Kelpi

CAC Calculator

Calculate customer acquisition cost from ad spend, other marketing costs, and new customers so the number reflects more than media spend alone.

CAC calculator

Calculate customer acquisition cost from ad spend, other marketing spend, and new customers.

Customer acquisition cost

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CAC = (ad spend + other marketing spend) / new customers

Compare CAC with gross margin, payback period, retention, and customer value before you decide how much budget it can support.

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Formula

Customer acquisition cost, defined.

CAC measures the average marketing cost required to acquire one new customer over the period you enter. It is clearer when you include the surrounding costs that helped create the customers.

CAC = (ad spend + other marketing spend) / new customers

Worked example

From marketing spend to CAC.

If you spent $600 on ads, $400 on other marketing, and acquired 25 new customers, the math is 1,000 divided by 25. The result is a $40.00 CAC.

How to read this result

Read CAC beside payback and margin.

CAC needs customer value, gross margin, and payback context. A higher CAC can work with strong retention or large orders, while a lower CAC can still be a problem if the customers do not pay back.

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FAQ
What should I include in other marketing spend?
Include costs that help acquire the customers in the period, such as contractors, tools, agency fees, or creative production.
Why include spend outside ads?
Ads rarely work alone. CAC is clearer when it includes the surrounding marketing costs that helped create the customers.

Related: Break-even ROAS calculator

Related: Free account audit

More free tools: the full Kelpi toolbox