CPO Calculator
Cost per order and how it compares with margin.
Enter your values
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed.
Results
- Cost per order
- $50.00
- Contribution per order
- $42.75
- Profit per order
- -$7.25
- Status
- Unprofitable — reduce CPO or raise AOV
- Marketing cost ratio
- 52.6%
- Max sustainable CPO
- $42.75
Quick answer
Cost per order (CPO) is total marketing spend divided by the number of orders it produced — profitable when it stays below your contribution margin per order.
CPO = spend ÷ orders
At a glance
| What it does | Cost per order and how it compares with margin. |
|---|---|
| Category | Business |
| Inputs needed | Marketing spend, Orders generated, Average order value, Contribution margin |
| Main output | Cost per order |
| Formula | CPO = spend ÷ orders |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the CPO Calculator
- 1Enter total marketing spend for the period.
- 2Enter the orders that spend generated.
- 3Add your average order value and contribution margin.
Inputs explained
- Marketing spend($)
- Enter the marketing spend you are working with.
- Orders generated
- Enter the orders generated you are working with.
- Average order value($)
- Enter the average order value you are working with.
- Contribution margin(%)
- Enter the contribution margin you are working with.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Marketing spend8000 $
- Orders generated160
- Average order value95 $
- Contribution margin45 %
Results
- Cost per order$50.00
- Contribution per order$42.75
- Profit per order-$7.25
- StatusUnprofitable — reduce CPO or raise AOV
- Marketing cost ratio52.6%
- Max sustainable CPO$42.75
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between CPO and CAC?
CPO counts every order including repeats; CAC counts only spend divided by new customers acquired.
What is a healthy CPO?
Below your contribution margin per order — most e-commerce brands target a CPO under 25–30% of AOV.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.