SaaS 2028 CAC Payback by Channel
CAC payback 2028: <12mo = best-in-class. 12-18mo = healthy. >24mo = capital crisis. Calculate per channel — kill the slow ones, double down on fast.
| Channel 1 payback | — |
| Channel 2 payback | — |
| Blended payback | — |
| Better channel | — |
CAC Payback Period = CAC / Monthly Contribution Margin = months to recoup acquisition cost. 2028 benchmarks: <12 months elite, 12-18 months healthy, >24 months capital inefficient. Calculate per acquisition channel — channels with shorter payback get more budget; long-payback channels need fixing or killing.
Why Per-Channel Matters
Blended CAC hides channel-level inefficiency. Channel A: $1,500 CAC × 200 customers = $300k. Channel B: $5,000 CAC × 50 customers = $250k. Same $/customer math but B is inferior — should reallocate. Per-channel reveals truth.
Contribution Margin Calc
Monthly contribution margin = MRR × (1 - cost of goods sold %). Typical SaaS COGS 20-30% (hosting, customer success, third-party costs). $300 MRR × 75% = $225 contribution margin used in payback calc, not $300.
Payback < 12 Months in 2028
Capital-efficient SaaS: payback in 6-12 months. Possible via: high ACV + low CAC channels (SEO, partners, PLG). Hard for SMB SaaS with $1k-$5k ACV — typically 18-24 months. Enterprise (>$50k ACV): often 6-18 months if competitive.
Last updated May 2026. Sources: Bessemer.