Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Calculator
Works out what it costs to win a customer, across all channels and on paid channels alone.
Share sends a link that reopens these numbers. Copy details pastes the full breakdown as a list.
The formula
blended CAC = total sales and marketing cost ÷ all new customers paid CAC = paid spend ÷ customers from paid channels
Paid CAC here counts only the media spend, so it leaves out salaries. Some teams add the cost of running paid channels, so check which version you are comparing with.
What to watch out for
Use spend and customers from the same period. If your sales cycle is long, match spend to the customers it produced, such as last quarter’s spend against this quarter’s customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate CAC?
Divide sales and marketing cost by new customers. 30,000 for 100 customers is a blended CAC of 300.00.
What is the difference between blended and paid CAC?
Blended counts everyone who joined, including referrals and organic sign-ups. Paid counts only paid spend and customers. 12,000 of paid spend winning 30 customers is a paid CAC of 400.00.
Should salaries be included?
Yes, in blended CAC. Sales and marketing pay is usually a large part of the real cost of winning customers, and leaving it out makes CAC look lower than it is.