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What is ROI? (Return on Investment)

ROI measures the profit generated relative to the amount invested. Unlike ROAS, it accounts for costs beyond ad spend.

Formula
ROI % = (Profit − Ad Spend) ÷ Ad Spend × 100

Example

Spend $1,000, earn $4,000 revenue at a 25% margin → gross profit $1,000, so ROI = (1,000 − 1,000) ÷ 1,000 = 0%. You broke even despite a 4x ROAS.

Why ROI matters

ROI is the truer profitability metric because it factors in margin. A campaign can show a strong ROAS yet a negative ROI when product costs are high.

What's a good ROI?

Any positive ROI means the campaign made money; the higher the better, but sustainable targets vary by industry and margin.

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