Open dataset
SaaS Benchmark Dataset
Version 1.0 · generated 2026-11-04 · licensed CC BY 4.0
The benchmark bands used by every calculator on this site, published as a normalised, machine-readable dataset. Every row states its unit, its definition and the segment it applies to — because most published benchmark tables do not, which is why two people quoting “3% churn” usually mean different things.
| Metric | Segment | Typical | Best-in-class | Unit | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTV:CAC ratio | Early-stage B2B SaaS | 2.5x - 3x | 4x+ | ratio (x) | Higher is better |
| LTV:CAC ratio | Growth-stage B2B SaaS | 3x - 4x | 5x+ | ratio (x) | Higher is better |
| LTV:CAC ratio | Self-serve / PLG products | 3x - 4.5x | 5x+ | ratio (x) | Higher is better |
| LTV:CAC ratio | Enterprise SaaS | 3x - 5x | 6x+ | ratio (x) | Higher is better |
| LTV:CAC ratio | Marketplaces & consumer subscriptions | 2x - 3x | 4x+ | ratio (x) | Higher is better |
| MRR growth rate | Pre-$10k MRR | 10% - 25% | 30%+ | percent per month | Higher is better |
| MRR growth rate | $10k - $50k MRR | 8% - 15% | 20%+ | percent per month | Higher is better |
| MRR growth rate | $50k - $250k MRR | 5% - 10% | 15%+ | percent per month | Higher is better |
| MRR growth rate | $250k - $1M MRR | 4% - 8% | 12%+ | percent per month | Higher is better |
| MRR growth rate | $1M+ MRR | 3% - 6% | 8%+ | percent per month | Higher is better |
| Monthly customer churn | SMB self-serve (< $50/mo) | 3% - 7% | < 3% | percent per month | Lower is better |
| Monthly customer churn | SMB sales-assisted ($50 - $500/mo) | 2% - 4% | < 2% | percent per month | Lower is better |
| Monthly customer churn | Mid-market ($500 - $2k/mo) | 1% - 2% | < 1% | percent per month | Lower is better |
| Monthly customer churn | Enterprise (> $2k/mo) | 0.5% - 1.5% | < 0.5% | percent per month | Lower is better |
| Monthly customer churn | Annual contracts (any size) | 0.5% - 1% | < 0.5% | percent per month | Lower is better |
| Cash runway | Pre-seed / bootstrapped | 6 - 12 months | 18+ months | months | Higher is better |
| Cash runway | Seed | 18 - 24 months | 24+ months | months | Higher is better |
| Cash runway | Series A | 18 - 24 months | 24 - 30 months | months | Higher is better |
| Cash runway | Series B+ | 24 - 36 months | 30+ months | months | Higher is better |
| Cash runway | Profitable / cash-flow positive | Unlimited | Unlimited | months | Higher is better |
| CAC payback period | SMB self-serve | 6 - 12 months | < 6 months | months | Lower is better |
| CAC payback period | SMB sales-assisted | 12 - 18 months | < 12 months | months | Lower is better |
| CAC payback period | Mid-market | 12 - 24 months | < 12 months | months | Lower is better |
| CAC payback period | Enterprise | 18 - 30 months | < 18 months | months | Lower is better |
| CAC payback period | Consumer subscription | 3 - 12 months | < 3 months | months | Lower is better |
Why this dataset exists
SaaS benchmark figures circulate as screenshots and spreadsheet cells, stripped of the two things that make them usable: the unit and the population. “Churn is 3%” could mean logo churn per month, revenue churn per year, or the top quartile of a self-serve product. This dataset attaches the missing context to every row and puts it in a format a script can read.
What each field means
- unit — the denominator and the period. Percentages are per month, not annualised.
- value_low / value_high — the band, as numbers, so you can compare your own figure without parsing a string. A null value with
unbounded: truemeans the metric has no upper bound (a profitable business has unlimited runway). - direction — whether a higher number is good or bad. Runway and CAC payback are counted in the same unit and point in opposite directions.
- definition — the exact quantity, so the row can be reproduced rather than approximated.
- segment — the population the band applies to. Never compare a blended industry figure to a single segment.
Where the numbers come from
The bands are a synthesis of publicly published guidance from the sources listed below, not a single proprietary survey and not a survey of this site's visitors. The sources measure different populations with different definitions, which is precisely why the table is published as ranges with a segment attached rather than as one authoritative median.
The quick ratio rows are a threshold framework rather than per-segment medians, so they are published separately in the JSON under thresholds.
Licence and citation
The dataset is published under CC BY 4.0: you may copy, redistribute and adapt it, including commercially, provided you credit the source. A citation that satisfies the licence:
SaaS Metrics Calculators, 2026-11-04 edition: "SaaS Benchmark Dataset" v1.0, https://optimetricshub.com/benchmarks/datasetIf you embed a calculator or republish the table, linking back to this page is enough. Corrections are handled as described in the editorial policy; a corrected figure is published as a new version rather than edited in place.
Sources consulted
- Bessemer Venture Partners — Cloud computing and SaaS metric guidance
- OpenView Partners — Annual SaaS benchmarks by segment
- ChartMogul — Subscription analytics benchmarks
- ProfitWell (Paddle) — Subscription churn and retention data
- Social Capital — The SaaS quick ratio framework
- a16z — SaaS metrics and unit-economics writing
Version history
- 1.0 (2026-11-04) — first release: 25 rows across 6 metrics, plus four quick-ratio thresholds.