Paid subscriber acquisition payback calculator
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Worked example
- Acquisition cost per subscriber: 24 USD
- Monthly contribution per subscriber: 6 USD
Estimated payback period · 4 months
See the formula
Acquisition cost per subscriber ÷ Monthly contribution per subscriber.
How to interpret the result
Use contribution after costs that vary with serving one reader. This simple model assumes the reader stays through the payback period.
Publisher example
A reader costs $45 to acquire and contributes $9 monthly after variable costs. Payback takes five months. Check how many of the acquired group usually stay that long.
Related reading: Cohort
Measurement reference: Stripe subscription analytics definitions