How much revenue will one month of app marketing produce?
This calculator follows one month of acquisition spend through installs, activation, individual subscriptions and, in company mode, the company accounts those users bring in, then adds up twelve months of revenue. Every number in it is an editable example, not a benchmark. Below the tool you will find what each input means, the formulas, a worked example in both modes and where to get your real numbers.
How do you estimate revenue from app marketing spend?
Divide spend by cost per install, apply your activation and paid conversion rates, then multiply paying users by net monthly price and add up the months they keep paying. For a work app, add the company accounts that a share of those users bring in, with their seats, price and retention.
The tool does this for one month of spend over twelve months. Switch modes to see how much depends on company accounts.
Follow one month of acquisition spend through installs, activation, paid users and twelve months of revenue.
Illustrative estimate only. Every input is an assumption you should replace with your own data. The model follows one month of spend for twelve months, applies the store fee to individual plans only and assumes company plans are invoiced outside the app stores. It ignores organic installs, refunds, taxes and the cost of sales. No result is guaranteed.
Want help finding which of these numbers moves revenue most for your app? ShoutEx can help you plan acquisition, activation and the path to company accounts.
Talk to ShoutExWhat does each input mean?
The three preset values are shown side by side; they are invented placeholders.
| Input | What it means | Cautious | Typical | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly acquisition spend | One month of paid media across all channels. | $3,000 | $5,000 | $8,000 |
| Cost per install | What one install costs on average. Varies widely by platform, country and audience. | $8 | $6 | $5 |
| Activation rate | Share of installs that reach the first useful result, such as a filed report. | 30% | 40% | 50% |
| Activated users who pay | Share of activated users who start an individual paid plan within the period. | 4% | 6% | 8% |
| Individual plan price | Monthly price of the individual plan before fees. | $15 | $20 | $25 |
| Store fee on individual plans | Store commission on individual plans. Depends on platform, programme and region. | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| Individual monthly retention | Share of paying individuals still paying each month. | 80% | 85% | 90% |
| Paying users who bring in their company (company mode) | Share of paying individuals whose company later opens a company account. | 5% | 8% | 12% |
| Seats per company account (company mode) | Average paid seats in a company account. | 8 | 10 | 15 |
| Company price per seat (company mode) | Monthly price per seat on company plans, invoiced directly. | $12 | $15 | $18 |
| Company monthly retention (company mode) | Share of company accounts still paying each month. | 95% | 96% | 97% |
How does the calculator work out revenue?
- Installs = monthly spend ÷ cost per install.
- Activated users = installs × activation rate.
- Paying individuals = activated users × share who pay.
- Individual revenue for month m (0 to 11) = paying individuals × price × (1 − store fee) × retentionm. The twelve months are added up.
- Company accounts (company mode) = paying individuals × share who bring in their company.
- Company revenue for month m = company accounts × seats × seat price × company retentionm, with no store fee because company plans are assumed to be invoiced directly.
- Cost per paying user = spend ÷ paying individuals. 12-month ROI = (total revenue − spend) ÷ spend.
- Payback = the first month in which cumulative revenue reaches the spend; if that does not happen within twelve months, the tool says so.
Revenue is after store fees, before taxes, refunds and service costs. Company accounts start in month one, which flatters company mode; real ones arrive later.
What does a worked example show in each mode?
Take the Typical preset: $5,000 of spend at $6 per install, 40% activation, 6% of activated users paying $20 a month, a 15% store fee and 85% monthly retention. In company mode, 8% of paying users bring in a company with 10 seats at $15, kept at 96% a month.
| Output | Individual only | Individual + company |
|---|---|---|
| Installs | 833.3 | 833.3 |
| Activated users | 333.3 | 333.3 |
| Paying individuals | 20 | 20 |
| Company accounts | 0 | 1.6 |
| Individual revenue, 12 months | $1,944 | $1,944 |
| Company revenue, 12 months | $0 | $2,324 |
| Total revenue, 12 months | $1,944 | $4,268 |
| Cost per paying user | $250 | $250 |
| 12-month ROI | -61% | -15% |
| Payback | Not within 12 months | Not within 12 months |
Individual plans alone return about $1,944 on $5,000; company accounts lift that to $4,268, still short within twelve months, though company revenue continues afterwards. The Strong preset returns $30,921 and pays back in month 3.
| Scenario | Total revenue, 12 months | 12-month ROI |
|---|---|---|
| Typical preset (company mode) | $4,268 | -15% |
| Activation 40% → 50% | $5,335 | 7% |
| Paid conversion 6% → 8% | $5,691 | 14% |
| Users who bring their company 8% → 12% | $5,430 | 9% |
| Cost per install $6 → $4 | $6,402 | 28% |
Find the input that moves revenue most, then work on that.
Most teams try to lower cost per install first, which depends heavily on ad markets. Compare it with better activation or more users bringing in their company, which your product team controls. The table below the worked example shows how to test each one.
What store fee should you enter?
The fee input applies to individual plans bought in the app. It depends on platform, programme and region. Apple's Small Business Program charges 15% to developers with up to $1M USD in proceeds in the prior year. In the EU, Apple announced new terms effective October 1, 2026, with in-app purchase commission of 26% or a reduced 15%, and 15% or 10% on purchases made through links out of the app.
Google Play fees are summarized on unit economics. Selling on both stores, enter a weighted average of your actual fees and check current terms.
How do you replace the assumptions with your own data?
| Input | Question it answers | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly acquisition spend | What did we spend? | Ad platform invoices for the month |
| Cost per install | What does an install cost? | Apple Ads, Google Ads, social ad reports |
| Activation rate | Do installs reach first value? | Product analytics: activation event ÷ first_open |
| Activated users who pay | Do active users pay? | Billing or store subscription reports ÷ activated users |
| Store fee on individual plans | What do the stores keep? | Apple and Google fee terms for your storefronts |
| Individual monthly retention | How long do individuals pay? | Subscription reports, monthly cohorts |
| Paying users who bring in their company | Do payers bring their company? | CRM linked to the user who started the account |
| Company monthly retention | How long do companies stay? | Billing; for annual plans convert renewal rate to monthly |
Measure by cohort, as on retention and analytics and attribution, and update monthly.
What mistakes should you avoid when using the calculator?
- Treating presets as benchmarks. They are invented. Your own numbers can be far higher or lower.
- Mixing organic and paid users. Model paid users here.
- Ignoring the cost of sales. Company accounts need people and take months to arrive.
- Trade-off: twelve months understates long-lived company accounts; compare both modes.
Frequently asked questions
Are the calculator presets industry benchmarks?
No. They are invented, editable examples to show how the model works. Replace them with your own data.
Why does the calculator follow only one month of spend?
It isolates what one month of acquisition produces, which makes payback and ROI easier to compare between scenarios.
Why is there no store fee on company accounts?
The model assumes company plans are invoiced directly outside the app stores. If you bill companies through the stores, use individual mode or adjust the price.
What store fee should I enter?
Your actual weighted fee across platforms, programmes and regions. Apple's Small Business Program is 15% for qualifying developers; EU terms changed on October 1, 2026.
Why does company mode show more revenue?
Company accounts have more seats, no store fee and higher retention in the examples. Your real numbers decide whether that holds.
Does the calculator include organic installs?
No. It models paid acquisition only. Organic installs would add revenue at no media cost.
What does payback mean here?
The first month in which cumulative revenue from one month of spend reaches that spend.
How often should I update the inputs?
Monthly, by cohort, once you have real activation, conversion and retention data.
Sources & further reading
Regulator rules, platform policies and local data change. These sources let you check the facts on this page, last checked October 6, 2026.