CPC

CPC (cost per click) is the amount an advertiser pays each time someone clicks an ad; impressions cost nothing. In CPC bidding you set a maximum CPC — the most you're willing to pay for a click — and the actual cost is often lower. It is the foundational cost metric of search and most auction-based paid media. Note that some Google Ads formats are shifting billing models: Demand Gen campaigns optimizing for view-through conversions on Discover move from CPC to CPM billing effective July 15, 2026.

Source: support.google.com