'How much should I spend on Meta ads?' It's the question we get asked more than any other. And 'it depends' isn't helpful.
After managing $100M+ in Meta ad spend at MBell Media, we've developed specific formulas that actually work.
The Budget Formula: CPA x 50 / 7#
Minimum Daily Budget = Target CPA x 50 / 7
- $20 CPA = $143/day minimum per ad set
- $50 CPA = $357/day minimum per ad set
- $100 CPA = $714/day minimum per ad set
Use our free budget calculator to run the numbers.
Budget by Business Stage#
Testing Stage: $3,000-10,000/month over 2-3 months. Growth Stage: $10,000-50,000/month ongoing. Mature Stage: $50,000+/month with incrementality testing.
Scaling Safely#
Never increase budget more than 20% at once. Wait 3-5 days between increases. See our scaling guide for detailed tactics.
