CAC payback calculator

CAC payback is how many months a customer takes to repay what it cost to acquire them. Enter your CAC, ARPA and gross margin. Under 12 months is strong; over 18–24 is expensive to fund.

CAC paybacki

12.5 mo

⚠️Acceptable for early-stage (12–18 months); aim to shorten it as you scale.

CAC payback benchmarks

CAC payback = CAC ÷ (ARPA × gross margin). Shorter payback ties up less cash funding growth.

See your full unit economics, not just payback.

The full model checks LTV:CAC, payback, burn multiple and more against stage benchmarks.

Build your full model →

Last updated: June 25, 2026. For information only — not financial advice.