MQL Rate Calculator

Calculate the percentage of Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) from your total leads. For marketers, SEOs, growth teams, and founders. This tool runs completely offline in your browser—no data is sent anywhere.

Estimates only. Verify with your analytics data.

Total Leads (count)

Total number of leads in a given period.

Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) (count)

Number of leads that meet your MQL criteria.

Result

MQL Rate

15%

Assumptions Used

• MQL Rate = (MQLs / Total Leads) × 100
• Numbers are from the same time period.
• MQL definition is consistent.

Why MQL Rate Matters

The MQL Rate measures the effectiveness of your lead qualification process. A higher rate suggests your targeting and content are attracting the right audience, while a lower rate may indicate mismatched messaging, poor lead quality, or overly broad campaigns. Tracking this helps optimize marketing spend and align sales-marketing efforts.

Input Definitions & Data Sources

Input	What It Represents	Where to Find It	Common Pitfall
Total Leads	All individuals who have provided contact info or shown interest.	CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce), marketing automation (Marketo), lead capture forms.	Counting duplicates, including unsubscribed or invalid leads.
MQLs	Leads that meet specific scoring criteria (e.g., engagement, firmographics).	Lead scoring reports in your CRM or marketing platform.	Changing qualification criteria without adjusting historical data.

Step-by-Step Guide

Define a consistent time period (e.g., last quarter).
Extract the total number of leads from your CRM for that period.
Extract the number of leads marked as MQLs (using your current scoring model).
Enter both numbers into the calculator above.
Review the MQL Rate and compare it to past periods or industry benchmarks.

Realistic Examples

Example 1: SaaS Startup

Total Leads: 2,400 (from Q3 content campaigns)
MQLs: 312 (scored on demo requests & whitepaper downloads)
MQL Rate: (312 ÷ 2,400) × 100 = 13%

Example 2: E-commerce Brand

Total Leads: 8,500 (email sign-ups last month)
MQLs: 1,275 (opened 3+ emails & visited pricing page)
MQL Rate: (1,275 ÷ 8,500) × 100 = 15%

Interpretation Guide

If Your Rate Is High (>20%)

• Targeting is likely precise.
• Lead quality is good, but volume might be low.
• Double-check that MQL criteria aren't too loose.

If Your Rate Is Low (<5%)

• Campaigns may be attracting unqualified traffic.
• Lead scoring thresholds might be too high.
• Review lead sources and audience segmentation.

Common Mistakes Checklist

Comparing leads and MQLs from different time periods. Not aligning on MQL definition between marketing and sales. Including disqualified or junk leads in "Total Leads". Forgetting to normalize for one-off campaigns or seasonality.

What‑If: Target MQLs

If you have a target MQL Rate in mind, how many MQLs would you need from a given number of total leads?

Total Leads

Target MQL Rate (%)

Required MQLs

900

Frequently Asked Questions

What's a good MQL Rate?

It varies by industry, channel, and business model. B2B SaaS often sees 5‑15%, while high‑intent B2C can be higher. Benchmark against your own historical data first.

Should I count unsubscribed leads in "Total Leads"?

No. Exclude leads who have opted out or are disqualified. Consistency is key—use the same exclusion logic each time.

How often should I calculate MQL Rate?

Monthly or quarterly, aligned with your reporting cycles. Frequent checks help spot trends, but avoid over‑reacting to weekly noise.

What if my MQL criteria change?

Recalculate past periods with the new criteria if possible, or note the change as a break in the trend. Don't compare rates across different definitions.

Formulas & Assumptions

• MQL Rate (%) = (Marketing Qualified Leads ÷ Total Leads) × 100
• Rounding: Results are rounded to two decimal places.
• Assumption: All leads and MQLs are from the same time window and counted using consistent rules.

Disclaimer: For informational and educational purposes only. Estimates depend on your inputs and simplifying assumptions. This tool does not replace professional marketing, analytics, or financial advice.

Sources & References: Basic marketing math: MQL definitions and funnel conversion metrics; CRM and marketing automation platform reporting standards.

Menu

Marketing Qualified Lead MQL Rate Calculator

AI Assistant

Was this tool helpful?