See what a healthy marketing budget looks like based on your revenue — then check it against what it'll actually cost to hit your customer acquisition goals.
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Recommended monthly budget (revenue-based)
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Spend required to hit your acquisition goal
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Difference
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Implied CAC at the revenue-based budget
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There are two honest ways to size a marketing budget: work backward from a percentage of revenue, or work forward from how many customers you actually need and what each one costs to acquire. This calculator runs both at once, so you can see whether a simple revenue-based rule of thumb actually lines up with your growth goals — or whether one of them needs to move.
What percentage of revenue should I spend on marketing? It varies by stage. Established businesses often spend around 5-12% of revenue, while growth-focused or early-stage companies frequently spend 12-20% or more to build momentum, funded by outside capital rather than current profit.
What is customer acquisition cost (CAC)? It's the average amount you spend on marketing to win one new customer — total spend divided by new customers gained in that period.
What if my two numbers don't match? If the goal-based number is higher than the revenue-based one, hitting your customer targets will cost more than a typical percentage-of-revenue rule allows — meaning you'll need a lower CAC, more revenue, or outside funding. If it's lower, your revenue-based budget has room to spare, or you could aim for more customers with it.
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