Sourced comparisons for growth and retention, plus measurement guidance for MRR growth rate, customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, LTV:CAC ratio, churn rate, net dollar retention, and NPS.
SaaS comparisons are useful only when the customer segment, sales motion, metric definition, reporting period, and cost treatment are sufficiently similar.
SaaS Capital's 2025 research brief reports median year-over-year revenue growth for 2024 from its Q1 survey of more than 1,000 private B2B SaaS companies. These are ARR bands, not customer segments or funding-stage labels.
| ARR band | Median YoY growth in 2024 | Dataset |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1M | 40% | SaaS Capital Q1 2025 survey |
| $1M to $3M | 28% | SaaS Capital Q1 2025 survey |
| $3M to $5M | 24% | SaaS Capital Q1 2025 survey |
| $5M to $10M | 24% | SaaS Capital Q1 2025 survey |
| $10M to $20M | 20% | SaaS Capital Q1 2025 survey |
| More than $20M | 20% | SaaS Capital Q1 2025 survey |
The all-company median was 25%. Read the source's 2025 growth research brief for its survey notes and full historical charts. A 2025 publication does not make these 2026 market-wide targets.
SaaS Capital's April 2026 release isolates bootstrapped private B2B SaaS companies with $3M to $20M ARR from its annual survey of more than 1,000 private SaaS companies. It reports the following annual metrics for that cohort.
| Metric | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 15% | 42.3% |
| Net revenue retention | 103% | 117.9% |
| Gross revenue retention | 91% | 100% |
See SaaS Capital's 2026 bootstrapped-company release. Its scope excludes VC-backed companies and companies outside the $3M to $20M ARR band, so do not use it as a general SaaS median.
Growth rates vary by market, pricing model, and starting revenue base. Assess growth alongside retention, margins, acquisition costs, and cash needs.
The T2D3 rule describes annual revenue growth of triple, triple, double, double, and double. It is an ambitious growth path, not a requirement for a viable SaaS business. Assess growth alongside retention and acquisition costs.
Calculate MRR GrowthSales motion affects the costs included in CAC. Compare self-serve and sales-assisted cohorts separately, and review acquisition cost alongside gross margin, CAC payback, and LTV:CAC.
Define the costs included in CAC and apply that definition consistently. A fully-loaded view may include sales salaries, commissions, marketing headcount, tools, events, and agency fees.
Calculate CACThe simple SaaS LTV estimate is (Monthly ARPU x Gross Margin) / Monthly Customer Churn Rate. It assumes those inputs remain constant. Changes to ARPU, margin, or customer churn change this estimate, but do not establish the cause of a future outcome.
Track expansion separately through net revenue retention or net revenue churn. Do not use negative net churn as the denominator in the simple customer-churn LTV formula. When expansion exceeds revenue churn, report that result as NRR above 100% and model it separately.
Calculate LTVNDR measures revenue retained and expanded from your existing customer base over a stated period, commonly 12 months. NDR above 100% means the cohort's revenue has grown after accounting for expansion, contraction, and churn. It is one useful retention metric, alongside gross retention, customer churn, growth, and margin.
Public-company NDR figures depend on the company's cohort definition and reporting period. An NDR of 120% describes 20% cohort revenue growth over the measured period; it does not describe total-company growth or eliminate the need for new-customer acquisition.
Customer churn is a denominator in the simple LTV formula. Holding ARPU and margin constant, reducing monthly customer churn from 5% to 3% raises the estimated lifespan from 20 to about 33 months and estimated LTV by about 67%. Review the cohort data and the reason for churn before using that estimate for acquisition decisions.
Measure both logo churn and revenue (MRR) churn. If your largest customers stay but small ones leave, revenue churn and customer churn can tell different stories. Review both in the context of the revenue model.
Calculate Churn RateReview NPS alongside churn and expansion. Differences between survey responses and customer behavior can point to questions about the sample, product experience, or reasons for leaving. A high or low NPS alone does not identify the cause of churn.
NPS distributions vary by survey design, customer segment, and product category. Compare scores with surveys that use a similar sampling and timing method before drawing conclusions about B2B or consumer performance.
Calculate NPSLTV:CAC compares the LTV estimate with acquisition cost. A 3:1 ratio means the estimate is three dollars of LTV for each acquisition dollar. The interpretation depends on the LTV method, gross margin, payback period, and business model.
A ratio below 1:1 means the LTV estimate is below acquisition cost. Higher ratios leave more room for other costs under the chosen assumptions, but do not by themselves justify more spending. Review the LTV:CAC guide for measurement checks and sourced operating guidelines.
Customer segment affects pricing, sales cycles, retention, and acquisition costs. Use the rows to structure a comparison with a study that matches your contract size, sales motion, and reporting period.
| Segment | Comparison focus | Questions to answer |
|---|---|---|
| SMB | Self-serve or assisted acquisition, plan mix, and cohort retention | Which customers renew, what they pay, and how much acquisition costs? |
| Mid-Market | Contract size, sales-cycle length, expansion, and gross retention | How are new, retained, expanded, and churned revenues defined? |
| Enterprise | Account mix, implementation, renewal timing, and fully loaded sales cost | What is the customer cohort, contract term, and cost allocation method? |
Investigate differences before treating a benchmark as a target. A high CAC may be supported by longer retention and higher gross profit; early churn may require examining audience fit and onboarding. The figures identify questions to investigate rather than their causes.
Track your own cohorts over time with consistent definitions. Use this record alongside customer feedback and cash-flow projections when considering acquisition spending, retention work, or fundraising.
Use our free SaaS calculators to compute your metrics and document their assumptions. All calculators are free and require no sign-up.