Skip to main content
Also known as: unit-level economics

Unit Economics

ConceptualMetricsFinance

Definition

Unit Economics: Unit economics refers to the direct revenues and costs associated with a single unit of a business (a customer, product, or transaction). Positive unit economics means each unit generates profit, which is essential for sustainable growth at scale.

Example Usage

β€œOur unit economics are strong: $500 CAC with $2,000 LTV means we're profitable on each customer.”

Common Misconceptions

Growth matters more than unit economics. Negative unit economics don't improve with scale.
Unit economics are static. They improve with scale efficiencies and pricing optimization.
Only profitable companies have positive unit economics. Early-stage companies can be unit-economic positive while unprofitable overall.

Help us improve this definition

See something that could be clearer or more accurate? Let us know.

Help us improve this page

Found an error or have a suggestion? We'd love to hear from you.