> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.optimazehq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cost per customer

> Get the average cost to serve a customer with a unit economic.

Cost per customer is the average cost to serve a customer: the cost of a node divided by your customer count.

| You want | You get it from | Time |
| :- | :- | :- |
| **The average cost to serve a customer** | A unit economic: the cost of a node divided by a relevant customer count | 10 minutes |

## Before you start

* At least one cloud or AI provider connected. See [Integrations overview](https://docs.optimazehq.com/overview-page.md).
* A customer count in OPTIMAZE, such as active customers or active subscriptions. See [Business metrics](https://docs.optimazehq.com/business-metrics.md).

## The average cost to serve a customer

**1. Bring in your customer count**

Under **Data**, select **Metrics**, then **New metric**. Choose the **Active Subscriptions by Tier** template, or **Advanced: Custom Metric Setup** for a plain count of active customers. Upload its history and keep it current through the API or Zapier. See [Business metrics](https://docs.optimazehq.com/business-metrics.md).

**2. Decide what cost to include**

Use the root of the Financial Operating Model for all technology spend, or the node for your product if you only want the cost of serving it. Check **Coverage** on the attribution view first: spend in **Unattributed** is left out of any node below the root.

**3. Create the unit economic**

Under **Measure**, select **Unit Economics**, then **New unit economic**.

* **Name**: *Cost per customer*
* **Cost from**: the Financial Operating Model and the node you chose
* **Divide by**: **Published metric**, then your customer count
* **More details**: set **Currency** and a **Unit Display Name** of *per customer*

Check the **Preview** shows a value, then select **Create**.

The unit economic appears on the **Unit Economics** page with its trend, and on the **Unit economics** surface of the attribution view. Set a [Goal](https://docs.optimazehq.com/goals.md) on it to track it against a target.

## Check your numbers

* **Coverage** should be high before you rely on a figure, everything left in **Unattributed** is cost no customer carries.

## Next

* [Cost per feature](https://docs.optimazehq.com/guides/cost-per-feature.md)
* [Cost per customer for a feature](https://docs.optimazehq.com/guides/feature-cost-per-customer.md)


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