CAC Calculator: Patient Acquisition Cost in Facial Harmonization
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What does it really cost to bring in a new patient? Many clinics know how much they spend on ads and how many inquiries they get, but never finish the math: the patient who actually paid. The calculator below does that math with your numbers for the month and compares the result with the margin the first purchase leaves.
Everything runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent or stored. The starting values are a hypothetical example.
What does each field mean?
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Acquisition spend for the month | Ads, tools, referral commissions and promotional material for the same month. |
| New patients who closed | Only people who paid for a procedure and had never been treated before. Inquiries and assessments that did not close are left out. |
| Average ticket of the first purchase | How much a new patient spends, on average, the first time. |
| Contribution margin | What is left of the price after materials, taxes and fees, as a percentage. |
How is it calculated?
- CAC = acquisition spend ÷ new patients who paid.
- First purchase margin = ticket × contribution margin.
- CAC as a share of margin = CAC ÷ first purchase margin. Below 100%, the first purchase already pays for acquisition.
- Left over on the first purchase = first purchase margin minus CAC.
Worked hypothetical example
Hypothetical example: R$ 6,000.00 invested, 12 new patients, a ticket of R$ 1,800.00 and a 45% margin.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| CAC | 6,000 ÷ 12 | R$ 500.00 |
| First purchase margin | 1,800 × 45% | R$ 810.00 |
| CAC as a share of margin | 500 ÷ 810 | 61.7% |
| Left over on the first purchase | 810 minus 500 | R$ 310.00 |
| Total margin from new patients minus spend | 12 × 810 minus 6,000 | R$ 3,720.00 |
How do I use the result?
If CAC eats more than half of the first purchase margin, the channel depends on repeat business to be worth it. The focus then shifts to rebooking: scheduled return visits, maintenance and a follow-up plan. If CAC exceeds 100% of the margin, acquisition loses money on the first sale and only pays for itself if the patient comes back.
To look at the earlier stage of the funnel, use the cost per lead calculator and the return on ad spend (ROAS) one. To plan the whole month, the break-even calculator shows how many procedures cover fixed costs.
Keep in mind that advertising for aesthetic procedures in Brazil follows the advertising rules of your professional council and of CONAR (the Brazilian advertising self-regulation council); see what you can advertise before you invest.
Frequently asked questions
What is CAC in a facial harmonization clinic?
CAC is customer acquisition cost: everything you invested in marketing during the period divided by the number of new patients who actually paid for a procedure.
What counts as CAC spend?
Ads, scheduling and CRM tools, referral commissions, promotional material and the time of whoever handles inquiries, when you can measure it.
What is a good CAC for facial harmonization?
There is no universal number. A healthy CAC is one that fits within the margin the patient leaves, on the first purchase or over the course of the relationship.