Paid Media Breakeven & Goal Calculator
Find the ROAS (or cost-per-client) you need just to break even, set a realistic profit goal on top of it, and see what to expect at different monthly ad-spend levels — no paid-media experience required.
= 66.7% gross margin
Leave at 100% if delivering your service costs little beyond your time. Lower it if you have real delivery costs (contractors, software, materials).
How much profit, on top of covering ad spend, do you want your ads to generate? 20% is a reasonable starting goal for most small businesses.
How we calculate this (e-commerce)
Every $1 you spend on ads needs to bring back $1 ÷ gross margin in revenue just to break even — that’s your Breakeven ROAS. To also pocket a profit buffer on top, multiply that by (1 + your target buffer). Bigger ROAS is better in this mode.
How we calculate this (service business)
Your Breakeven Cost Per Client (CPA) is the most you could ever pay to acquire one client without losing money (deal value × delivery margin). Your Goal CPA is lower — unlike ROAS, lower is better here. The gap between your breakeven number and your goal number is your profit. Cost Per Lead is your CPA multiplied by your close rate.
See what this looks like in practice
Drag the slider (or pick a preset) to see projected results at that monthly ad spend, comparing just breaking even against hitting your goal.
This tool provides simplified estimates for planning purposes only, based on the numbers you enter. Actual advertising performance depends on many factors (platform, targeting, creative, market conditions) and isn’t guaranteed. Use these figures as a starting point for setting goals, not a promise of results.