Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator
How much does it cost to acquire a new customer? This calculator shows your CAC across different marketing channels — and whether you're spending profitably.
Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator
How much does it really cost to win each customer?
Ads, content, software, agency fees
Salaries, commissions, CRM, tools
Each new customer costs $150.00 to acquire. Aim for a 3:1 LTV-to-CAC ratio — meaning each customer should be worth at least $450.00 over their lifetime.
This is a simple blended CAC calculation. For channel-specific CAC, calculate each marketing channel separately. Include all costs directly tied to acquisition: ad spend, salaries, software, creative production, and agency fees.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate customer acquisition cost (CAC)?+
CAC = Total sales & marketing cost ÷ Number of new customers acquired. Example: $10,000 in ads + $5,000 in salaries = $15,000 total cost. 100 new customers acquired. CAC = $150. Compare to customer lifetime value (LTV) — aim for LTV:CAC of 3:1 or higher.
What is a good customer acquisition cost?+
It depends on your LTV. If a customer is worth $1,000 over their lifetime, a $300 CAC (3:1 LTV:CAC) is healthy. If LTV is $200, a $300 CAC means you lose money on every customer. Industry averages: SaaS ($200-500), e-commerce ($10-50), services ($100-1,000).
How do I lower my customer acquisition cost?+
Strategies: (1) Improve conversion rate (A/B test landing pages). (2) Optimize ad targeting. (3) Invest in organic content/SEO (higher upfront, lower long-term). (4) Referral programs. (5) Email marketing to warm leads. (6) Retarget abandoned visitors.
How do I calculate customer acquisition cost (CAC)?
CAC = Total sales & marketing cost ÷ Number of new customers acquired. Example: $10,000 in ads + $5,000 in salaries = $15,000 total cost. 100 new customers acquired. CAC = $150. Compare to customer lifetime value (LTV) — aim for LTV:CAC of 3:1 or higher.
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