Cost per Acquisition Calculator
First-order payback against lifetime contribution.
Cost per acquisition
$47.92
$35.08 of lifetime contribution
Acquisition costs $23.56 more than the first order contributes, so you are funding the gap until repeat purchase closes it. That works — it is how most subscription businesses grow — but it needs working capital and a repeat rate you have actually measured.
How the Cost per Acquisition Calculator works
Whether acquisition pays back on the first order decides how you can grow. If it does, growth is self-funding. If it does not, you are financing the gap until repeat purchase closes it — which works, but needs working capital and a repeat rate you have actually measured.
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price — check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is cost per acquisition?
Cost per click divided by conversion rate, or total spend divided by new customers. Both give the same figure when measured over the same period.
Should acquisition pay back on the first order?
It is the comfortable position, and it lets you scale without a credit line. Businesses with strong repeat purchase deliberately accept a first-order loss, but they measure the repeat rate rather than assuming it.
What is a good LTV to CAC ratio?
Three to one is the commonly cited benchmark, though it depends on payback period as much as on the ratio. A 5:1 ratio with a three-year payback is worse than 3:1 with a three-month one.
How do I measure repeat rate honestly?
By cohort, following customers acquired in a given month forward. Blended repeat rates flatter you, because they mix mature cohorts with new ones that have not had time to buy again.