Customer Acquisition Cost Formula:
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Definition: This calculator determines the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) for SaaS businesses by dividing total acquisition costs by the number of customers acquired.
Purpose: It helps SaaS companies measure the effectiveness of their marketing and sales efforts by calculating how much it costs to acquire each customer.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: The total marketing and sales costs are divided by the number of new customers gained during the same period.
Details: CAC is a critical SaaS metric that helps businesses understand their marketing efficiency, profitability, and scalability potential.
Tips: Enter your total marketing and sales costs (including salaries, ads, tools) and the number of customers acquired during the same period. All values must be > 0.
Q1: What costs should be included in CAC?
A: Include all marketing and sales expenses: advertising, salaries, tools, commissions, and overhead allocated to customer acquisition.
Q2: What's a good CAC for SaaS?
A: It varies by industry, but generally CAC should be less than 1/3 of customer lifetime value (LTV). Benchmark is typically $1-$1000+ depending on product price.
Q3: Should I calculate CAC monthly or annually?
A: Both are useful. Monthly CAC helps track short-term trends, while annual CAC smooths out seasonal variations.
Q4: How does CAC differ from CPA?
A: CAC includes all acquisition costs, while CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) often refers specifically to advertising costs per customer.
Q5: What if my CAC is too high?
A: Consider improving conversion rates, targeting higher-value customers, reducing ad spend, or increasing organic acquisition channels.