Outreach ROI Calculator
Which outreach channel deserves your next 40 hours — LinkedIn, Instagram, X, or somewhere else? This calculator forecasts the ROI of any DM-based outreach campaign so you can compare channels on math instead of vibes.
Channel choice is an ROI decision
The same offer performs very differently across platforms. LinkedIn tends to reply more but costs more effort per message; Instagram scales volume but replies convert less formally; X rewards public engagement before the DM. The only way to choose rationally is to model each channel with its own realistic rates and compare the forecasted return.
What you get
- Revenue, profit, and ROI multiple per channel scenario
- Cost per booked call and cost per client — the numbers agencies quote
- Break-even volume for each channel
- Risk scores that penalize over-optimistic assumptions
- Side-by-side comparison of up to five channel scenarios
A 10-minute channel bake-off
- Create a scenario for your primary channel with benchmark-median rates.
- Duplicate it, switch the platform, and adjust rates to that platform's range.
- Adjust cost if one channel needs more tooling or time per message.
- Compare: highest forecasted profit wins the budget; lowest risk wins the first test.
Teams that want this inside their own dashboards can use the forecasting API.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between this and the cold DM ROI calculator?
Same engine, broader lens: use it to compare outreach ROI across channels and platforms, not just a single DM campaign. Model the same offer on LinkedIn vs Instagram and see which forecast wins.
How do I compare two channels fairly?
Hold the offer, client value, and budget constant; change only the platform-specific rates (reply, positive reply) and any cost differences. Save each as a scenario and compare side by side.
Should I include my own time in campaign cost?
Yes. Time is the biggest hidden cost in manual outreach. Price your hours at what they'd earn elsewhere — otherwise every channel looks artificially profitable.
Is outreach ROI guaranteed?
No. All outputs are estimates based on your assumptions. Results are not guaranteed.
Compare your outreach channels on math.
Forecast ROI for any DM channel — free.
Forecasts are estimates based on user-provided assumptions. Results are not guaranteed.
Related: Cold DM ROI Calculator · Sales Outreach Forecasting · Agency Outreach Calculator