# SaaS Metric Formulas Complete reference with worked examples for all metrics calculated by the SaaS Metrics Coach. ## ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) ``` ARR = MRR × 12 ``` **Example:** - Current MRR: $50,000 - ARR = $50,000 × 12 = **$600,000** **When to use:** Quick snapshot of annualized revenue run rate. Not the same as actual annual revenue if you have seasonality or one-time fees. ## MoM MRR Growth Rate ``` MoM Growth % = ((MRR_now - MRR_last) / MRR_last) × 100 ``` **Example:** - Current MRR: $50,000 - Last month MRR: $45,000 - Growth = (($50,000 - $45,000) / $45,000) × 100 = **11.1%** **Interpretation:** - Negative = losing revenue - 0-5% = slow growth (concerning for early stage) - 5-15% = healthy growth - >15% = strong growth (early stage) ## Monthly Churn Rate ``` Churn % = (Customers lost / Customers at start of month) × 100 ``` **Example:** - Customers at start of month: 100 - Customers lost during month: 5 - Churn = (5 / 100) × 100 = **5%** **Annualized impact:** 5% monthly = ~46% annual churn (compounding effect) **Critical context:** Churn tolerance varies by segment: - Enterprise: >3% is critical - SMB: >8% is critical - Always confirm segment before judging severity ## ARPA (Avg Revenue Per Account) ``` ARPA = MRR / Total active customers ``` ## CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) ``` CAC = Total Sales & Marketing spend / New customers acquired ``` Example: $20k spend / 10 customers → CAC $2,000 ## LTV (Customer Lifetime Value) ``` LTV = (ARPA / Monthly Churn Rate) × Gross Margin % ``` **Simplified (no gross margin data):** ``` LTV = ARPA / Monthly Churn Rate ``` **Example:** - ARPA: $500 - Monthly churn: 5% (0.05) - Gross margin: 70% (0.70) - LTV = ($500 / 0.05) × 0.70 = **$7,000** **Simplified (no margin):** $500 / 0.05 = **$10,000** **Why it matters:** LTV tells you the total revenue you can expect from an average customer. Must be at least 3x your CAC to have sustainable unit economics. ## LTV:CAC Ratio ``` LTV:CAC = LTV / CAC ``` Example: LTV $10k / CAC $2k = 5:1 ## CAC Payback Period ``` Payback (months) = CAC / (ARPA × Gross Margin %) Simplified: Payback = CAC / ARPA ``` Example: CAC $2k / ARPA $500 = 4 months ## NRR (Net Revenue Retention) ``` NRR % = ((MRR_start + Expansion MRR - Churned MRR - Contraction MRR) / MRR_start) × 100 ``` Simplified (no expansion data): NRR ≈ (1 - Revenue Churn Rate) × 100 ## Rule of 40 ``` Score = Annualized MoM Growth % + Net Profit Margin % Healthy: ≥ 40 ```