CAC Calculator
Calculate your customer acquisition cost from marketing and sales spend plus new customers.
Customer acquisition cost
$100
You spent $100 to acquire each new customer.
CAC = $15,000 ÷ 150 = $100
How to Use the CAC Calculator
- 1Enter your total marketing and sales spend for the period.
- 2Enter the number of new paying customers acquired in that period.
- 3See your cost per customer instantly.
A $100 CAC means every new customer costs you $100 in combined marketing and sales spend.
Lower your CAC by converting more traffic
Every extra visitor you convert without raising ad spend lowers your acquisition cost. WiserNotify shows real-time purchases, reviews, and visitor activity so more of today’s traffic turns into paying customers.
What is a good CAC?
There isn’t one number that works for everyone. A healthy CAC is one that fits your margins and your repeat-purchase economics. The main factors to weigh:
- Customer lifetime value and repeat-purchase rate
- Average order value and contribution margin
- Channel mix (organic, paid, referral, partnerships)
- Payback period you can tolerate before CAC is recovered
- Growth stage — early acquisition is almost always more expensive
A common reference point is a CLV:CAC ratio of around 3:1 — meaning each customer is worth roughly three times what you spent to acquire them. Use it as a sanity check, not a rulebook.
CAC vs CPA
They sound alike and get mixed up often, but they measure different things.
CAC
Cost per paying customer
Measures the full cost of winning a customer who actually paid.
CPA
Cost per action
Measures cost per any defined action — a lead, signup, or trial.
Use CAC to judge the economics of your business. Use CPA to compare individual campaigns and ad sets. Comparing the two directly will make your acquisition cost look smaller than it really is.
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Use toolROAS Calculator
Measure the campaign-level efficiency behind the acquisition spend you just totalled.
Use toolConversion Rate Calculator
Lift conversion rate and your CAC drops without raising a dollar of ad spend.
Use toolMarketing Budget Calculator
Plan how acquisition spend fits inside your broader marketing budget.
Use toolFrequently asked questions
What is a good CAC?
There's no universal number. A healthy CAC is one that is clearly lower than the lifetime value of the customer it brings in. A common reference is a CLV:CAC ratio of around 3:1, but the right target depends on your margins, payback period, and growth stage.
What's the difference between CAC and CPA?
CAC is cost per acquired paying customer. CPA is cost per action — and that action is often a lead, signup, or trial, not a paying customer. CPA will almost always look smaller than CAC. Choose which one you're measuring and compare like with like.
What costs should I include in CAC?
Everything you spend to acquire new customers: ad spend, sales and marketing salaries, agency and freelancer fees, marketing software, affiliate payouts, content production, and events. Exclude costs tied to retaining existing customers.
How does CAC relate to customer lifetime value (CLV)?
CLV tells you how much a customer is worth over time. CAC tells you how much you paid for them. If CAC approaches or exceeds CLV, growth is unprofitable even when revenue looks healthy. Track the CLV:CAC ratio alongside the raw numbers.
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