What is Net Monthly Recurring Revenue?

Ruben Buijs
2 minutes • Aug 10, 2023 • Product Management

Net Monthly Recurring Revenue (Net MRR) is a crucial metric used in SaaS product management to evaluate the financial health and growth of a subscription-based business. It measures the total revenue generated from monthly subscriptions after deducting any refunds, discounts, or credits. Net MRR provides valuable insights into the recurring revenue stream of a SaaS company, helping to assess its sustainability and predict future business performance.

Examples

To better understand Net MRR, let's consider a hypothetical SaaS company, ABC Analytics. ABC Analytics offers a monthly subscription plan for their data analytics software. In a given month, they have 100 active customers, each paying $100 per month. However, due to a discount promotion, they provide a $20 discount to 10 customers. Additionally, they have 5 customers who request refunds due to dissatisfaction with the product.

To calculate the Net MRR for ABC Analytics:

  • Total Monthly Revenue: 100 customers * $100 = $10,000
  • Deducting discounts: $10,000 - ($20 * 10) = $9,800
  • Deducting refunds: $9,800 - ($100 * 5) = $9,300

Therefore, the Net MRR for ABC Analytics in that month would be $9,300.

Importance

Net MRR is a critical metric for SaaS product managers as it provides insights into the recurring revenue stream and growth rate of a subscription-based business. Here's why Net MRR is important:

  1. Financial Health: Net MRR helps assess the financial health of a SaaS company. By analyzing the revenue generated from monthly subscriptions, product managers can determine if the business is generating sufficient revenue to cover expenses and achieve profitability.

  2. Growth Indicator: Net MRR enables product managers to track the growth rate of the business over time. By comparing Net MRR between periods, they can identify trends and evaluate the success of strategies implemented to increase recurring revenue.

  3. Churn Analysis: Net MRR assists in analyzing customer churn. By monitoring changes in Net MRR, product managers can identify the impact of customer cancellations, downgrades, or upgrades. This information is crucial for understanding customer behavior and improving retention strategies.

How to Use Net Monthly Recurring Revenue

To effectively use Net MRR in SaaS product management, follow these steps:

  1. Data Collection: Collect accurate and up-to-date data on monthly subscription revenue, including any discounts, refunds, or credits provided.

  2. Calculation: Calculate the Net MRR by deducting any discounts, refunds, or credits from the total monthly subscription revenue.

  3. Tracking: Track Net MRR over time to monitor the growth and health of the business. Use analytics tools or spreadsheets to visualize and analyze the data.

  4. Analysis: Analyze changes in Net MRR to identify patterns and trends. Investigate any significant fluctuations and understand the underlying factors contributing to those changes.

  5. Decision-Making: Utilize Net MRR insights to make informed decisions regarding pricing, promotions, customer retention strategies, and overall business growth.

Useful Tips

Here are some useful tips to consider when working with Net Monthly Recurring Revenue:

  • Regularly review Net MRR to identify trends and anomalies. This can help detect issues early and take corrective actions.
  • Segment Net MRR by customer cohorts or subscription plans to gain deeper insights into the performance of different customer segments.
  • Monitor Net MRR alongside other key metrics like customer acquisition cost (CAC) and customer lifetime value (CLV) to assess the overall financial viability of the business.
  • Benchmark Net MRR against industry standards to evaluate the company's performance relative to competitors.

FAQ

Net Monthly Recurring Revenue refers to the revenue generated by a SaaS company from its subscription-based products or services after subtracting any cancellations, downgrades, or credits.
Net MRR is calculated by summing up the monthly recurring revenue from all active subscriptions and subtracting any revenue lost due to cancellations, downgrades, or credits.
Net MRR is an important metric for SaaS product management as it provides insights into the company's revenue growth and helps in evaluating the effectiveness of customer acquisition and retention strategies.
Net MRR takes into account revenue lost due to cancellations, downgrades, or credits, while Gross MRR represents the total revenue generated from active subscriptions without considering any revenue losses.
Net MRR can be increased by focusing on customer retention, reducing churn rate, upselling or cross-selling to existing customers, and acquiring new customers at a faster rate than the rate of cancellations or downgrades.
Some strategies to reduce revenue loss and improve Net MRR include providing excellent customer support, offering incentives for annual subscriptions, regularly analyzing and improving product features, and proactively addressing customer concerns.
Net MRR provides a predictable revenue stream, which can be used for forecasting future revenue and making informed business decisions. It helps in estimating the company's financial health and growth potential.
No, Net MRR takes into account revenue losses, while MRR represents the total revenue generated from active subscriptions without considering any revenue losses.
Yes, Net MRR can be negative if the revenue losses due to cancellations, downgrades, or credits outweigh the revenue generated from active subscriptions.
Net MRR should ideally be measured on a monthly basis to track the revenue trends, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary adjustments to the product or business strategies.

Article by

Ruben Buijs

Ruben is the founder of ProductLift. I employ a decade of consulting experience from Ernst & Young to maximize clients' ROI on new Tech developments. I now help companies build better products

Table of contents

  1. Examples
  2. Importance
  3. How to Use Net Monthly Recurring Revenue
  4. Useful Tips
  5. Related Terms

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