An ad account can look great and still lose money.

The difference is almost always the math behind it: margins, break-even points, and which numbers you trust.

This guide covers every number I use to decide whether ads are paying for themselves.

The short version

  • ROAS = revenue from ads ÷ ad spend. A ratio, not profit.
  • Break-even ROAS = 1 ÷ contribution margin. Your floor. Below it, every sale loses money.
  • A good ROAS is break-even plus the profit you want. Not someone else's number.
  • MER = total revenue ÷ total marketing spend. The number no platform can inflate.
  • Budget = sales goal × cost per sale, plus testing. Start from the result, not from a comfortable number.

Return on ad spend

  1. ROAS calculator and formulaFree tool

    Calculate ROAS, see it as a percentage, and check it against your margin.

  2. Break-even ROAS calculatorFree tool

    The ROAS and CPA you need to stop losing money.

  3. What is a good ROAS?

    The three ROAS lines every account needs, and what the latest Meta benchmarks show.

  4. How to increase ROAS on Meta

    The ROAS equation and the five levers that move it.

The whole-business view

  1. What is MER in marketing?

    Marketing efficiency ratio, the bank statement test, and when to stop scaling.

  2. MER calculatorFree tool

    MER, break-even MER and profit after marketing in one place.

Costs and budgets

  1. How much do Facebook ads cost?

    CPM, CPC and cost per result, with real benchmarks and why they vary.

  2. Facebook ad budget calculatorFree tool

    A monthly and daily Meta budget from your sales goal, including creative testing.

Counting the sales right

  1. The Meta Conversions API, explained

    Why the Pixel misses sales, and how to close the gap so the numbers above are real.