How much does it cost to advertise on Sky TV?
Advertising on Sky TV starts from around £3,000 in media spend using Sky AdSmart. You're charged roughly 5p per view and only pay when at least 75% of your ad is watched — so a small, tightly targeted campaign is genuinely affordable, while a broad, longer campaign costs more.
For years, TV advertising meant six-figure budgets and national airtime. Sky AdSmart changed that. Because you choose exactly which households see your ad, you're not paying to reach the whole country — just the people who matter to your business. Here's how the costs actually break down.
The short answer: minimum spend
A targeted Sky AdSmart campaign typically starts from around £3,000. At that entry level you might expect in the region of 60,000 views across roughly 5,000 households, depending on how tightly you target and where. It's the point at which a local or regional business can run a real TV campaign.
How Sky AdSmart pricing works
AdSmart is priced on a cost-per-view basis rather than by traditional airtime slots:
- Around 5p per view. Your budget buys a number of views to your chosen audience.
- You only pay when it's watched. A view counts only when at least 75% of your ad is seen at normal speed — so fast-forwarded or skipped ads don't cost you.
- Your budget sets your reach. A bigger budget, broader targeting or a longer flight means more views; tighter targeting means fewer, more relevant ones.
What affects the total cost?
| Factor | Effect on cost |
|---|---|
| Audience size | The more households you target, the more views — and the higher the spend. |
| Targeting tightness | Very specific targeting reaches fewer homes, which can lower media cost but raise relevance. |
| Campaign length | Longer flights (e.g. 4+ weeks) accumulate more views and cost more. |
| Region | Some areas and audiences are in higher demand than others. |
| Ad production | A separate cost — see below. |
Don't forget production
The figures above are media spend — the cost of airing your ad. You'll also need the ad