blended $0.01–$0.10 range from our Shorts monetization guide.

Gaming and Entertainment are deliberately not included as calculator options — the source measured how Shorts affect those niches' long-form RPM, not a standalone Shorts RPM figure, and we won't fabricate one to fill the dropdown. See the full guide for what's actually known about those two niches.