Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator
Calculate CAC from total sales and marketing spend divided by new customers acquired.
What is Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator?
The customer acquisition cost (CAC) calculator measures how much you spend to acquire each new customer, plus how long it takes to pay back.
Formula
CAC = total sales + marketing spend / new customers acquired. Payback = CAC / monthly revenue per customer.
Worked example
Spent $50k, acquired 100 customers: CAC = $500. Each pays $50/month: payback in 10 months.
How to use this calculator
- Enter total acquisition spend and customers acquired in same period.
- Optional: monthly ARPU for payback calculation.
Frequently asked questions
What's a "good" CAC?
Depends on industry. SaaS: ideally CAC payback under 12 months. E-commerce: under 6 months. CAC should be under 1/3 of customer lifetime value.
Should I include all marketing or just paid ads?
For total CAC, include sales salaries, marketing spend, marketing tools, content marketing costs, and any other acquisition expense. For paid CAC, just paid acquisition channels.
CAC vs CPL?
CPL (cost per lead) is cost per inquiry/signup. CAC is cost per actual customer. Conversion rate ties them: CAC = CPL / conversion rate.
How is CAC different in B2B vs B2C?
B2B has much higher CAC (long sales cycles, sales team), often $1,000–$50,000+. B2C is usually $1–$500. Both should still satisfy CAC <= 1/3 LTV.