How the B2B customer acquisition cost calculator works
B2B customer acquisition cost measures the resources spent to win a new paying account. Paid advertising is only one part of that cost. Sales salaries, commissions, campaign labour and acquisition tools can be substantial, particularly when buyers need several conversations before signing. This calculator separates those categories before combining them into blended CAC.
Marketing-only cost per customer is shown as a comparison, not a replacement. It helps expose the difference between a narrow campaign measure and the fuller cost of acquisition. Customers are counted as accounts here; adding users to an existing account is expansion rather than a new logo.
Blended CAC = (marketing acquisition costs + sales acquisition costs + other acquisition costs) ÷ new paying customers
Worked example
Start with the example inputs below. The calculator opens with these values; reset the example at any time to compare your own scenario. Monetary examples use GBP, and all amounts must use the same currency.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Marketing acquisition spend | 20000 |
| Sales acquisition spend | 30000 |
| Other acquisition spend | 5000 |
| New paying customers | 25 |
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Blended customer acquisition cost | £2,200.00 |
| Total acquisition spend | £55,000.00 |
| Marketing-only cost per customer | £800.00 |
Blended CAC includes acquisition sales costs. Align spend with the cohort it generated when your sales cycle crosses periods.
How to use the result
Choose cost allocation rules with the teams responsible for the budget. Include acquisition work while excluding renewal and support work when the aim is new-logo CAC. Avoid entering a shared tool or employee allocation in both sales and other costs.
For long sales cycles, align spend with the cohort it generated. This month's wins may come from last quarter's investment. Use a longer rolling window or a cohort approach before drawing conclusions from a single quiet or unusually successful month.
Assumptions and common mistakes
Blended averages hide channel and segment differences. Separate enterprise acquisition from self-service acquisition when their economics diverge. The tool does not determine accounting treatment, model cash timing or include expansion revenue. It requires at least one new paying customer for a finite result.