Translation service Contribution Lifetime Value
Approximate LTV = monthly revenue × contribution margin / monthly churn rate
Gather project time logs, licence invoices and retainer scopes. Include translator time, review, and formatting. The starting figures are examples. Replace them with your own records.
Formula and worked example
Approximate LTV = monthly revenue × contribution margin / monthly churn rate
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Monthly revenue per active customer | 120 |
| Contribution margin | 50 % |
| Monthly customer churn | 5 % |
| Calculated result | 1,200 per customer |
Choose reliable inputs
Include software licences, delivery time, revisions and ongoing support when costing a project. For this translation service calculation, use project time logs, licence invoices and retainer scopes and a consistent definition of one translation job.
- Translator time: include the portion belonging to this translation job or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
- Review: include the portion belonging to this translation job or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
- Formatting: include the portion belonging to this translation job or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
Use the same currency for every money input. Do not mix weekly costs with monthly revenue, or count the same expense in both an itemised cost and allocated overhead.
When does this lifetime-value shortcut mislead?
Small or changing cohorts, zero churn, changing spend, and seasonal retention can make the constant-rate estimate unreliable.
This simplified geometric model excludes discounting, acquisition cost, and changing cohorts.
What if this input changes?
If monthly revenue per active customer rises by 10%, this example changes by 120 per customer. This shows the effect of one change; it does not predict what will happen.
Open the calculator, save your baseline, then change the input supported by the least reliable estimate in your records. Compare both scenarios before committing to a price or capacity promise.