CPA Calculator (Cost Per Action)
How much does it cost to acquire one customer or lead? Calculate your Cost Per Action (CPA) or CAC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between CPA and CAC?
CPA (Cost Per Action) is the cost for any action (e.g., ebook download, registration). CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) is the cost to acquire a paying customer. If you have an e-shop, CPA = CAC (usually). In B2B, you need multiple leads (higher CPA) to get one customer (high CAC).
How to lower CPA?
You have two levers: 1. Lower Cost Per Click (CPC) – better targeting, cheaper channels. 2. Increase Conversion Rate – better landing page, faster website. Increasing conversion rate by 10% lowers your CPA by 10%.
What is a good CPA?
It depends on your margin. A good CPA should be significantly lower than your profit per customer. For e-commerce with 40% margin and $100 AOV, your maximum CPA is $40. Ideally, aim for CPA below 20-30% of order value to leave room for other costs.
Why it matters
CPA is the fundamental metric for performance marketing. If your CPA is higher than customer profit,
you lose money on every conversion. Many marketers focus only on clicks or impressions, but CPA tells
you the real cost of business results.
Understanding CPA helps you set realistic budgets, negotiate with agencies, and compare channel efficiency.
It's the first step toward profitable marketing.