On non-skippable inventory such as connected TV, 95 to 98 percent completion is normal and anything lower signals a delivery problem. On skippable YouTube in-stream, a 15 to 35 percent view rate (views past 30 seconds or to the end) is the working range. In social feeds, judge on 3-second and 15-second hold rates rather than completion, since most viewers scroll past.
What moves it
Completion on skippable placements is a creative metric: the hook, the length, and how early the point lands. On non-skippable placements it measures the platform. Compare completion within one placement type only.
YouTube benchmarks, September 17, 2026
| CPV (skippable in-stream) | $0.03 to $0.10 in most markets; higher for narrow audiences |
| CPM (non-skippable, bumper, Shorts) | $8 to $20 depending on targeting and reservation |
| View rate (skippable) | 15 to 35 percent; creative-dependent |
Sources and every other channel: YouTube benchmarks.
Cite this page:
Agency Echelon. "What is a good video completion rate?" Agency Echelon Reference, reviewed September 2026. https://agencyechelon.com/reference/questions/what-is-a-good-video-completion-rate/