Methodology
This page explains how the Email / SMS Marketing ROI Calculator estimates revenue, cost, ROI, and how it ranks platforms. Formulas are implemented in open source code under src/lib/emailsms/.
Revenue model
Monthly attributed campaign revenue uses your per-thousand-send economics:
emailRevenue = (emailsPerMonth / 1,000) × emailRevenuePer1000Sends
smsRevenue = (smsMessagesPerMonth / 1,000) × smsRevenuePer1000Sends
totalRevenue = emailRevenue + smsRevenue
You can also enter an expected conversion rate and average revenue per conversion in the wizard. Those fields power a conversion cross-check on the results page only — they are not added to total revenue, to avoid double-counting the same outcomes twice.
Cost model
monthlyCost = platformCost + smsPassThrough + operatingCosts
Platform cost
We match your contact list size to each provider's illustrative pricing tiers in code (see provider detail pages). The engine picks the cheapest paid tier that fits your list; if the list exceeds all tiers, the highest tier is used. Free tiers apply when your list fits within the documented free limits.
SMS pass-through
SMS is estimated at roughly $0.02 per message times your monthly SMS volume, unless bundled in a plan (we still show this line so you can see variable spend). Real carrier and country rates differ — adjust your inputs accordingly.
Operating costs
The sum of your monthly content/design spend and additional tool costs (Zapier, analytics, etc.).
Monthly platform budget
Your stated budget is used in the recommendation engine for cost fit scoring, not as an extra line item in the ROI denominator.
ROI
roiPercent = ((totalRevenue − monthlyCost) / monthlyCost) × 100
When monthly cost is zero but revenue is positive, ROI is undefined — the UI shows "N/A" instead of infinity.
Ranges: conservative, base, and upside
Revenue scenarios use simple multipliers on the base monthly revenue:
- Conservative: 65% of base revenue
- Base: Your inputs as entered
- Upside: 140% of base revenue
Costs use the same base cost in the monthly snapshot; first-year cost uses a ±10% band for the range display.
First-year projection
Each month, contact list size compounds by your monthly growth rate. Email and SMS send volumes scale proportionally with list size (relative to month zero). Revenue and cost are recomputed each month and summed.
Break-even month is the first month where cumulative base net (revenue − cost) turns positive.
Platform scoring & recommendations
Each provider has editorial scores (1–10) across eight dimensions. The engine weights dimensions by your business type, send volume, channel preferences, feature checkboxes, technical comfort, main priority, and estimated monthly cost vs budget.
Illustrative guidance baked into scoring:
- Omnisend — nudged for ecommerce + combined email/SMS journeys
- ActiveCampaign — nudged for automation depth and CRM-style needs
- Brevo — nudged for budget-conscious omnichannel (SMS, WhatsApp, chat)
- GetResponse — nudged for webinars, funnels, and landing pages in one suite
Important disclaimers
- Pricing tiers are approximate and reviewed periodically — we do not call live APIs.
- Attributed revenue per send is your estimate; results are a planning aid, not a guarantee.
- Not financial, tax, or legal advice.
- Scores are editorial, not objective measurements.