Act on the result
Set the qualified-lead bid or supplier cap from maximum cost per lead and cost-per-lead headroom.
Educational only: Business decision support, not accounting, tax or legal advice.
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Update policy: Reviewed when formulas or official dependencies change.
Scope: Market-neutral small-business planning using your own assumptions.
What this calculator helps you decide
Best for
Teams setting a contribution-based cost-per-lead ceiling.
Outputs
Gross and net lead value, current profit, maximum CPL and headroom.
Start here
Use a bounded customer contribution horizon and an observed close rate.
Use a different tool when: Do not use this to measure loaded and marginal customer acquisition cost across aligned channels; use Customer Acquisition Cost Planner for that decision. Use this tool to estimate contribution-based lead value and a sustainable cost-per-lead ceiling.
Cash & growth
Lead Value: gross and net lead value
Gross and net lead value, current profit, maximum CPL and headroom.
Amounts use the same currency as your inputs. No currency conversion is performed.
Decision assumptions
Use one consistent period, contribution and currency basis.
Your numbers stay in this browser
Share of qualified leads that become customers.
Contribution over an explicit bounded customer horizon. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
Qualification and handling cost before acquisition spend. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
Current acquisition cost per lead. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
Contribution to retain after acquisition cost. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
Decision result
Every result is produced by the registered customer and marketing engine.
- Gross Lead Value
- 100.00
- Net Lead Value Before Acquisition
- 90.00
- Current Lead Profit
- 30.00
- Maximum cost per lead
- 70.00
- Maximum Cost Per Lead State
- Reachable
- Target Contribution Shortfall Before Acquisition
- 0.00
- Cost Per Lead Headroom
- 10.00
Scenario comparison
Each row names the assumption axis changed from the baseline.
ScenarioResultDifference
Entered scenario70.00Baseline
Lower Lead close rate60.00Not available
Higher Lead close rate80.00Not available
Save these results, change an input, then compare the updated figures with this baseline.
The baseline is temporary in this tab and is not added to shared scenario links or generated reports.
Calculation details
View calculation detailsView the formulas and inputs used for these results.
Gross Lead Value
Gross Lead Value
close rate × bounded contribution per customer100.00Result100.00
Reports money for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Gross Lead ValueClose Rate
- 0.2
- Gross Lead ValueBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Gross Lead ValueHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Gross Lead ValueCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Gross Lead ValueTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Net Lead Value Before Acquisition
Net Lead Value Before Acquisition
gross lead value − handling cost per lead90.00Result90.00
Reports money for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Net Lead Value Before AcquisitionClose Rate
- 0.2
- Net Lead Value Before AcquisitionBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Net Lead Value Before AcquisitionHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Net Lead Value Before AcquisitionCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Net Lead Value Before AcquisitionTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Current Lead Profit
Current Lead Profit
net lead value − current cost per lead30.00Result30.00
Reports money for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Current Lead ProfitClose Rate
- 0.2
- Current Lead ProfitBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Current Lead ProfitHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Current Lead ProfitCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Current Lead ProfitTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Maximum cost per lead
Maximum Cost Per Lead
net lead value − target contribution per lead when non-negative70.00Result70.00
Reports money for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Maximum Cost Per LeadClose Rate
- 0.2
- Maximum Cost Per LeadBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Maximum Cost Per LeadHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Maximum Cost Per LeadCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Maximum Cost Per LeadTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Maximum Cost Per Lead State
Maximum Cost Per Lead State
reachable unless the target is missed before acquisition spendreachableResultReachable
Reports state for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Maximum Cost Per Lead StateClose Rate
- 0.2
- Maximum Cost Per Lead StateBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Maximum Cost Per Lead StateHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Maximum Cost Per Lead StateCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Maximum Cost Per Lead StateTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Target Contribution Shortfall Before Acquisition
Target Contribution Shortfall Before Acquisition
max(0, target contribution − net lead value before acquisition)0.00Result0.00
Reports money for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Target Contribution Shortfall Before AcquisitionClose Rate
- 0.2
- Target Contribution Shortfall Before AcquisitionBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Target Contribution Shortfall Before AcquisitionHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Target Contribution Shortfall Before AcquisitionCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Target Contribution Shortfall Before AcquisitionTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Cost Per Lead Headroom
Cost Per Lead Headroom
maximum cost per lead − current cost per lead10.00Result10.00
Reports money for the declared cohort and period using the entered attribution and contribution basis. The engine retains raw precision; formatting never feeds calculation.
Lead Value Calculator formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Cost Per Lead HeadroomClose Rate
- 0.2
- Cost Per Lead HeadroomBounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Cost Per Lead HeadroomHandling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Cost Per Lead HeadroomCurrent Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Cost Per Lead HeadroomTarget Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Inputs used
- Close Rate
- 0.2
- Bounded Contribution Per Customer
- 500
- Handling Cost Per Lead
- 10
- Current Cost Per Lead
- 60
- Target Contribution Per Lead
- 20
Open this calculator with preset values
This calculator supports documented, shareable scenario URLs. Compatible assistants and applications can construct links using the parameters below.
Scenario links contain only allowlisted numeric and closed-choice inputs shown in the URL; Margin101 excludes free text and identifying fields. Anyone you share the URL with can read those numbers, so do not include private or identifying data.
| Parameter | Meaning | Unit | Allowed values | Presence | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| boundedContributionPerCustomer | Contribution over an explicit bounded customer horizon. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/customer/bounded horizon | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 500 |
| closeRate | Share of qualified leads that become customers. | decimal share of qualified leads | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.2 |
| currentCostPerLead | Current acquisition cost per lead. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/qualified lead | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 60 |
| handlingCostPerLead | Qualification and handling cost before acquisition spend. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/qualified lead | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 10 |
| targetContributionPerLead | Contribution to retain after acquisition cost. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/qualified lead | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 20 |
Lead Value: gross and net lead value
Maximum cost per lead protects the target contribution after close probability and lead-handling cost.
Formula summary
- Primary formula
- maximum cost per lead = close rate × bounded customer contribution − handling cost − target contribution when non-negative
Data used here
- The estimate uses your inputs and the general business formula documented in the methodology.
Decision checks
Stress-test the decision
Retest lead close rate as a percentage of qualified leads and bounded contribution per customer in currency units for the selected horizon.
When this estimate can be misleading
- Attribution, incrementality, conversion and retention are user-entered assumptions, not causal claims or forecasts.
- Use one consistent period, currency, contribution and indirect-tax basis.
- This is educational decision support, not financial, tax, legal or accounting advice.
- Maximum cost per lead protects the target contribution after close probability and lead-handling cost.
Educational estimate, not advice. See all assumptions & limitations →
Related reading
Guides to interpret the decision and its assumptions.
- Lead Qualification: The Capacity Cost of Low-Quality Leads
Measure lead-handling capacity cost before changing a qualification gate without assuming conversion uplift.
Read guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I estimate contribution-based lead value and a sustainable cost-per-lead ceiling?
Set the qualified-lead bid or supplier cap from maximum cost per lead and cost-per-lead headroom.
How should I use the calculated result?
Treat the calculated result as one scenario, then verify the input record with the greatest effect on that result.