MarginKoala

What ROAS exactly covers ad spend on my contribution economics?

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Numbers to enter
Break-even ROAS is driven by the contribution left before ad spend, not by revenue alone. Basic mode derives that contribution from per-sale costs; Advanced accepts your already- calculated pre-ad contribution margin, including a negative margin when the sale is loss-making.
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$

Optional. Shipping subsidy, fulfilment, packaging or other dollar costs that happen because the sale occurs. Do not include ad spend here.

%

Optional percentage of sales. Do not enter a fee here if it is already included in the dollar variable cost above.

%

Your chosen buffer, not an industry benchmark. 0 shows the mathematical break-even only.

Koala's Calculated Result
The attributed-sales multiple required for pre-ad contribution to exactly cover ad spend.

Use Basic inputs to derive pre-ad contribution from one sale, or Advanced when you already know the signed pre-ad contribution margin.

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Frequently asked questions

What is break-even ROAS?

Break-even ROAS is the revenue-per-ad-dollar your campaign needs to earn to exactly cover its cost — before any other margin is layered in. Below it, the campaign loses money at the per-sale margin; above it, it adds gross profit.

Break-Even ROAS

Why does the break-even ROAS use margin?

Because every revenue dollar only contributes the gross-margin % after cost, fees and COGS. The break-even ROAS is 1 ÷ gross-margin %. A 25% margin needs ~4× ROAS to clear; a 50% margin only needs ~2×.

Break-Even ROAS

Should I include a safety buffer above break-even?

Yes — break-even is a floor, not a target. Add a buffer to absorb creative freshness decay, rising CPMs and channel mix shifts. A common working number is 20–30% above the floor before the campaign is "really worth" the spend.

Break-Even ROAS

What if my margin changes during the campaign?

A rising cost (supplier increase, shipping) drops margin and pushes break-even ROAS up; a falling cost drops break-even. Update the calc every time a margin input changes — break-even is recalculated, not estimated.

Break-Even ROAS

Educational use, not financial advice. Numbers are estimates for planning; consult a qualified professional before acting on them.