OpenAI is replacing the maximum bids in ChatGPT Ads with average cost targets: Target CPA for conversion campaigns and Target CPC for click campaigns. A maximum bid capped what you'd pay for each click or conversion. A target is the average you're aiming for, and the system can bid above or below it in any single auction. This guide covers what changed, the dates that matter and how to choose a first target, including when you have no results yet. The details come from OpenAI's email to advertisers, as reported by Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Roundtable.
What changed
| Campaign type | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks | Max CPC: the most you'd pay for one click | Target CPC: the average you aim to pay per click |
| Conversions | Max Bid: the most you'd bid for one conversion | Target CPA: the average you aim to pay per conversion |
| Automatic bidding | Maximize results | Intelligent bidding (renamed) |
Two things stay the same. You still choose what you're charged for, such as a click, separately from what you optimise for, so a Target CPA campaign can still be billed per click. And the price you pay is still set by the auction.
The dates
- 9 November 2026: new conversion campaigns in Ads Manager use Target CPA, and new click campaigns can choose Target CPC. Existing campaigns keep their maximum bids for now and can be switched.
- 18 November 2026: for tools that create campaigns through OpenAI's API, a value sent in the old maximum bid field becomes an average target, not a cap.
- 1 January 2027: Max Bid and Max CPC retire. Campaigns still using them move to cost targets.
Switch before January rather than waiting: you choose the target yourself instead of having one set for you.
How to set your first target
OpenAI's advice is to base each target on your recent actual cost per conversion or cost per click (OpenAI's bidding guide has the details). That works once a campaign has run for a few weeks. For a new campaign, work it out instead:
- Start from an expected cost per click. Use the planning range for your industry in the ChatGPT Ads cost calculator: ecommerce sits at the low end, B2B software, finance and legal at the high end.
- For a click campaign, that's your Target CPC. Aim for the middle of the range rather than the bottom.
- For a conversion campaign, divide the cost per click by your landing page's conversion rate. At 2.50 a click and a 2% conversion rate, the starting Target CPA is 2.50 ÷ 0.02 = 125.
- Check the budget gives every ad group enough clicks to learn from. Around 100 clicks per ad group is a common rule of thumb.
- After two to three weeks, compare each ad group's actual cost with its target, and move the target toward what you're actually paying.
Set the target per conversation theme
A single target for a whole campaign hides the fact that different conversations cost different amounts. Someone comparing options early in their research clicks for different reasons than someone close to buying. When each ad group covers one conversation theme, its results tell you what that kind of conversation costs, and you can set or adjust each target on its own evidence. That's the case for building campaigns around conversation themes.
Mistakes to avoid
- Setting the target below what you're paying today in the hope of paying less. OpenAI warns that restrictive targets can reduce delivery and leave budget unspent.
- Using Target CPA without a working conversion signal. Check that the pixel or Conversions API sends the event your campaign optimises for before you switch.
- Treating the target as a cap. Individual clicks will cost more than the target. Judge it on the average over a week or more, not single days.
- Changing targets every day. Give each change time to show its effect before the next one.
Questions
- What is the difference between Max CPC and Target CPC?
- Max CPC caps every bid: you never pay more than it for a click. Target CPC is an average: the system can bid above or below it in each auction, aiming for your target across all your clicks. So a single click can cost more than your Target CPC, but the average should land near it.
- When do maximum bids stop working in ChatGPT Ads?
- OpenAI told advertisers that Max Bid and Max CPC retire on 1 January 2027. From 9 November 2026 new conversion campaigns use Target CPA and click campaigns can use Target CPC. Existing campaigns keep their maximum bids until the retirement date unless you switch them sooner.
- What should my first Target CPA be?
- With results, use your recent average cost per conversion from Ads Manager, which is what OpenAI recommends. Without results, divide an expected cost per click by your landing page's conversion rate: at 2.50 a click and a 2% conversion rate, that's 125 per conversion. Start near that figure rather than below it, then adjust once you have a few weeks of data.
- Can a cost target be too low?
- Yes. OpenAI warns that restrictive targets, or a weak conversion signal from the pixel or Conversions API, can reduce delivery and leave budget unspent. If spend stays well under budget, raise the target toward what you're actually paying.
By Refract team · Published 11 November 2026