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Campaign Calculator

QR Campaign Break-Even Calculator

Work out how many scans a QR campaign needs before it pays for itself, and what profit or loss an expected scan volume produces. All figures are computed from the costs and per-scan value you enter.

1. Enter campaign economics

Formulas: margin per scan = value per scan − variable cost per scan. Break-even scans = fixed cost ÷ margin per scan, rounded up. Profit at expected scans = (expected scans × value per scan) − (fixed cost + expected scans × variable cost per scan).

Result
Break-even scans
200
margin per scan: 2.50
Revenue at 1,000 scans2500.00
Total cost at 1,000 scans500.00
Projected profit / (loss)2000.00

Know the Number Before You Print

A campaign feels successful when scans climb, but scans alone do not pay for printing, design, and placement. The break-even point turns a vague goal into one number: this many scans and the campaign has paid for itself. Everything past that point is profit; anything short of it is a loss. Deciding whether that number is realistic — given footfall, placement, and past campaigns — is the real go / no-go decision.

If the number looks unreachable

You have three honest levers: cut fixed costs (cheaper placement, smaller run), raise value per scan (a stronger offer or a better landing page), or pick a placement with more qualified traffic. Spending more to buy scans at a loss only makes the loss bigger.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as campaign cost here?

Enter all fixed costs — design, printing, placement fees, and tooling — in the fixed-cost field, and any per-scan cost (for example a per-redirect or per-landing fee) in the variable field. Leaving a real cost out makes the break-even point look easier than it is.

What is "value per scan"?

The average gross value one scan produces for you: conversion rate × average order or lead value. If 5% of scanners buy and the average order is $50, value per scan is $2.50. Use your own measured numbers, not a guess, when the decision matters.

What if value per scan is lower than cost per scan?

Then the campaign can never break even: every scan loses money. No volume fixes that. You must raise value per scan (better landing page, better offer) or cut the per-scan cost before scaling.

Does this include the value of brand exposure?

No. This calculator covers direct measurable value per scan only. If exposure has value to you, estimate it separately and add it to value per scan explicitly so the assumption stays visible.