Cost per lead vs cost per job calculator

Put in what a lead source cost you last month, how many leads it sent, how many you reached and how many booked. See what each booked job really cost, and whether the source paid for itself.

Per jobNot just per lead

Break-evenThe close rate that pays

FreeNo email, no sign-up

What each booked job cost you

$190

$40 a lead, 6.3 jobs won from 30 leads

$40Cost per lead

$1,352Left after this source, per month

14.1%Close rate to break even

How we got this

Cost per lead$1,200 ÷ 30 leads = $40
Jobs won30 leads × 70% reached × 30% booked = 6.3 jobsLeads you never spoke with still cost money, which is why reach matters as much as close rate.
Cost per booked job$1,200 ÷ 6.3 jobs = $190
Kept per job$900 × 45% margin = $405
Left after paying for the source6.3 × $405 − $1,200 = $1,352
Close rate where it breaks even$40 ÷ (70% × $405) = 14.1%Below this close rate the source costs more than the jobs it brings are worth.

Close rate	Jobs won	Cost per job	Left after the source	Verdict
10%	2.1	$571	-$350	Loses money
20%	4.2	$286	$501	Pays
30% (yours)	6.3	$190	$1,352	Pays
40%	8.4	$143	$2,202	Pays
50%	10.5	$114	$3,053	Pays

Sources: Angi Inc. Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (SEC EDGAR); Local Services Help: How leads work; Local Services Help: About ad rankings; Koira: pricing. Checked 2026-10-09.

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Key takeaways

Cost per job = what the source cost ÷ jobs it actually booked. That is the number to compare across sources, not cost per lead.
Leads you never reach still cost money. Reply speed changes the answer as much as the lead price does.
A source pays when what you keep on the jobs it books is more than everything you spent on it.

Why cost per lead is the wrong number to compare

Lead sellers quote a price per lead because it sounds small. What your business actually pays for is a booked job, and the gap between the two is every lead that went nowhere: wrong numbers, people who booked someone else before you called back, and homeowners who were only pricing.

Two sources with the same lead price can cost very different amounts per job. If one sends leads you reach seven times out of ten and the other three times out of ten, the second one costs more than twice as much per job at the same close rate. That is why the calculator asks for the share you reach and the share you book, separately.

Angi's 2025 annual report describes its lead revenue as fees paid by pros for consumer matches, regardless of whether the pro ultimately provides the requested service. Google's help page lists a missed call during your business hours as a valid, charged lead when the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds. Neither is unusual. It is simply how per-lead selling works, and it is why the per-job number is the one that matters.

How the calculator works

Cost per lead = what the source cost last month ÷ leads you were charged for
Jobs won = leads × share you reached × share who booked
Cost per booked job = what the source cost ÷ jobs won
Kept per job = average job price × gross margin
Left after the source = jobs won × kept per job, minus what the source cost
Break-even close rate = cost per lead ÷ (share reached × kept per job)

With the calculator's starting numbers, which are an example and not a benchmark: $1,200 spent, 30 leads, 70% reached, 30% of those booked, a $900 average job and a 45% margin.

Step	Math	Result
Cost per lead	$1,200 ÷ 30	$40
Jobs won	30 × 70% × 30%	6.3 jobs
Cost per booked job	$1,200 ÷ 6.3	$190
Kept per job	$900 × 45%	$405
Left after the source	6.3 × $405 − $1,200	$1,352
Break-even close rate	$40 ÷ (70% × $405)	14.1%

In this example the source pays: each booked job costs $190 and leaves $405 before that cost. Below a 14.1% close rate, it would not.

Getting honest inputs

The answer is only as good as the numbers. A few rules make them honest:

Spend is everything. Lead fees, the monthly subscription and any setup fee spread over the months it covers.
Leads means charged leads. Count every one you paid for, including the ones you think should have been credited. If a platform later credits some, update the month.
Reached means a real conversation. A voicemail you left does not count.
Booked means signed or scheduled, not "seemed interested".
Margin means after materials, labor and subs on that job, before overhead. The profit margin calculator works it out.

Run at least two monthsOne month can be lucky or unlucky, especially in a seasonal trade. Two months of the same source, with the same reply speed, gives a fair read.

What moves cost per job the most

Holding the starting numbers and changing one thing at a time:

Change	Jobs won	Cost per job
None	6.3	$190
Reach 90% instead of 70% (faster replies)	8.1	$148
Close 40% instead of 30% (better quotes)	8.4	$143
Lead price 20% lower ($960 for 30 leads)	6.3	$152

Replying faster and closing better do as much as a cheaper lead, and they help every source at once, including the free ones. Google says missed calls may count against your responsiveness, which is part of the ranking.

Comparing sources side by side

Run the calculator once per source and write down three numbers for each: cost per job, left after the source and break-even close rate. A source with a low lead price but a high cost per job is a busy way to lose money. A source with a high lead price that books big jobs can be the best money you spend.

Then put the leads you own next to them. Reviews, your site, past customers and referrals have no per-lead fee, so their cost per job is close to zero once they are running. That is the case for building them even while you buy leads. Each platform's own rules and published prices are on contractor leads compared.

Where Koira fits

Koira does not sell leads. It works on the two levers above for every lead you get, paid or free: the receptionist texts back missed callers in about a minute with three open times, and bid follow-ups nudge every open estimate on day two and day four. Koira Grow is $249 a month plus usage at cost: texts, call minutes and emails with nothing added. Its reporting shows dollars paid on jobs Koira touched first, next to what Koira cost.

Last checked October 9, 2026.

FAQ

What is a good cost per lead for a contractor?

There is no single good number. A lead price only means something next to your close rate and what you keep per job. Work out cost per booked job and compare it with what each job leaves you.

How do I calculate cost per job from leads?

Divide what the source cost by the jobs it actually booked. Jobs booked equals leads, times the share you reached, times the share who booked.

What close rate do I need for a lead service to pay?

The break-even close rate is the cost per lead divided by the share you reach times what you keep per job. The calculator shows it for your numbers.

Should I count leads that were credited back?

Count what you were finally charged. If a platform credits a lead later, take it out of both the spend and the lead count for that month.

Is cost per lead or cost per acquisition better?

Cost per acquisition, meaning cost per booked job, because it includes every lead that never booked. That is what the calculator's headline shows.

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