Unit Economics Template (Excel and Google Sheets)
By Newtown Analytics · · 5 min read
For startup founders
A unit economics template gives you one place to see what a single order and a single customer are worth, and what it costs to win them, so that pricing, marketing and product decisions can be checked against the same numbers. This page shows the layout of a simple template you can build yourself in Excel or Google Sheets in about an hour: the tabs, the input cells, the formulas and a worked sample with checked arithmetic. We show the structure inline and do not offer a downloadable file here. The template supports the metrics in unit economics and feeds the reporting in budgeting and forecasting. Once it is working, the next steps are a unit economics dashboard and, if you are raising money, unit economics for fundraising.
Tabs
| Tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1. Inputs | Every assumption in one place, in a distinct color so users know what to change |
| 2. Per order | Revenue and variable costs for one order, down to contribution |
| 3. Per customer | Orders per customer, lifetime contribution, acquisition cost and payback |
| 4. Sensitivity | One-way and two-way tables on the main drivers. See sensitivity analysis on unit economics |
| 5. Summary | The five numbers a manager needs on one screen |
| 6. Checks | Tests that the model adds up |
The Inputs tab
| Input | Sample value | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average selling price | 60.00 | $ per order | After discounts |
| Product cost | 22.00 | $ per order | Landed cost. See landed cost |
| Outbound shipping | 8.00 | $ per order | Net of any shipping charged |
| Packaging | 2.00 | $ per order | |
| Payment fee rate | 2.9% | % of price | Check your processor |
| Payment fee fixed | 0.30 | $ per order | |
| Returns allowance | 3.0% | % of price | See the true cost of returns |
| Orders per customer, first 12 months | 2.5 | orders | From order history |
| Customer acquisition cost | 28.00 | $ per new customer | Paid marketing plus sales cost |
| Target payback | 2.0 | orders | Management decision |
Name the cells (for example Price, COGS, CAC) so that formulas read clearly. A good habit is a column for the source of each input and the date it was last checked.
The Per order tab
| Line | Formula | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Selling price | =Price | $60.00 |
| Product cost | =-COGS | -$22.00 |
| Shipping | =-Ship | -$8.00 |
| Packaging | =-Pack | -$2.00 |
| Payment fees | =-(Price*FeeRate+FeeFixed) | -$2.04 |
| Returns allowance | =-(Price*ReturnRate) | -$1.80 |
| Contribution per order | =SUM(B2:B7) | $24.16 |
| Contribution margin | =B8/B2 | 40.3% |
Check the sample: the payment fee is 60 × 0.029 = 1.74, plus 0.30 = $2.04; the returns allowance is 60 × 0.03 = $1.80; and 60 - 22 - 8 - 2 - 2.04 - 1.80 = $24.16. Contribution margin is 24.16 / 60 = 40.3 percent.
The Per customer tab
| Line | Formula | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Orders per customer (12 months) | =OrdersPerCust | 2.5 |
| Contribution per customer (12 months) | =B2*PerOrder!B8 | $60.40 |
| Customer acquisition cost | =CAC | $28.00 |
| Net contribution after acquisition | =B3-B4 | $32.40 |
| Contribution to CAC ratio | =B3/B4 | 2.16 |
| Payback in orders | =B4/PerOrder!B8 | 1.16 orders |
| Meets target payback? | =IF(B7<=TargetPayback,"Yes","No") | Yes |
Check: 2.5 × 24.16 = 60.40; 60.40 - 28.00 = 32.40; 60.40 / 28.00 = 2.157, shown as 2.16; and 28.00 / 24.16 = 1.159 orders. The first order alone does not repay the acquisition cost, and the second does. If the average customer places fewer than 1.16 orders, the acquisition spend is not recovered.
The Summary tab
Show five numbers: contribution per order, contribution margin, contribution per customer for the first 12 months, the contribution to CAC ratio and payback in orders. Next to each, show a target and a color flag. This is the screen to share with the marketing and product teams.
The Checks tab
- A check that the lines on the Per order tab sum to the contribution figure.
- A check that no input is blank or negative where it should be positive.
- A check that percentages are between 0 and 100 percent.
- A check that the sample total ties to a manual calculation on a different cell.
A cell that shows "OK" or "Check" at the top of each tab helps users see problems at once.
How to use the template
- Fill the Inputs tab from actual data: order history for price and orders per customer, supplier invoices for cost, carrier invoices for shipping and the marketing and sales ledger for CAC.
- Review the Per order and Per customer results and compare them with last quarter.
- Change one input at a time on a copy of the file to see which assumptions matter most.
- Keep a version for each quarter so that trends are visible.
- Share the Summary tab, and keep the Inputs tab under the control of one owner.
Extending the template
You can add a cohort tab with retention by month, a channel tab with CAC and contribution by channel, a tab for subscription businesses with churn and lifetime, and a scenario switch with base, downside and upside input sets. Keep the logic simple until the basics are trusted. A model that few people understand is not used.
Want a working version?
If you would rather have a unit economics model built around your products, channels and data, with links to your order system and a dashboard on top, contact us. We build planning and analytics tools of this kind as part of our Analytics and Planning Automation work.
Keep reading
- Complete guide: Unit Economics: The Complete Guide to Profitable Growth
- How to Build a Unit Economics Dashboard
- Unit Economics for Fundraising: What Investors Want to See
- Sensitivity Analysis on Unit Economics: Which Levers Matter Most
- Related topic: Budgeting and Forecasting: The Complete Guide for Finance Leaders
This article is for general information. It is not accounting, tax, legal or investment advice, and examples use illustrative numbers rather than client data. Confirm decisions that carry financial or legal consequences with a qualified professional.