Cost modeling
True cost per active user calculator
Short answer
Per-seat cost lies when half your seats sit idle. Enter licensed seats, monthly cost, and weekly active users, get the real cost per actual user. Often 2-4× the per-seat sticker.
When this calculator helps
- Quarterly stack review with finance.
- Killing low-utilization tools that survive on inertia.
- Negotiating tier downgrades based on real usage, not the headline seat count.
When to look elsewhere
- Compliance or security tools where activation is binary (it works whether or not it's clicked).
- Tools where 'weekly active' is the wrong cadence (annual planning tools, etc.).
Frequently asked questions
What activation rate is acceptable?
80%+ is healthy. 60-80% means review at next renewal. Under 60% means kill, replace, or downgrade.
Should I use weekly or monthly active users?
Weekly is the standard for collaboration tools. For tools used episodically (HR, expense, contract management) monthly active is fine.