B2B SaaS Complete CAC Analysis

True CAC Analysis - Q4 2024

Direct Costs Summary

Shared Costs Allocation

Total Shared Costs: $20,000

• Marketing tools: $5,000
• Team salary: $15,000

Allocation Method: Proportional to direct spend

True CAC by Channel

Blended True CAC: $533.33 (vs. naive $267)

Key Finding: True CAC is $533 per customer—exactly 2x the naive calculation. Your shared costs (tools + team) equal your ad spend, which is common for B2B SaaS companies.

Industry Benchmarks

• B2B SaaS Average CAC: $536 across all channels (2024-2025)
• B2B SaaS Range: $200-$5,000+ depending on deal size
• SMB-focused solutions: $200-$300 per customer
• Mid-market B2B SaaS: $300-$5,000
• Healthy LTV:CAC Ratio: 3:1 minimum (4:1-7:1 preferred)
• CAC Payback Period: 12-18 months (top performers <12 months)

Your Position: Your $533 CAC is right at the industry average, suggesting healthy efficiency for a B2B SaaS company.

Channel Ranking

TIE - Both channels identical at $533

Both channels show identical efficiency after shared cost allocation, which means the decision should be based on other factors:

Recommendations

1. Scale both channels strategically

• Your CAC is at industry average—neither channel is inefficient
• Google Ads delivers 50% more customers (45 vs. 30) with same efficiency
• LinkedIn Ads better for B2B targeting and higher deal sizes

2. Decision criteria for allocation:

• Scale Google first if: Your product has broad appeal, you need volume, or deal sizes are <$10K/year
• Scale LinkedIn first if: You’re targeting specific job titles/companies, deal sizes >$20K/year, or enterprise focus
• Scale both proportionally if: Current mix is working and you want predictable growth

3. Monitor these metrics:

• LTV:CAC ratio: Ensure each customer generates 3x their acquisition cost minimum
• CAC Payback: Track how many months to recover the $533 (target <18 months)
• CAC trend: Watch for increases as you scale—expect 10-20% increase when doubling spend

4. Optimize shared costs:

• Your $20K shared costs = 100% of ad spend (high but normal for early-stage)
• As you scale, shared costs should grow slower than ad spend (economies of scale)
• Target: Get shared costs to 50-70% of direct spend by 2x growth

5. Efficiency preservation:

• Test 20-30% budget increases per channel before doubling
• Watch for CAC inflation (audience saturation on Google, limited audience on LinkedIn)
• Consider adding channels if either channel’s CAC rises above $650-700

Bottom Line: You’re performing at industry standard. Neither channel is a clear winner—scale the one that best matches your ICP and deal size, or scale both proportionally to maintain current efficiency while growing volume.

Sources:

• B2B SaaS Customer Acquisition Cost: 2025 Report – First Page Sage
• SaaS Customer Acquisition Cost Benchmarks 2024-2025 | Geneo
• B2B Saas Marketing Benchmarks in 2025 - Callin
• CAC Benchmarks for B2B Tech Startups 2025 | Data-Mania, LLC