Customer Lifetime Value Calculator
Enter average purchase value, how often customers buy per year, how long they stay, gross margin, acquisition cost and yearly retention cost. See lifetime gross revenue, gross CLV, net CLV after costs, LTV to CAC ratio, and payback months.
Best for
Make the next pricing or planning decision with context
Check whether the campaign or investment behind your business offer earns back its cost before you scale it. It covers CLV from purchase value, frequency, lifespan, margin, acquisition and retention costs.
Instant calculations · Editable fee assumptions · Export-ready results
Inputs
Values update results instantly. Adjust fee assumptions to match your seller dashboard.
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Purchase behavior
Average order value for this segment.
How many times customer buys yearly.
Lifespan
Average years customer remains active.
Margin
Gross margin after product costs.
Costs
Cost to acquire one new customer.
Yearly cost to retain customer — support, email, loyalty.
Advanced
Optional discount rate to show time value. Does not auto-discount CLV in this simple model.
Results
Live estimates based on your inputs and editable fee assumptions.
Avg purchase value
$50.00
Per order value.
Annual revenue per customer
$200.00
Purchase value times frequency.
Lifetime gross revenue
$600.00
Annual revenue times lifespan.
Gross lifetime value
$360.00
Lifetime revenue times margin.
Acquisition cost
$30.00
CAC.
Total retention costs
$30.00
Retention cost times years.
Net CLV
$300.00
Gross CLV minus acquisition and retention.
CLV to CAC ratio
10
Net CLV divided by CAC. Aim 3x+.
CAC payback months
3
Months to earn back CAC from margin.
What this means
Customer earns $200.00/year, $600.00 lifetime gross, $360.00 gross CLV at 60% margin, net $300.00 after costs. Ratio 10.00x, payback 3 months.
Customer lifetime value
Interactive breakdown of fees, costs, and remaining profit.
Distribution
- Gross CLV$360.0050.0%
- CAC + retention$60.008.3%
- Net CLV$300.0041.7%
Total $720.00 · 3 segments · interactive
Line-item breakdown
Dollar amounts, share of revenue, and visual proportion.
- Avg purchase value
- $50.00
- Purchases per year
- 4
- Annual revenue / customer
- $200.00
- Lifetime gross revenue
- $600.00
- Gross margin
- 60.0%
- Gross CLV
- $360.00
- CAC
- $30.00
- Total retention cost
- $30.00
- Net CLV
- $300.00
- CLV:CAC
- 10
- Payback months
- 3
Assumptions used
- • 50 × 4 = 200 annual
- • 200 × 3y = 600 lifetime
- • 600 × 60% = 360 gross CLV
- • Retention 10 × 3 = 30
Your next best moves
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Explore General BusinessCustomer Lifetime Value Calculator
Generated 9/9/2026, 5:51:33 PM · Currency USD
Inputs
- Average purchase value: 50
- Purchases per year: 4
- Customer lifespan (years): 3
- Gross margin %: 60
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC): 30
- Retention cost per year: 10
- Discount rate % (for DCF context): 10
Results
- Avg purchase value: $50.00
- Purchases per year: 4
- Annual revenue / customer: $200.00
- Lifetime gross revenue: $600.00
- Gross margin: 60.0%
- Gross CLV: $360.00
- CAC: $30.00
- Total retention cost: $30.00
- Net CLV: $300.00
- CLV:CAC: 10
- Payback months: 3
Interpretation
Customer earns $200.00/year, $600.00 lifetime gross, $360.00 gross CLV at 60% margin, net $300.00 after costs. Ratio 10.00x, payback 3 months.
How it works
Methodology & formulas
This calculator is transparent by design. Review the steps and formulas so you can trust the estimate and adjust assumptions when your dashboard differs.
Calculation steps
- 1Multiply purchase value by frequency for annual revenue per customer.
- 2Multiply by lifespan for lifetime gross revenue.
- 3Apply gross margin to get gross lifetime value.
- 4Subtract acquisition and retention costs for net CLV.
- 5Calculate payback from margin per month versus CAC.
Formulas
- annualRevenue = avgPurchase × purchasesPerYear
- lifetimeGross = annualRevenue × lifespanYears
- grossCLV = lifetimeGross × margin%/100
- totalRetention = retentionPerYear × lifespan
- netCLV = grossCLV − CAC − totalRetention
- ratio = netCLV ÷ CAC
- paybackMonths = ceil(CAC ÷ (annualRevenue×margin%) ×12)
Important assumptions
- Annual revenue = averagePurchaseValue × purchasesPerYear.
- Lifetime gross = annualRevenue × customerLifespanYears.
- Gross CLV = lifetimeGross × grossMarginPercent/100.
- Total retention cost = retentionCostPerYear × lifespan.
- Net CLV = grossCLV − acquisitionCost − totalRetentionCost.
- CLV:CAC = netCLV / acquisitionCost where acquisition > 0.
- Payback months = ceil((acquisitionCost / (annualRevenue × margin%)) × 12).
- Discount rate shown for context, not auto applied to CLV in this simplified calculator.
Sources & review
Know what this estimate is built on
This calculator is intentionally platform-agnostic, so it does not attach a platform fee URL.
Official references
No single official fee page is attached here. The model keeps these inputs editable so you can use the terms that apply to your situation.
Use the current terms
This model uses editable planning assumptions. Confirm tax, payment, financing, or operating terms with the relevant provider, official authority, or adviser for your situation.
Defaults are editable estimates. Match them to your current account, provider statement, official authority, lender, or adviser before making a pricing or investment decision.
Calculator model reviewed: August 9, 2026. This date covers the page and calculator guidance, not a guarantee that every live platform rate or term was re-audited on that date.
Worked example
$50 average, 4x yearly, 3 year lifespan
$50 order, 4 purchases yearly, 3 years, 60% margin, $30 CAC, $10 retention yearly, 10% discount.
FAQ
Common questions
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