How to Calculate the ARR: Step-by-Step to Mastery

June 12, 2025
Jason Berwanger
Accounting

Learn how to calculate the ARR with this step-by-step guide, ensuring accurate financial planning and strategic growth for your subscription-based business.

Calculating ARR.

For any business built on subscriptions, understanding your financial trajectory is key to making smart decisions and achieving sustainable growth. One of the most powerful metrics in your toolkit is Annual Recurring Revenue, or ARR. It represents the predictable revenue your company can expect from all active subscriptions over a twelve-month period. Unlike one-time sales, ARR provides a stable baseline, helping you plan for the future with greater confidence. Investors often look closely at ARR to gauge a company's health and scalability. In this post, we'll explore what makes ARR so important and provide a clear guide on how to calculate the arr for your own business.

Key Takeaways

  • Get your ARR calculation spot-on: Focus on including only true, ongoing subscription revenue and consistently factor in customer changes like upgrades and churn for a truly reliable financial view.
  • Grow your ARR by focusing on your customers: Attract new subscribers with clear value, and keep your current ones engaged and investing more through excellent service and relevant expansion options.
  • Use ARR to steer your business strategy: Treat this metric as more than just a number; let it guide your financial forecasts, inform your growth plans, and help you pinpoint your most successful revenue streams.

What Exactly is Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)?

If your business thrives on customers who pay you on a recurring basis, especially through annual subscriptions, then Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is a term you'll absolutely want to master. Think of ARR as the predictable stream of income your company expects to receive from all your active customer subscriptions over a full year. This predictability is golden because it allows for more accurate financial forecasting and smarter resource allocation. As Wall Street Prep puts it, "ARR is like a yearly prediction of how much money a company will make from subscriptions or long-term contracts." This metric is a cornerstone for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies and any subscription-based business because it paints a clear picture of financial stability and the potential for sustainable growth.

Unlike one-time sales figures, which can be unpredictable and make long-term planning tricky, ARR focuses on the consistent, ongoing value your customers bring in year after year. This makes it an incredibly powerful indicator of your business's health, momentum, and even its valuation. Investors, for instance, often look closely at ARR to gauge a company's scalability and long-term viability because it demonstrates a reliable revenue engine. Understanding your ARR helps you see not just where your business stands today, but where it's headed, giving you a solid foundation for future planning and strategic investment decisions. It’s not just a number; it’s a reflection of your company's ability to build lasting customer relationships and generate dependable income, which is key for any business aiming for steady expansion.

Why ARR Matters and What It Includes

So, why should ARR be high on your list of metrics to track? Simply put, ARR gives you a clear, forward-looking view of your company's financial performance. It helps you gauge how effectively your business strategies are working by showing consistent growth or highlighting areas needing attention. A healthy, growing ARR often signals a strong business model and happy customers who stick around, which is crucial for long-term success.

When you're calculating ARR, it’s vital to include all the right pieces to get an accurate picture. This means tallying up your yearly subscription fees, any additional income from customers upgrading their plans or purchasing recurring add-ons, and importantly, subtracting any revenue lost due to customers downgrading or canceling their subscriptions (often referred to as churn). Getting these components right ensures your ARR provides an accurate snapshot of your recurring revenue, which is fundamental for making informed business decisions and for precise financial reporting.

How Do You Calculate ARR?

Figuring out your Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) might seem a bit daunting at first, but it's actually quite straightforward once you understand the basics. It's a super important metric, especially if your business relies on subscriptions or regular customer payments. Think of it as a yearly health check for your predictable income. Getting this number right helps you see where your business stands and where it's headed. Let's break down how to get to that number so you can feel confident in your calculations.

The ARR Formula Explained

So, how do you actually calculate ARR? There are a couple of common ways to do it. The simplest approach is to take your Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)—which is the predictable revenue you earn from subscriptions each month—and multiply it by 12. This gives you a quick snapshot of your annual run rate, which is a great starting point.

For a more detailed picture, you can use a slightly more comprehensive formula: ARR = (Total subscription revenue for the year + Recurring revenue from add-ons and upgrades) - Revenue lost from cancellations and downgrades during that year. This method, as detailed by financial education resources like Wall Street Prep, gives you a truer sense of your sustainable revenue because it accounts for both growth from existing customers and losses from churn. This more nuanced calculation is often preferred for deeper financial analysis and planning.

First, What's Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)?

Before we get too far ahead with ARR, let's quickly touch on Monthly Recurring Revenue, or MRR. As the name suggests, MRR is the predictable revenue your business generates every month from all active subscriptions. It’s the sum of all your recurring charges, and it’s a foundational metric for any subscription-based business. Think of it as the lifeblood of your monthly income stream if you're running on subscriptions.

Understanding your MRR is key because, as we just saw, it's often the starting point for calculating your ARR. Essentially, ARR shows you the total money a company anticipates making over a year from these ongoing customer payments. Whether you're a SaaS company or offer any kind of subscription service, MRR provides that crucial monthly pulse on your revenue stream, which then scales up to your annual view with ARR.

