Guide
Calculate marketing ROI
Marketing ROI answers a simple question: did this spend return more than it cost? Use our browser calculator for quick scenario planning—then validate numbers with finance and attribution tools before scaling budget.
ROI formula (marketing)
ROI % = ((Gain − Cost) / Cost) × 100. Example: $2,000 ad spend, $7,000 attributed revenue → gain $5,000, ROI 250%. Also track return multiple (gain/cost) for executive summaries.
What belongs in “gain”
Include revenue you can tie to the campaign—promo codes, UTM-tagged landing pages, or CRM source fields. Exclude unrelated company revenue unless you label the view as directional only.
When ROI misleads
Brand campaigns lift search and direct traffic weeks later. Subscription businesses need LTV models, not first-purchase ROI alone. Pair ROI checks with payback period and CAC trends.
FAQ
What is a good marketing ROI?
Varies by industry and margin. E-commerce might target positive ROAS quickly; B2B SaaS may accept negative short-term ROI if LTV is strong. Compare against your historical baseline.
Is this calculator financial advice?
No—it is an educational estimator running locally in your browser. Confirm decisions with qualified advisors and your analytics stack.
Should I include labor in cost?
For true program ROI, include agency fees, creative production, and internal hours. For pure ad platform tests, media spend alone is fine—just stay consistent.
How is this different from ROAS?
ROAS is often revenue/spend. ROI here uses profit-oriented gain minus cost. Align definitions with your team before reporting.