What is LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)?

Also known as: Lifetime value, Customer lifetime value

Definition

The total revenue (or profit) a customer generates on average over the entire relationship — crucial for deciding how much you can invest in customer acquisition.

In-depth explanation

Formula (simplified): average monthly price × average retention in months. A SaaS customer at €100/mo who stays 18 months on average = LTV €1,800. For agencies this means: if average acquisition cost is €600 and LTV is €1,800, your LTV:CAC ratio is 3:1 (healthy).

Example from agency practice

An agency has 25 clients at €1,500/mo on average. Average retention 24 months. LTV per client = €36,000. Acquisition can cost €5,000-10,000 (LTV:CAC 4-7x) — premium acquisition channels are justified.

Especially relevant for

  • Agency owners
  • Finance managers
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