What inputs does the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer need?

It takes 7 inputs: monthlyActiveUsers, activationRate, retention30d, tokensPerUserPerMonth, modelInputPricePerMtok, modelOutputPricePerMtok, infraCostPerUserPerMonth. Outputs returned: validatedCustomers, totalMonthlyCost, costPerValidatedCustomer, grossMarginPercentAtPrice.

Can I verify the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer with a worked example?

Yes. With MAU 10000, activation 0.4, retention 0.5, tokens 50k, in $3 / out $15 / infra $0.50, price $20. the tool returns validated 2000, totalCost $9500, perCustomer $4.75, marginPercent ≈ 95.25%.

Where does the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer get its benchmark data?

Reference data is sourced from: Anthropic API pricing (as of 2026-04); OpenAI API pricing (as of 2026-04).

What can the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer not tell me?

Known limitations: Doesn't model usage variance — long-tail power users dominate token spend. Single-month view only; no LTV calculation or compounding revenue.

Methodology: Agent Cost Per Validated Customer

1. Scope

Computes AI plus infrastructure cost divided by activated retained users, with gross margin at a chosen subscription price. Does not model acquisition spend, retention beyond month 1, or downstream support cost.

2. Inputs and outputs

Inputs

monthlyActiveUsers number
activationRate number (0–1)

Share of MAUs who reach the activation event.
retention30d number (0–1)

30-day retention of activated users.
tokensPerUserPerMonth number

Total tokens (input + output) per user per month.
modelInputPricePerMtok number ($)
modelOutputPricePerMtok number ($)
infraCostPerUserPerMonth number ($)

Outputs

validatedCustomers

MAU × activation × retention.
totalMonthlyCost

AI + infra cost across all MAUs.
costPerValidatedCustomer

totalMonthlyCost / validatedCustomers.
grossMarginPercentAtPrice

Margin at price × MAU revenue.

Engine source: src/lib/agent-cost-per-validated-customer/engine.ts

3. Formula / scoring logic

ai_cost = MAU × tokens × ((in$ + out$) / 2) / 1_000_000
validated = MAU × activation × retention
cost_per_validated = (ai_cost + infra) / validated

4. Assumptions

50/50 input/output token split. Real workloads vary; adjust the price fields to your blended rate.
Activation × retention is treated as independent. Real funnels often have correlated drop-offs.
Infra cost scales linearly per user; database, CDN, and on-call costs do not always.

5. Data sources

Anthropic API pricing as of 2026-04
OpenAI API pricing as of 2026-04

6. Known limitations

Doesn't model usage variance — long-tail power users dominate token spend.
Single-month view only; no LTV calculation or compounding revenue.

7. Reproducibility

Input
MAU 10000, activation 0.4, retention 0.5, tokens 50k, in $3 / out $15 / infra $0.50, price $20.

Expected output
validated 2000, totalCost $9500, perCustomer $4.75, marginPercent ≈ 95.25%.

8. Change log

2026-05-08 methodology first published.

Worked example

Run live against the same engine this site ships (/engines/agent-cost-per-validated-customer.js). The inputs and outputs below are recomputed on every build and independently re-verified in CI — they are never hand-authored.

Input

tool: agent_cost_per_validated_customer
monthly_active_users: 5000
activation_rate: 35
retention_30d: 45
tokens_per_user_per_month: 60000
model_input_price_per_mtok: 3
model_output_price_per_mtok: 15
infra_cost_per_user_per_month: 0.5
price_per_user_per_month: 20

Output

totalMonthlyAiCost: 2700
totalMonthlyInfraCost: 2500
totalMonthlyCost: 5200
validatedCustomers: 788
costPerValidatedCustomer: 6.6
monthlyRevenueAtPrice: 100000
grossMarginAtPrice: 94800
grossMarginPercentAtPrice: 94.8

Frequently asked questions

What does the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer calculate?: Computes AI plus infrastructure cost divided by activated retained users, with gross margin at a chosen subscription price. Does not model acquisition spend, retention beyond month 1, or downstream support cost.
What inputs does the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer need?: It takes 7 inputs: monthlyActiveUsers, activationRate, retention30d, tokensPerUserPerMonth, modelInputPricePerMtok, modelOutputPricePerMtok, infraCostPerUserPerMonth. Outputs returned: validatedCustomers, totalMonthlyCost, costPerValidatedCustomer, grossMarginPercentAtPrice.
What formula does the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer use?: The exact computation is: ai_cost = MAU × tokens × ((in$ + out$) / 2) / 1_000_000; validated = MAU × activation × retention; cost_per_validated = (ai_cost + infra) / validated
Can I verify the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer with a worked example?: Yes. With MAU 10000, activation 0.4, retention 0.5, tokens 50k, in $3 / out $15 / infra $0.50, price $20. the tool returns validated 2000, totalCost $9500, perCustomer $4.75, marginPercent ≈ 95.25%.
Where does the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer get its benchmark data?: Reference data is sourced from: Anthropic API pricing (as of 2026-04); OpenAI API pricing (as of 2026-04).
What can the Agent Cost Per Validated Customer not tell me?: Known limitations: Doesn't model usage variance — long-tail power users dominate token spend. Single-month view only; no LTV calculation or compounding revenue.