CPA tells you how much it costs to acquire a customer or desired conversion. It is a key metric for Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Reddit Ads, SEO, retargeting, and full-funnel lead generation. This calculator helps connect spend to actual outcomes.
What this calculator does
Calculate cost per acquisition using total spend and acquired customers or conversions.
How to use it
Enter media spend, management cost, and the number of acquisitions. Optionally include average customer value and margin to compare CPA with revenue and profit.
Formula and assumptions
- Media-only CPA = media spend ÷ acquisitions.
- Total CPA = (media spend + management cost) ÷ acquisitions.
- Profit after CPA = gross profit per customer − total CPA.
Assumptions
- Use customer acquisitions when possible; if using leads or conversions, label the metric clearly.
- Include management costs when evaluating business profitability.
- CPA should be compared against gross profit per customer, not just revenue.
How to interpret your result
CPA should be evaluated against customer value and margin. A $300 CPA can be too high for one business and highly profitable for another.
Next steps
Lower acquisition cost
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