B2B Paid Ads Budget Calculator
Work backwards from a revenue target and real funnel rates to the lead volume, allowable CPL and media budget required.
A defensible budget connects the revenue target to the number of leads required and the CPL the plan can afford. If the required CPL is far below your current 90-day result, reduce the target, improve the funnel or fund the gap.
Your working result
$60required CPL at the planned budget- Deals needed
- 10.0
- SQLs needed
- 50
- Leads needed
- 333
Planning model, not a performance guarantee. Replace every input with CRM and account evidence before changing spend.
Ask Thomas to validate the model →Methodology
The formula behind the result
Required leads = revenue target ÷ average deal value ÷ close rate ÷ lead-to-SQL rate. Required CPL = planned media budget ÷ required leads.
Application checklist
Turn the output into a decision
- 01Use won revenue and average first-year contract value—not open pipeline.
- 02Calculate funnel rates from the same cohort and source.
- 03Compare the required CPL with the rolling 90-day median.
- 04Model conservative, base and upside cases before approving spend.
Practical questions
Before you use the result
Should the budget include creative and tools?
No. The output is media budget. Add creative, landing-page, data and management costs separately for a full acquisition budget.
What if the sales cycle is longer than one month?
Use a cohort window that matches the cycle and separate pipeline target from cash revenue timing.
Which close rate should I use?
Use paid-media SQL cohorts where possible. A company-wide close rate can overstate performance if referrals close more easily.