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Dictionary by pitch.dog
Startup traction, burn & capital efficiency · Core

CAC payback period

Also called: customer acquisition payback, payback

ELI5

How long it takes to earn back the cost of winning a customer.

Used in conversation

“CAC payback is fourteen months on the new plan.”

Definition

The time required for gross profit from a customer to recover acquisition cost.

Here “CAC payback period” means: The time required for gross profit from a customer to recover acquisition cost.

Pitch context

You will see “CAC payback period” in fundraising decks, data rooms, term sheets and investor conversations when the discussion reaches startup traction, burn & capital efficiency.

Why it matters: In startup traction, burn & capital efficiency, different calculation boundaries, periods or accounting treatments can change the number and the decision.

Caution

Calculation, recognition and disclosure can vary by accounting framework, company policy and reporting context.

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Sources & evidence · 9

Direct term-level sources and supporting source families.