Rex says
Everyday utility math — the kind you'd otherwise pull up four browser tabs for. I keep it to one clean answer.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Effective CAC
$333.33
LTV : CAC
3.6
New customers / mo
9.0
Monthly payout cost
$3,000
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One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter bonus per referral ($).
- 2Enter referrals per month.
- 3Enter referral conversion (%).
- 4Enter customer lifetime value ($).
- 5Read your effective cac on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Referral bonuses are cheap acquisition if the payout stays under your customer value. This compares payout to lifetime value and gives the effective CAC.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Bonus per referral: 150 $
- Referrals per month: 20
- Referral conversion: 45 %
- Customer lifetime value: 1200 $
Results
- Effective CAC: $333.33
- LTV : CAC: 3.6
- New customers / mo: 9
- Monthly payout cost: $3,000
What each field means
Inputs
- Bonus per referral ($)
- The bonus per referral used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 150 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Referrals per month
- The referrals per month used in the calculation. Starts at 20 so you have a working example on load.
- Referral conversion (%)
- The referral conversion used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 45 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–100 %.
- Customer lifetime value ($)
- The customer lifetime value used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1200 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Effective CAC
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- LTV : CAC
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- New customers / mo
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Monthly payout cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How does the referral program payout calculator work?
Referral bonuses are cheap acquisition if the payout stays under your customer value. This compares payout to lifetime value and gives the effective CAC. The underlying maths is: CAC = total payouts ÷ converted referrals.
What do I need to enter?
4 values: bonus per referral, referrals per month, referral conversion, and customer lifetime value. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move.
What does the effective cac result mean?
It is returned as a money amount in US dollars and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds.
Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?
Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser.
How accurate is the result?
It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
Who is this tool for?
It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app.
Accuracy and limitations
- Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
- Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.
- Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Referral Program Payout Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/referral-program-payout
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/referral-program-payout" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Referral Program Payout Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Referral Program Payout Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/referral-program-payout) (2026).