Work out your cost per acquisition, how many conversions a budget will buy, or the budget you need for a target CPA. Then see the highest CPA you can afford, in any currency.
Work out your cost per acquisition, how many conversions a budget will buy, or the budget you need for a target CPA. Then see the highest CPA you can afford, in any currency.
Your CPA, conversions from a budget, or the budget needed for a target CPA.
The tool works out the third instantly. No calculate button needed.
Order value and margin reveal your break-even CPA and the profit each conversion leaves behind.
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A high CPA is not automatically bad. It only matters relative to what a conversion is worth, which is exactly what break-even CPA below tells you.
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Nothing saved yet. Run a calculation and press Save to keep it here, then tick any two to compare them side by side.
Currency for your entered figures defaults to USD and can be changed above with no conversion applied to what you type. Live conversion, when turned on, uses real exchange rates and is shown as an approximate reference, not a guaranteed rate. Rates by ExchangeRate-API, updated once daily. Break-even assumes your close rate holds as spend changes, so treat it as a ceiling rather than a target.
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We plan, run and optimise Google Ads and paid social campaigns that turn clicks into customers, with reporting tied to revenue.
Cost per acquisition is what you spend in advertising to win one customer, lead or sale. It is the clearest measure of campaign efficiency because it skips the vanity metrics and goes straight to the outcome you pay for.
The free CPA calculator above works out your CPA from spend and conversions, the conversions a budget will buy, or the budget needed for a target CPA. Add your order value and margin and it shows your break-even CPA and the profit each conversion leaves behind.
CPA only makes sense next to what a customer is worth. A $90 CPA is excellent for a $2,000 service and ruinous for a $40 product.
CPA = total ad spend ÷ conversions. $2,000 spend that brings 40 sales is a $50 CPA. Break-even CPA = order value × profit margin, so a $150 order at 40% margin can afford up to $60 per sale.
Use the same date range and the same conversion type for spend and conversions.
Your CPA, conversions from a budget, or the budget needed for a target CPA.
Use platform-reported conversions or, better, conversions you can confirm in your CRM or store.
This reveals break-even CPA and the profit or loss on each conversion.
Use the break-even figure to set realistic targets for automated bidding.
Two numbers matter: what each conversion costs you, and what it is worth.
CPA = Total spend / ConversionsBreak-even CPA = Order value x Profit marginProfit per conversion = Break-even CPA - CPAFor subscriptions or repeat buyers, use customer lifetime value instead of a single order value. See the CLV calculator.
A dental clinic runs Meta lead ads for new patient check-ups.
These terms overlap and are often confused in reports. Here is how they differ.
| Metric | Formula | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| CPA (cost per acquisition) | Ad spend / conversions | Day-to-day campaign efficiency |
| CPL (cost per lead) | Ad spend / leads | Lead generation before a sale is made |
| CAC (customer acquisition cost) | All sales and marketing cost / new customers | Business-level unit economics |
| ROAS (return on ad spend) | Revenue / ad spend | Ecommerce campaigns with tracked revenue |
| Break-even CPA | Order value x margin | Setting target CPA bids |
CPA falls when either cost per click drops or conversion rate rises. Conversion rate is usually the bigger lever.
Any CPA below your break-even CPA is profitable. Break-even equals order value times profit margin, or lifetime value times margin for repeat customers.
Divide total ad spend by the number of conversions. $5,000 spend and 100 sales gives a $50 CPA.
CPA usually covers ad spend for one campaign. CAC includes all sales and marketing costs, such as salaries, tools and agency fees, divided by new customers.
A Google Ads and Meta bid strategy where the platform sets bids automatically to get as many conversions as possible at or below the CPA you choose.
Common causes are ad fatigue, rising competition, a landing page change, tracking breaking, or scaling budget too fast.
Yes, if customers buy repeatedly. Subscription businesses often accept a first-order loss because lifetime value covers it.
We plan, run and optimise Google, Meta and LinkedIn campaigns for businesses worldwide, with reporting tied to revenue, not vanity metrics. Our Google Ads management team optimises for CPA. Explore our social media advertising services.