How do I decide my expected ROAS?

Use a blend of (a) your current actual ROAS on similar campaigns, (b) your break-even return, which is 1 ÷ (1 − your product-cost percentage), and (c) industry benchmarks. If you don't have data, 2–3× is reasonable for an early-stage direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand; 3–4× for established brands with strong creative.

Is this just Meta or does it work for all ad platforms?

The math works for any single channel — Meta, Google, TikTok, Pinterest. We default to 'Meta Budget' because Meta is the dominant direct-to-consumer (D2C) channel, but you can use the same formula for any platform with a predictable ROAS assumption.

What if my actual ROAS varies a lot month-to-month?

Plan with your trailing 90-day average, not your best month. Volatile ROAS typically means creative fatigue or narrow audiences — budget for the floor, not the ceiling, and reinvest when you hit upside.

Should I include creative production costs in my budget?

Not in this calculator — it's ad-media only. Creative production, influencer fees, and agency costs are separate line items. A healthy ratio is 10–20% of ad spend allocated to creative and production.

How accurate are these calculations?

Our calculators use industry-standard formulas and are designed for directional accuracy. Results depend on the quality of your input data. For precise financial planning, we recommend validating results with your accountant or financial team.

Is this really free? What's the catch?

Yes, completely free with no hidden costs. We offer these tools to help ecommerce brands succeed. We may occasionally share relevant insights via email if you opt in, but the tools remain free forever.

Is my data private and secure?

Your calculations run in your browser, and we don't store the numbers you type unless you choose to send them — by unlocking a benchmark, emailing yourself a report, or contributing an anonymous data point. We do record anonymous usage events, which tool was used rather than what you entered. The AI tools work differently: your store URL and the report or concepts we generate are saved so we can support you and so your share link keeps working. We never access your Shopify admin, your customer data, or any private account information.

Meta Ads Budget Calculator

How Much Should You Spend on Meta Ads?

Enter your revenue goal and see exactly how much to spend on Meta ads — broken down daily and monthly, based on your expected return on ad spend.

Your Goal

Monthly Revenue Goal

Expected ROAS

Average Order Value

CPM (optional)

Your Recommended Budget

Recommended Monthly Budget

$16,667

Daily: $556

Budget % of revenue goal33.3%

Values update as you type.

YOUR BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Your Budget Breakdown

Monthly Ad Budget

$16,667

Spend this much per month — $556/day — to hit your $50,000 revenue goal at 3.00× ROAS.

Daily Budget

$556

Monthly ÷ 30

Expected Orders

667

Revenue goal ÷ average order value

Estimated Impressions

1,388,889

Monthly budget ÷ CPM × 1,000

Spend at 1× ROAS

$50,000

Ad cost covered, product costs not

Budget as % of Revenue

33.3%

$1 of spend per $3.00 of revenue

Revenue Goal

$50,000

Target monthly from paid

RETURN BENCHMARKS

What your expected return means

Where the return on ad spend (ROAS) you entered lands against general ecommerce planning bands. Directional — your own trailing numbers beat any benchmark.

Poorunder 2×

Below break-even for most brands once product costs and shipping are paid.

Acceptable2–4×

The common planning baseline. Workable if your product margin is healthy.

Good4–6×

Comfortable headroom — enough margin to absorb a soft month.

Excellent6×+

Rare at scale. Usually a sign there is demand you are not yet spending into.

WHAT TO DO NEXT