Cost Per Lead (CPL) Calculator

2026 BENCHMARKS
CPL$198
CAC$847

Core Metrics

$1,000$500,000
105,000

Channel Mix

0%100%
0%100%
0%100%
0%100%
Total: 100%

Local-First

Calculations are performed in your browser. Sensitive business metrics are never transmitted to or stored on our servers.

Your Results

Fully-Loaded CPL

$30.00

True cost per lead

Basic CPL

$20.00

Ad spend only

vs. Industry

$-168.00

84.8% below median

SaaS / Software Benchmark Range

2026 Data
You
$75$198 (median)$350

CPL by Channel

Paid Search

$20.00

200 leads

Social Ads

$20.00

125 leads

Content

$20.00

100 leads

Events

$20.00

75 leads

Total Cost Breakdown

Direct Ad Spend$10,000.00
Agency Fees$1,500.00
Tools & Software$500.00
Team Labor$3,000.00
Total Monthly Cost$15,000.00

Related Calculators

Calculator Knowledge Base and Scientific Documentation

Quick Reference

The median B2B SaaS CPL in 2026 is $198, but fully-loaded CPL (including hidden costs) averages $285. Most marketers underestimate their true CPL by 30-45% by excluding agency fees, tool costs, and team labor. Cybersecurity leads are most expensive ($410 median), while E-commerce B2B leads are cheapest ($125).

The Scientific Model

Fully-Loaded Cost Per Lead Formula

Formula

This formula captures the true cost of generating each lead by including all direct and indirect expenses, not just advertising spend.

Why this approach: The 'hidden cost multiplier' in B2B averages 1.4-1.6x direct ad spend. Ignoring this leads to systematically overestimating marketing efficiency and making poor budget allocation decisions.

People Also Ask

What is a good CPL for Reddit ads in B2B?
Reddit CPL for B2B typically ranges from $35-150, depending on subreddit targeting and industry. Intent-based subreddits (r/sales, r/marketing, industry-specific) deliver 40-60% lower CPL than broad targeting. The platform excels at $75-125 CPL for SaaS and professional services.
How do I calculate fully-loaded cost per lead?
Fully-loaded CPL = (Ad Spend + Agency Fees + Software Tools + Team Hours × Hourly Rate) ÷ Total Leads. Include all marketing automation tools, CRM costs allocated to lead gen, content production, and management overhead (typically 10-15% of direct costs).
What is the average CPL by industry in 2026?
2026 B2B CPL benchmarks: SaaS $198, FinTech $320, Healthcare Tech $285, E-commerce B2B $125, Cybersecurity $410, MarTech $210, HR Tech $165. These are median values from 847 companies - your position in the range depends on deal size and target market.
How much should I spend on marketing tools per lead?
Industry standard is $5-15 per lead in tool costs (CRM, automation, analytics). If your tool cost per lead exceeds $20, you're either over-tooled or under-generating leads. Optimal tool spend is 5-8% of total marketing budget.
What's the difference between CPL and CAC?
CPL measures cost to generate a lead; CAC measures cost to acquire a paying customer. CAC = CPL ÷ Conversion Rate. If CPL is $200 and 10% of leads convert, CAC is $2,000. Always track both - low CPL with low conversion may indicate poor lead quality.

Contextual ROI: The Intangibles

Cost per lead is only half the story. These intangible factors determine whether your CPL investment actually pays off:

Lead Quality Signal

Lower CPL channels often deliver lower-quality leads. A $300 lead from a targeted industry publication may outperform ten $30 leads from broad social ads.

Time-to-Revenue

Intent-based channels (search, Reddit) typically have 30-50% shorter sales cycles than interruption channels (display, social). Factor this into CPL comparisons.

Attribution Accuracy

Last-click attribution undervalues awareness channels. Your 'expensive' content marketing CPL may be feeding leads to your 'cheap' branded search.

Market Positioning

Premium CPL channels often reach decision-makers directly, while low-CPL channels reach researchers. Match channel CPL to your sales motion.

Assumptions & Limitations

Key Assumptions

  • *All cost inputs are for the same time period (monthly values)
  • *Lead count represents qualified leads meeting your ICP criteria
  • *Agency fees and tool costs are allocated proportionally to lead generation
  • *Team labor cost is calculated at fully-loaded hourly rate

Limitations

  • !Does not account for lead quality variations by channel
  • !Attribution model affects which leads are counted
  • !Industry benchmarks represent medians, not targets for your specific situation