Calculate your breakeven
$25
Media cost per action
$25
Effective payout after approve
+$0
Breakeven margin
Estimated calculation based on your inputs. Real economics depend on source quality, GEO and your validation cycle.
// Tools — Offer owners
CPA breakeven calculator
Before you negotiate a payout, know your breakeven. Enter your payout per action, the media cost per click or per thousand impressions, and your funnel's conversion and approve rates — the calculator shows whether the deal can work. All values are yours; this is an estimate, not a forecast.
How to read the result
The calculator compares what a validated action costs in media against what it earns. Media cost per action is the click cost divided by the click-to-action conversion rate. Effective payout is your payout multiplied by the approve rate — the share of actions you actually pay for after validation. The breakeven margin shows how much room is left: a positive margin means the buyer can work; a negative one means the deal fails before it starts. This is the same arithmetic a media buying team runs before accepting an offer — knowing it puts you on equal footing in the negotiation.
Why approve rate changes everything
Two offers with identical payouts are completely different businesses at different approve rates. A 30% approve rate means only three in ten conversions earn the payout — the media cost of the other seven is the buyer's loss. That is why buyers ask about your approve rate history during the brief, and why improving your confirmation speed or delivery coverage raises the payout you can negotiate. If your approve rate is low, fix the cause before buying traffic — the calculator shows exactly how much it costs you.
What this calculator does not include
Fraud and rejection buffers, the buyer's operating margin, chargebacks and refunds, and cohort quality differences between sources. Real deals also include caps, hold periods and validation rules that shape cash flow. Use this tool to check whether the basic economics work; the full terms are discussed individually in the brief. For the complete preparation list, see the KPI checklist.
FAQ
Q.What is a breakeven point in CPA?
The point where the media cost of a validated action equals the payout it earns. Above it the buyer loses money on every conversion; below it the deal can work.
Q.Why does approve rate matter so much?
Because you only pay for validated actions. A low approve rate multiplies the real media cost per payable conversion — it is the single biggest variable in CPA economics.
Q.Is this a forecast of my campaign?
No. It is an arithmetic check of the deal's basic economics using your inputs. Real results depend on source quality, GEO, funnel and validation speed.
Q.What conversion rate should I enter?
Your real click-to-action rate from existing funnels or tests. If you do not know it yet, model several scenarios — the gap between optimistic and realistic shows your risk.
Q.What approve rate is typical?
It varies by vertical, GEO and your confirmation setup, so we do not quote generic numbers. Use your own history; if you have none, that is exactly what the capped pilot measures.
Q.Who bears the cost below breakeven?
In CPA deals the buyer bears media costs for conversions that do not validate. That is why payout levels are negotiated against your approve rate and funnel quality.
Q.What payout should I offer?
One that leaves a workable margin above the breakeven media cost in your target GEO. Share your unit economics in the brief — we assess feasibility per offer.
Q.Does this work for COD offers?
Yes: enter the payout per confirmed order and your real approve (confirm and deliver) rate. COD economics live and die by that number.