Acquisition economics
App acquisition payback and break-even CPI calculator
Model cohort retention, net contribution and acquisition payback. Calculate break-even CPI with your own assumptions, privately in your browser.
Your working inputs stay in this browser. Anonymous site analytics may record tool actions, never your values.
What can this cohort afford?
Model daily net contribution from the active share of one install cohort. Enter net revenue after store/ad-network deductions, then subtract variable serving costs. This is a finite-horizon scenario, not a lifetime forecast or a subscription churn model.
Your retention curve
Enter the percentage of original installs active on each day. Days must increase, retention must not increase, and the last point sets the horizon (up to day 365). Linear interpolation fills missing days; day 0 is included. These sample values are not benchmarks.
Net value / install through day 90
$0.99
Break-even media CPI
$0.99
Contribution after acquisition / install
-$0.01
Modeled payback
Not reached in this horizon
| Day | Active retention | Cumulative net value / install |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100.0% | $0.09 |
| 1 | 40.0% | $0.13 |
| 7 | 20.0% | $0.28 |
| 30 | 10.0% | $0.59 |
| 90 | 5.0% | $0.99 |
Break-even media CPI is cumulative net contribution minus other acquisition cost, floored at zero. It leaves no profit buffer. Fixed overhead, taxes and cash settlement delays are not modeled. Currency selection does not convert values.
How to read the result
Calculate net cohort value over a stated horizon using your own retention and revenue assumptions. No universal LTV benchmark is supplied.
Worked example
For a two-day example, assume 100% of installs are active on day 0 and 50% on day 1. Net revenue is $0.10 and serving cost is $0.02 per active user/day. Net cohort value per install is (1 + 0.5) × $0.08 = $0.12. With $0.02 other acquisition cost, break-even media CPI is $0.10.
Definitions and method
Daily contribution per original install = active retention fraction × (net revenue per active user − variable cost per active user). Sum day 0 through the final supplied day inclusive. Break-even media CPI = max(0, cumulative contribution − other acquisition cost). Retention between anchors is linearly interpolated; no value beyond the final day is assumed.
Common questions
- Is this lifetime value?
- It is finite-horizon net cohort value. Calling it lifetime value would require justified assumptions about revenue and retention beyond the supplied horizon.
- Can I use subscription subscriber retention?
- This model uses daily active retention of original installs and revenue per active user. Subscriber churn and recurring billing require a different model; do not mix subscriber denominators with installs.
- What if payback is not reached?
- The modeled cumulative contribution does not cover acquisition cost within the horizon. Review economics or extend the horizon only if you have defensible retention and revenue assumptions.
Sources and review date
Method and reference links reviewed 15 September 2026. Recheck provider requirements before submission.