GRP Calculator 2026
Calculate Gross Rating Points for TV, Radio & Media Advertising
Based on Nielsen advertising standards
📋 Table of Contents
What is GRP? The Meaning of GRP
📺 Gross Rating Points Explained
GRP (Gross Rating Points) is a metric used in advertising and media planning to measure the size of an advertising campaign's audience exposure. It represents the total number of impressions delivered as a percentage of the target population, accounting for both reach (how many people saw the ad) and frequency (how many times they saw it).
For example, 100 GRPs could mean reaching 100% of your target audience once, or reaching 50% of your audience twice, or reaching 25% of your audience four times. GRPs are widely used in traditional media (TV, radio, outdoor) and increasingly in digital advertising.
GRP Calculator
Calculate GRP from Reach & Frequency
Calculate GRP from Impressions
Find Required Reach or Frequency
How to Calculate GRP in Advertising
The GRP Calculation Formula
GRP from Impressions
Finding Required Frequency
Calculating Impressions from GRP
- Determine Your Target Audience: Define who you want to reach (e.g., Adults 18-49 in a specific market).
- Measure Reach: Calculate what percentage of your target audience was exposed to your ad at least once.
- Calculate Frequency: Determine the average number of times each reached person saw your ad.
- Multiply for GRPs: GRP = Reach (%) × Average Frequency.
- Evaluate Campaign: Compare GRPs to benchmarks and optimize reach/frequency balance.
GRP Examples & Campaign Planning
📝 Example 1: National TV Campaign
Scenario: A car brand runs a 4-week TV campaign.
- Target Audience: Adults 25-54
- Reach: 75% of target audience
- Average Frequency: 6 times
GRP = 75 × 6 = 450 GRPs
This is a strong campaign that reaches 3/4 of the target with solid frequency.
📝 Example 2: Local Radio Campaign
Scenario: A local restaurant advertises on radio.
- Total Impressions: 500,000
- Target Population: 250,000 (local market adults)
GRP = (500,000 ÷ 250,000) × 100 = 200 GRPs
This could be 100% reach × 2 frequency, or 50% reach × 4 frequency, etc.
GRP Benchmarks by Media Type
| Media Type | Low Campaign | Medium Campaign | Heavy Campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network TV | 50-100 GRPs/week | 100-200 GRPs/week | 200-400+ GRPs/week |
| Cable TV | 25-75 GRPs/week | 75-150 GRPs/week | 150-300 GRPs/week |
| Radio | 50-100 GRPs/week | 100-200 GRPs/week | 200-400 GRPs/week |
| Out-of-Home | 25 showing | 50 showing | 100 showing |
| Digital Video | 50-100 GRPs | 100-250 GRPs | 250-500+ GRPs |
GRP vs TRP
| Metric | GRP (Gross Rating Points) | TRP (Target Rating Points) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Total audience impressions as % of total population | Target audience impressions as % of target demo |
| Audience | Entire population (e.g., all adults) | Specific target (e.g., Women 25-54) |
| Use Case | Broad reach campaigns | Targeted demographic campaigns |
| Calculation | Reach % × Frequency (total pop) | Reach % × Frequency (target only) |
| TRPs are always... | ≤ GRPs (TRPs are a subset of GRPs) | |
Related Advertising Metrics
| Metric | Formula | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CPP (Cost Per Point) | Total Cost ÷ GRPs | Cost to reach 1% of target audience once |
| CPM (Cost Per Mille) | (Cost ÷ Impressions) × 1000 | Cost per 1,000 impressions |
| Reach | Unique Viewers ÷ Target Pop | % of target exposed at least once |
| Frequency | Total Impressions ÷ Unique Viewers | Average exposures per person reached |
| Share of Voice | Your GRPs ÷ Total Category GRPs | Your ad presence vs. competitors |
Official Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
GRP stands for Gross Rating Points, a metric measuring total advertising exposure. It equals Reach (% of target audience) multiplied by Frequency (average times they saw the ad). 100 GRPs means reaching 100% of your audience once, or 50% twice, etc.
GRP = Reach × Frequency. If your campaign reaches 60% of your target audience an average of 5 times, GRP = 60 × 5 = 300 GRPs. Alternatively, GRP = (Total Impressions ÷ Target Population) × 100.
It depends on goals. For brand awareness, 150-300+ weekly GRPs is typical. For new product launches, 400-600+ GRPs weekly may be needed. Established brands may maintain with 100-200 weekly. Compare to competitors and past campaigns.
GRP measures against the total population (e.g., all adults). TRP (Target Rating Points) measures only your specific target demographic (e.g., Women 25-54). TRPs are always ≤ GRPs since they're a subset.
Yes, absolutely. GRP = Reach × Frequency, so 50% reach × 4 frequency = 200 GRPs. Heavy TV campaigns often exceed 400-800 GRPs for a flight. Reach can't exceed 100%, but GRPs can go much higher with frequency.
CPP = Total Ad Cost ÷ GRPs delivered. It tells you how much it costs to reach 1% of your target audience once. CPP varies widely by market size, daypart, and network. Major market primetime TV can be $1,000-$50,000+ per point.
GRP is the product of reach and frequency, but the same GRPs can be achieved different ways. 300 GRPs could be 60% reach × 5 frequency (broad but light) or 30% reach × 10 frequency (narrow but heavy). The right mix depends on campaign goals.
Yes, increasingly. Digital Video GRPs (or iGRPs) are now standard for YouTube, streaming, and OTT. They help compare digital to TV investments. Nielsen and Comscore offer digital GRP measurement alongside traditional media.
Effective frequency is the minimum number of exposures needed for an ad to have impact (often cited as 3-7 times). Some exposure below this may be "wasted." Media planners optimize to maximize reach at effective frequency rather than just total GRPs.
Impressions = (GRPs ÷ 100) × Target Population. If you have 300 GRPs against a target of 10 million adults, that's (300 ÷ 100) × 10,000,000 = 30,000,000 impressions.
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Last Updated: January 2026