Free online calculator
Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator
Estimate the average sales and marketing cost of acquiring a new customer. Includes a worked example, formula and practical FAQs.
Formula: CAC = (marketing spend + sales spend) ÷ new customers
How to use the Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator
Estimate the average sales and marketing cost of acquiring a new customer. Use costs and new-customer counts with an appropriate attribution window.
Formula
CAC = (marketing spend + sales spend) ÷ new customers.
Worked example
$3,000 marketing spend plus $2,000 sales spend divided by 100 new customers gives $50 CAC.
Interpretation and limitations
New customers must be positive. Count new customers rather than all orders, and consider sales-cycle lag when matching costs to acquisitions.
Customer Acquisition Cost questions
Should salaries and agency fees be included?
Include them when measuring fully loaded CAC. Label the metric if only media spend is included.
How is CAC different from CPA?
CPA can measure the cost of a lead or other action and may cover only advertising spend. CAC focuses on acquiring new customers.
Continue your calculation
For the next step, use the CPA Calculator or the LTV to CAC Ratio Calculator. Review each tool’s input definitions before carrying a result into another calculation.
Frequently asked questions
Is this calculator free?
Yes. It runs in your browser and does not require an account.
How should I use the result?
Use the result as a planning estimate and verify business-critical decisions against your source records.