Metrics
CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
Quick definition
Fully-loaded cost to acquire one new customer.
CAC = (Sales + Marketing spend) / New customers acquired. Fully-loaded CAC includes salaries, benefits, tools, and allocated overhead — not just ad spend. Investors evaluate CAC alongside payback period and LTV.
Related metrics terms
ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)
Annualized value of your subscription revenue at a point in time.
MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
Monthly equivalent of ARR, useful for month-over-month tracking.
Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
Revenue from your existing customer base 12 months later, including expansion and churn.
Gross Revenue Retention (GRR)
NRR without upsell — what you keep before expansion.
See this in action
Insights and tools where CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) shows up.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)?
- CAC = (Sales + Marketing spend) / New customers acquired. Fully-loaded CAC includes salaries, benefits, tools, and allocated overhead — not just ad spend. Investors evaluate CAC alongside payback period and LTV.
- Why is CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) important for startups?
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) is a metrics concept that matters for startup founders because it directly affects fundraising readiness, financial decision-making, or operational discipline at the stage where mistakes are expensive to undo. Founders who understand it have a meaningfully easier time in diligence, board meetings, and investor conversations.
- What category does CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) belong to?
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) is a Metrics term in the StartupCFO finance glossary — alongside other metrics concepts that founders, CFOs, and accountants use in daily startup operations and reporting.
- Where can I learn more about CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)?
- Beyond this definition, see the related metrics terms below, or explore StartupCFO's insights and tools that put CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) in context. For specific situations, talk to a fractional CFO who can walk through your numbers.
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