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Calculator · Paid Traffic

ROAS calculator.

Two tools in one: your return on ad spend, and the highest CPC you can bid and still hit your target. The math is instant and stays in your browser.

1 · Return on ad spend

ROAS

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Profit

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Margin

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2 · Max CPC to hit a target ROAS

Max CPC you can bid

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Enter a payout, conversion rate, and target ROAS.

How ROAS works

ROAS — return on ad spend — is revenue divided by ad spend, the headline profitability number for paid traffic. A ROAS of 2.0 (or "2x") means every $1 of spend returned $2 of revenue. Because affiliates carry almost no overhead beyond ad spend, break-even sits near 1.0 — but you want a cushion above it for shaved conversions, refunds, and tracking gaps.

ROAS = revenue ÷ ad spend

Why max CPC is the number that matters

Knowing your ROAS after the fact is useful; knowing the most you can bid before the campaign is what keeps you profitable. Your value per click is your payout per conversion times your conversion rate — that's your EPC. Divide it by your target ROAS to get the highest CPC you can pay:

value per click = payout × conversion rate
max CPC        = value per click ÷ target ROAS

Worked example

An offer pays $40 per conversion and you convert 3% of clicks, so each click is worth $40 × 0.03 = $1.20. To hit a 1.5x ROAS you can bid up to $1.20 ÷ 1.5 = $0.80 per click. Bid more than $0.80 and you'll undershoot your target; bid less and you beat it. That single number tells you whether a traffic source is even worth testing.

Frequently asked questions

How is ROAS calculated?

ROAS equals revenue divided by ad spend. If you earned $600 from $200 of ad spend, your ROAS is 3.0, often written 3x or 300%. A ROAS of 1.0 is break-even before any other costs; you generally want comfortably above 1.0 to cover fees, refunds, and your time.

What is a good ROAS for affiliate marketing?

Because affiliates have very low overhead beyond ad spend, break-even is close to 1.0 ROAS — but you want a buffer for shaved conversions, refunds, and tracking gaps. Most paid affiliates target 1.3x to 2x+ depending on payment terms and how much variance the offer has. The longer you wait to get paid, the higher the ROAS cushion you want.

How do I calculate the max CPC I can bid?

Max CPC equals your value per click divided by your target ROAS, where value per click is your payout per conversion times your conversion rate. If each conversion pays $40, you convert 3% of clicks, and you want a 1.5x ROAS, your value per click is $1.20 and your max CPC is $0.80. Bid above that and you fall short of your target.

What's the difference between ROAS and ROI?

ROAS is revenue divided by ad spend — a gross ratio that ignores other costs. ROI is profit divided by total cost, so it nets out everything. For affiliates whose only real cost is ad spend, the two are close, but ROAS is the number ad platforms optimize toward and the one most media buyers quote.

Related tools & terms

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Bid with these numbers

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