Social Media Giveaway ROI & Retained Follower Cost Simulator

Instagram giveaway: real cost per retained follower

The cost per retained follower of a giveaway is the total cost (prize, ads, partner creator) divided by the followers who stay after the wave of unfollows, not by every follower gained. With a €450 prize, €150 of ads, 3,800 new followers and 45% leaving within 30 days, the cost rises from €0.16 to €0.29 per follower.

Formulas used

• Total cost = prize value + ad budget + partner creator fee.
• Lost followers = followers gained × 30-day unfollow rate (rounded).
• Retained followers = followers gained − lost followers.
• Gross cost per follower = total cost ÷ followers gained; cost per retained follower = total cost ÷ retained followers.
• Cost per lead (CPL) = total cost ÷ emails collected, shown only if you enter some.

Example

€450 prize, €150 of ads, no partner creator: €600 total cost. Of 3,800 followers gained, 45% leave, i.e. 1,710, leaving 2,090. The cost per follower goes from €0.16 gross to €0.29 once departures are deducted. The 1,250 emails collected cost €0.48 each, an asset that does not depend on the platform's algorithm.

Assumptions and limits

• The unfollow rate ranges from 15% to 85%. The 40-60% benchmark shown by the tool is an unsourced order of magnitude: measure your own by comparing follower counts on draw day and 30 days later.
• The same total cost feeds all three indicators; the tool does not split spending between followers and emails.
• It does not measure the engagement of remaining followers or later sales.
• Prize value is what you pay, not the retail price.

This tool assesses a one-off acquisition campaign; the link-in-bio click converter measures how existing traffic earns money.

Sources and dates: Instagram's promotion guidelines require a complete release of Instagram by each entrant and a statement that the promotion is not sponsored or administered by Instagram, and forbid encouraging inaccurate tagging. These rules change: reread the page before each launch (checked 14/10/2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many followers unfollow after a giveaway?

The tool uses 45% by default and shows a 40-60% benchmark for entrants who only came for the prize, an unsourced order of magnitude. To get your own rate, note your follower count on draw day and again 30 days later. Out of 3,800 followers gained, 45% leaving leaves 2,090.

How do I calculate the cost per follower of an Instagram giveaway?

Add the prize price, ad spend and partner creator fee, then divide by the followers still there after 30 days. With €600 and 2,090 retained followers, the cost is €0.29 per follower, versus €0.16 if you divide by the 3,800 gross followers.

What does Instagram require in a giveaway post?

Instagram's promotion guidelines require each entrant to fully release Instagram and the promotion to state that it is not sponsored or administered by Instagram. They also forbid asking people to tag themselves in photos they do not appear in. The organiser remains responsible for the rules and for complying with applicable law; reread the guidelines before each launch, as they change.

Which prize keeps unfollows low?

A prize linked to your brand (your products or services) attracts people already interested, while a smartphone or cash mostly attracts contest hunters. The effect shows directly in the tool: going from 45% to 25% departures on 3,800 followers lowers the cost from €0.29 to €0.21 per retained follower.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.