CAC Calculator

Calculate customer acquisition cost across marketing channels.

Customer Acquisition Cost

Presets:

Acquisition Investment

Instant calculationPer-customer unit cost

Unit Acquisition Cost

Customer Acquisition Cost

$50.00

Acquiring 160 customers for $8,000.00 requires an average acquisition investment of $50.00 per customer.

Total acquisition spend$8,000.00

New customers acquired160

Formulas & Logic

Transparent mathematical formulas behind this calculation engine.

Customer Acquisition Cost ($)

CAC = Total Acquisition Costs ÷ New Customers Acquired

The average fully blended cost required to win a single new customer.

Worked Example

SaaS Monthly Customer Acquisition ($8k Spend / 160 Customers)

A subscription service spends $8,000.00 across search ads, content marketing, and sales tools, acquiring 160 new paying subscribers.

Given

Total Spend: $8,000.00
New Customers: 160 customers

Calculated

Customer Acquisition Cost: $50.00
Customers Acquired: 160
Total Investment: $8,000.00

Calculation

CAC = $8,000.00 ÷ 160 = $50.00 per customer

Takeaway: The company invested an average of $50.00 to acquire each new paying subscriber.

Methodology & Assumptions

Underlying definitions and operational accounting principles.

Fully Loaded Spend: Includes ad spend, marketing salaries, agency fees, and sales enablement software tools.
New Customers Only: Counts only newly acquired customer accounts, excluding returning or renewed users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Practical answers regarding margins, markups, and pricing strategy.

How is CAC calculated?

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is calculated by dividing total sales and marketing expenditures by the number of new customers acquired during that specific time frame: CAC = Total Acquisition Costs ÷ New Customers Acquired. Ensure the cost and customer metrics cover the identical period.

What is a good Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)?

A sustainable CAC depends on Customer Lifetime Value (LTV). An LTV:CAC ratio of 3:1 or higher is standard for healthy, scalable business growth.

What is the difference between blended CAC and paid CAC?

Blended CAC divides all marketing costs by all new customers (including organic). Paid CAC divides paid ad spend exclusively by customers acquired through paid channels.