Median Payback Period in Months

The chart illustrates the median CAC payback period in months for public software companies from Q3 2021 through Q4 2025. Payback periods increased significantly from 17.2 months in Q3 2021 to a peak of 31.5 months in Q1 2025.
| Label | Value shown on the chart |
|---|---|
| Q3'21 | 17.2 |
| Q4'21 | 17.4 |
| Q1'22 | 20.4 |
| Q4'22 | 25.6 |
| Q1'23 | 28.1 |
| Q4'23 | 29.0 |
| Q1'24 | 29.1 |
| Q3'24 | 29.5 |
| Q4'24 | 27.7 |
| Q1'25 | 31.5 |
| Q3'25 | 27.5 |
| Q4'25 | 27.4 |
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