Break-Even CPA Calculator
Calculate the maximum CPA you can afford without losing money, and your optimal ad budget. Free, no signup required.
Everything is calculated live in your browser, nothing is sent.
Average amount per order.
Average gross margin after COGS, excluding ads.
Percentage of visitors who purchase.
Total monthly advertising budget.
Maximum cost per acquisition before losing money.
Maximum cost per click to stay profitable given your conversion rate.
Expected orders if you spend your full budget at break-even CPA.
Expected revenue based on budget and break-even CPA.
Estimated net profit after COGS and ads based on budget.
What is break-even CPA
Break-even CPA is the maximum amount you can spend to acquire a customer without losing money on the first order. Above it, every sale costs you money. Below it, you generate immediate profit. It's the starting point of any rational ad budget.
$80 x 30% = $24 maximum CPA
$24 x 2% = $0.48 maximum CPC
$5,000 / $24 = 208 orders (at break-even)
How to calculate your advertising break-even point
Subtract product cost (COGS) and shipping fees from the average order value. This is your unit gross margin, the foundation of any advertising profitability calculation.
Stripe, PayPal or other payment processor fees. Typically between 1.4% and 2.9% + $0.25 per transaction. These fees are often overlooked but significantly impact margins.
Break-even CPA = gross margin - transaction costs - operational costs. This is the maximum amount you can pay to acquire a customer without losing money.
Max CPC = break-even CPA x conversion rate. If your break-even CPA is $30 and your conversion rate is 2%, your maximum CPC is $0.60.
Average break-even CPA by industry (2026)
Median break-even CPA per vertical, calculated from typical average order value and gross margin in each sector. Use it as a first-order acquisition ceiling.
Aggregated and anonymized data from 3000+ Fullmetrix stores. Updated quarterly. Cross-referenced with Meta Ads and Google Ads benchmarks and Fullmetrix customer data.
Frequently asked questions
What is CPA in e-commerce?+
CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) is the average cost to generate an order via advertising. It includes all budget spent on Meta, Google, TikTok or other platforms, divided by the number of attributed orders.
What CPA should I aim for?+
Your CPA should be below your gross margin per order (AOV x margin). Ideally, aim for 60-70% of break-even CPA to keep a safety margin.
Does break-even account for LTV?+
No, this calculator is based on first order only. If you have good repeat purchase rates, you can afford a CPA above the first-order break-even. Use the LTV calculator to compute your maximum CAC including customer lifetime value.
How do I reduce my CPA?+
Improve conversion rate (product page, checkout, speed), test more creatives, cut unprofitable audiences, optimize bids. Going from 2% to 3% conversion mechanically divides your CPA by 1.5.
Is my data saved?+
No. Everything is calculated locally in your browser, nothing is sent.
Should I include fixed costs in the break-even calculation?+
This calculator focuses on per-order advertising break-even (variable costs). For a global break-even including rent, salaries and subscriptions, you need to divide your monthly fixed costs by the number of orders.
How does break-even change with LTV?+
If your customers order multiple times, your real break-even CPA is higher. For example, if average LTV is 3 orders, you can multiply your break-even CPA by 3 to get your maximum acquisition CPA.
Does Fullmetrix calculate break-even automatically?+
Yes. Fullmetrix automatically deducts all 5 cost types (product, shipping, transaction, advertising, operational) and calculates net profit per order, per product and per period.
Related pages
Free tools
ROAS, break-even ROAS and POAS.
Customer lifetime value and max profitable CAC.
Acquisition cost and LTV:CAC ratio.
Gross margin, net margin and markup.
Average order value, target gap and revenue impact.
LTV:CAC ratio, payback period and verdict.
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