CPA (cost per acquisition)
CPA is the cost to acquire one paying customer through your ads. For final expense Facebook ads, CPA usually means cost per placed policy, calculated as total ad spend divided by total policies issued. For FE, CPA in 2026 typically ranges from $80 to $300 depending on agent close rate.
CPA is downstream of CPL and your close rate. A $12 CPL with a 12% close rate produces a $100 CPA. A $20 CPL with a 20% close rate produces a $100 CPA. Different paths, same outcome.
CPA is the metric that actually determines whether your ads are profitable, because it accounts for both lead cost AND lead quality. Most FE agents track CPL because it's easier to measure, but they should be tracking CPA.
For sustainable FE economics, CPA should be 30-50% of first-year commission (annual premium × commission rate × first-year multiplier).