# Video Completion Rate Calculator

> Calculate video completion rate as completed views divided by video starts, the drop-off rate, and view rate from impressions.

Category: Marketing analytics · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/video-completion-rate-calculator

Video completion rate is the share of people who started a video and watched it to the end: completed views divided by starts, times 100.

Also called: VCR calculator, Video view-through rate calculator.

## Inputs
- Video starts (default 8000)
- Completed views (default 2600)
- Impressions (default 50000; optional)

## Results
- Completion rate
- Started but did not finish
- View rate (starts ÷ impressions)

## Formula

```
Completion rate = Completed views ÷ Starts × 100;  Drop-off = 100 − Completion rate;  View rate = Starts ÷ Impressions × 100
```

Where:
- Starts: video plays that began (the completion-rate denominator)
- Impressions: times the video was shown (the view-rate denominator)

## Worked example
1. Completion rate = 2,600 ÷ 8,000 × 100 = 32.5%.
2. Drop-off = 100 − 32.5 = 67.5%.
3. View rate = 8,000 ÷ 50,000 × 100 = 16%.

**Result:** 2,600 completions from 8,000 starts is a 32.5% completion rate.

## What the result means

Completion rate falls with length, so compare videos of similar duration. For long videos, quartile retention (25%, 50%, 75%) says more about where viewers leave.

## Assumptions and limits
- Starts and completions come from the same platform report.
- Platforms define a “view” and a “completion” differently (some count 30 seconds as complete), so do not compare rates across platforms directly.

## Questions

### Some platforms divide by impressions. Which is right?

Both exist. Dividing by starts measures the content; dividing by impressions mixes in how many people chose to play. State the denominator when you report it.

## Related calculators
- [Engagement Rate Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/engagement-rate-calculator)
- [Cost Per Mille (CPM) Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cost-per-mille-calculator)
- [Ad Frequency Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ad-frequency-calculator)
- [Percentage Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/percentage-calculator)

Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/video-completion-rate-calculator