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Free toolUpdated: 2/4/2026Read time: ~5 min

Customer lifetime value calculator

This customer lifetime value calculator (also searched as a lifetime value of a customer calculator) helps you estimate LTV, LTV:CAC ratio, and net profit per customer after marketing costs.

Calculator

Unit economics
Enter your numbers and see LTV update instantly.
Notes
  • This tool calculates lifetime profit (not lifetime revenue): profit per order × purchase frequency × lifespan.
  • LTV:CAC ratio helps you understand if customer acquisition is sustainable over time.
Customer LTV
$180.00
Lifetime profit
LTV:CAC Ratio
3.60
Healthy ratio
Net profit / customer
$130.00
After marketing costs

Why LTV is the most important metric in ecommerce

Not all ecommerce stores grow the same way. Some constantly chase new customers. Others build long term, profitable brands. The difference often comes down to one metric: LTV.

LTV measures how much value a customer generates over the entire relationship with your brand. In saturated markets, improving LTV is what separates scalable businesses from fragile ones.

What LTV actually tells you

Your true acquisition ceiling

CPA and ROAS are not enough without LTV. If a customer buys 3, 5, or 10 times, you can spend more to acquire them and still stay profitable.

Lower dependence on ads

Stores with strong LTV monetize through email, SMS, repeat purchases, upsells, bundles, and subscriptions. That creates predictable revenue when ad costs rise.

Protection in saturated markets

Products get copied and CPMs increase. Brands that survive retain customers longer, increase AOV over time, and build habits instead of one off purchases.

Better long term decisions

With LTV, you stop optimizing for short term wins and build systems: onboarding, post purchase experience, and smart product expansion. The question becomes: does this customer stay?

How to improve LTV (practical levers)

  • Increase profit per order with bundles, better offers, and pricing discipline.
  • Increase purchase frequency with post purchase email and SMS flows.
  • Extend lifespan with better product quality, support, and retention hooks.
  • Track LTV by cohort so you see long term performance, not just short term ROAS.

FAQ

What is customer lifetime value (LTV)?

Customer lifetime value is how much profit a customer generates over the full relationship with your brand. This calculator uses lifetime profit (not revenue).

What is a good LTV:CAC ratio?

As a simple benchmark, many operators aim for 3.0+ over time. The right target depends on margins, cash flow, and growth stage.

Why is LTV more important than ROAS?

ROAS describes performance on a single purchase window. LTV shows what happens across repeat purchases, retention, and upsells, which is what makes scaling sustainable.

Is this a lifetime value of a customer calculator or an LTV calculator?

Both. People search it as a lifetime value of a customer calculator, and the goal is the same: estimate LTV, compare to CAC, and understand true unit economics.