Marketing

Customer LTV Calculator

Estimate customer lifetime revenue from average purchase value, annual purchase frequency, and customer lifespan.

Enter your values

Average revenue received from one customer purchase.

$

Average number of orders placed by one customer each year.

orders

Average number of years a customer remains active.

years

Results

Estimated customer lifetime value

Enter purchase value, frequency, and lifespan to estimate revenue LTV.

Annual customer revenue

Average purchase value multiplied by purchases per year.

Lifetime purchases

Estimated purchases across the customer lifespan.

Results are estimates based on the values entered and are provided for general planning.

Method

How to calculate LTV

This calculator estimates customer lifetime revenue by multiplying average purchase value by purchases per year and average customer lifespan.

Formula

Estimated customer lifetime value = Average purchase value × Purchases per year × Customer lifespan
Read the complete customer lifetime value formula guide →

Assumptions

  • This is a simple lifespan-based revenue LTV model, not a profit or churn-rate model.
  • Average purchase value, frequency, and lifespan remain representative over the relationship.
  • Purchase frequency is annual and customer lifespan is measured in years.

Multiplication retains full numeric precision. Currency displays two decimals.

How to interpret the result

This calculator estimates customer lifetime revenue. It does not automatically subtract product costs, acquisition costs, servicing costs, overhead, or other business expenses. It must not be interpreted as lifetime profit.

What this customer LTV estimate includes

The calculator first estimates annual customer revenue from average purchase value and purchase frequency. It then multiplies that amount by customer lifespan to estimate lifetime revenue.

Use averages from the same customer cohort whenever possible. Mixing order value from high-value customers with lifespan from the whole customer base can produce an estimate that does not represent either group.

How to use LTV in acquisition decisions

Compare revenue LTV with CAC carefully: revenue does not equal profit and still needs to cover product, servicing, overhead, and acquisition costs. Also consider payback timing because equal lifetime revenue can arrive at very different speeds.

Recalculate LTV when pricing, purchase frequency, margin, or retention changes. Scenario analysis is more informative than treating one estimate as a permanent customer value.

Customer value measures compared

This calculator reports revenue-based customer value and keeps it distinct from profit-based measures.

MeasureFormulaWhat it shows
Annual revenueAverage order value × Purchases per yearExpected customer revenue during one year.
Lifetime purchasesPurchases per year × Customer lifespanEstimated number of purchases over the relationship.
Estimated LTVAnnual revenue × Customer lifespanEstimated lifetime revenue before business costs.

Frequently asked questions

It uses average purchase value multiplied by annual purchase frequency and average customer lifespan.

No. It estimates lifetime revenue and does not subtract product, acquisition, servicing, overhead, or other business costs.

Use historical customer or cohort data when available. Measure the time between acquisition and the point customers become inactive, then apply one consistent inactivity definition across the analyzed group.

No. Annual customer revenue covers one year. This calculator extends that revenue across the estimated customer lifespan.

Not directly. Lifespan summarizes retention in one input, and the model does not discount future cash flows. Subscription and financial valuation models may require cohort retention curves, churn, and a discount rate.

Keep calculating

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Use the CAC calculator to compare acquisition spend with customer revenue carefully, and use ROAS to examine the revenue efficiency of advertising.

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