Formula
CAC = Sales and marketing cost ÷ New customersBlended CAC formula
Customer acquisition cost divides the sales and marketing resources used to acquire customers by the number of new customers acquired. A $12,000 cost and 300 new customers produces a CAC of $40.
Which costs belong in CAC?
For a blended management view, include media, agencies, creative production, acquisition software and the relevant share of sales and marketing payroll. A narrower paid-media CAC can be useful for campaign work, provided it is labeled clearly.
Keep the cohort aligned
Costs incurred this month may create customers next month. Long sales cycles require a cohort or lagged calculation instead of mechanically dividing same-month totals.
Assumptions
- Costs and customer counts cover the same period.
- Only newly acquired customers are counted.
Sources and methodology
CalcMotive publishes the formula and assumptions so you can decide whether the estimate fits your use case. See our methodology standards.