Start with what each order contributes
A $29 sale does not contribute the full $29 toward your target. First subtract the percentage fees, fixed payment fee and any cost tied to that order. The amount left has to cover the monthly subscription, other fixed costs and the amount you want to retain.
This is a product-sales planning tool. It does not calculate affiliate commissions or predict how many visitors will buy.
The sales target formula
Contribution per sale = price × (1 − total percentage fees) − fixed fees per sale − other cost per sale
Orders needed = round up((monthly target + plan subscription + other monthly costs) / contribution per sale)
If every extra sale loses money, increasing the number of sales cannot cover a positive target. The result will say the target is not reachable with those inputs. Raise the paid price, reduce the cost or rework the offer before spending on traffic.
A worked example: a $29 download
With a $1,000 target, no extra costs, Payhip Free and an illustrative processing rate of 2.9% + $0.30, one sale contributes $26.409 before monthly costs. At 37 sales, the modeled amount left is $977.13. At 38 sales, it is $1,003.54. That is why the order count rounds up.
Now add $100 in other monthly costs. The same scenario needs 42 sales. The additional costs matter even when the selling platform has a free plan.
Convert an order goal into a traffic scenario
If you have measured a purchase conversion rate, divide the required orders by that rate. For example, 38 orders at an assumed 2% purchase rate would require 1,900 visits. That 2% is an illustration, not a benchmark or a forecast for a new site. Use your own measured rate when available.
Check price and plan together
Use the digital product pricing calculator to work backward from a realistic sales count. Then use the Payhip fee calculator to compare subscriptions at that revenue, or the systeme.io plan finder to check the features you need.
Sales target questions
Can I use zero as the target?
Yes. A zero target calculates the order count needed to cover the monthly and per-sale costs entered. If every monthly cost is also zero, zero sales already meets that zero target.
Is the amount left my bank payout?
No. This model excludes tax, refunds, disputes, currency conversion, fee rounding and payout timing. It also excludes costs you have not entered. Use it to compare assumptions, then reconcile actual sales and charges from your provider.