# Cost Per Acquisition Calculator

> Work out CPA: total campaign cost (media plus fees and creative) divided by conversions, with a media-only CPA for comparing channels.

Category: Marketing analytics · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cost-per-acquisition-calculator

Cost per acquisition is what a campaign cost divided by the conversions it produced. You choose the conversion: a sale, a sign-up or an install.

Also called: CPA calculator, Cost per conversion calculator.

## Inputs
- Media spend (default 8000)
- Other campaign costs (default 2000; optional)
- Conversions (default 125)
- Currency

## Results
- Cost per acquisition
- Total campaign cost
- Media-only CPA

## Formula

```
CPA = (Media spend + Other costs) ÷ Conversions;  Media-only CPA = Media spend ÷ Conversions
```

Where:
- Conversions: the chosen conversion action, counted in the same period (the denominator)

## Worked example
1. Total cost = 8,000 + 2,000 = $10,000.
2. CPA = 10,000 ÷ 125 = $80.
3. Media-only CPA = 8,000 ÷ 125 = $64.

**Result:** A $10,000 campaign that produced 125 conversions has a CPA of $80, or $64 counting media alone.

## What the result means

Compare CPA with the profit one conversion earns. If a sale yields $100 of gross profit, any CPA under $100 is profitable on the first purchase.

## Assumptions and limits
- Each conversion is counted once, under a single attribution model.
- CPA ignores the value of each conversion; two campaigns with the same CPA can bring very different revenue.

## Questions

### How is CPA different from CAC?

CAC counts only new paying customers and usually includes sales costs. CPA can count any conversion and is often limited to campaign costs.

## Related calculators
- [Customer Acquisition Cost Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/customer-acquisition-cost-calculator)
- [Cost Per Lead Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cost-per-lead-calculator)
- [ROAS Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/roas-calculator)
- [Break-even ROAS Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/roas-breakeven-calculator)

Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cost-per-acquisition-calculator