Calculate ARR: A Step-by-Step Guide

Alright, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of calculating your Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). It might seem a bit complex at first, but I promise, breaking it down into simple, actionable steps makes it totally manageable. Think of this as your friendly guide to understanding one of the most vital health indicators for any subscription-based business. Getting your ARR calculation right isn't just about having a neat number on a spreadsheet; it's fundamental for accurate financial planning, making smart growth decisions, and clearly communicating your company's performance to stakeholders, investors, or even just your internal team. When you can confidently calculate ARR, you gain incredible clarity on your revenue stability and growth trajectory. This figure helps you forecast future earnings, assess the impact of your sales and marketing efforts, and understand the long-term value of your customer relationships. It’s a cornerstone metric that moves beyond monthly fluctuations to give you a broader, more strategic view of your business's financial health. So, take a deep breath, maybe grab your favorite beverage, and let’s walk through this process together, step by step. We'll make sure you feel confident in tackling this essential calculation.

Step 1: Find Your MRR

First things first, before you can get to ARR, you need to pinpoint your Monthly Recurring Revenue, or MRR. This is the predictable, consistent revenue your business generates every single month from all your active subscriptions. To figure this out, you'll sum up all the recurring charges your customers pay for that month. It's super important to only include the truly recurring parts of your revenue here – so, leave out any one-time setup fees, variable consumption charges, or professional service fees. We're laser-focused on the stable, repeatable income. MRR is essentially the bedrock of your ARR calculation, so getting this figure as accurate as possible is crucial. Many businesses diligently track MRR because it offers a clear, up-to-date snapshot of their financial momentum and is invaluable for making informed short-term decisions.

Step 2: Convert MRR to ARR

Once you have a solid MRR figure you trust, converting it to ARR is pretty straightforward. The most common and simplest method is to multiply your MRR by 12. So, for example, if your MRR is $10,000, your ARR would be $120,000 ($10,000 x 12). This calculation gives you a projection of your recurring revenue over an entire year, assuming no other changes like new customers, churn, upgrades, or downgrades for that period. This annual figure is what investors, analysts, and your internal leadership will often look at to gauge the company's overall scale and growth trajectory. As Investopedia highlights, ARR provides a longer-term perspective than MRR, which is essential for strategic planning, setting ambitious annual goals, and understanding your market position.

Step 3: Factor in Upgrades and Downgrades

Now, for a more precise and dynamic ARR calculation, it’s essential to consider the changes happening within your existing customer base. Throughout the year, some of your lovely customers might decide to upgrade to a higher-tier plan (which is fantastic news for your revenue!), while others might need to downgrade to a lower-tier one. The additional revenue you gain from these upgrades is often referred to as expansion MRR, and conversely, the revenue lost from downgrades is known as contraction MRR. To get an ARR that truly reflects these shifts, you'll want to add the annualized value of these upgrades and subtract the annualized value of downgrades from your base ARR. This step ensures your ARR isn't just a static snapshot but accurately reflects the financial impact of customer account changes.

Step 4: Account for Customer Churn

Finally, and this is a big one, we need to talk about customer churn. Churn occurs when customers cancel their subscriptions, and it directly reduces your ARR. It's a natural, albeit sometimes painful, part of running any subscription business, but it’s absolutely vital to account for it accurately. To do this, you'll subtract the total ARR lost from customers who churned over the course of the year from your ARR calculation. This gives you a much more realistic and grounded picture of your sustainable recurring revenue. Some businesses also specifically track "net new ARR," which thoughtfully incorporates revenue from new customers, expansion from existing ones, and subtracts losses from both downgrades and churn. Understanding how churn impacts ARR is critical because it helps you see the true growth of your business and highlights areas where you might need to strengthen your customer retention strategies.

What to Include in Your ARR Calculation

Getting your Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) calculation right is so important for understanding your business's financial health and making smart growth decisions. It’s not just about one big number; it’s about accurately piecing together all the predictable, recurring revenue streams your business generates. Think of it like building with LEGOs – every recurring piece needs to be counted to see the full picture. If you miss a piece, or add one that doesn't quite fit, your final structure won't be accurate. This accuracy is key, especially when you're looking to ensure compliance with accounting standards like ASC 606 or when you need to present clear financials to stakeholders. When your data is integrated properly, you gain real-time analytics that can truly show you where your business stands. Let's break down exactly what components should make their way into your ARR calculation so you can feel confident in your numbers.

Subscription Fees

At the heart of ARR are your subscription fees. This is the most straightforward part of the calculation and forms the bedrock of your recurring revenue. As the folks at Paddle aptly put it, "ARR is the total money a company expects to make each year from its customers' subscriptions or regular payments." So, if you have customers paying you on a regular, predictable basis – whether that's monthly, quarterly, or annually – for access to your product or service, those core fees are the foundation of your ARR. Think of your base subscription tiers; the revenue generated from these is the predictable income you can count on, year in and year out, assuming your customer base remains stable.

Recurring Add-ons and Upgrades

Beyond the basic subscription, many businesses offer recurring add-ons or opportunities for customers to upgrade their plans. These are also vital to include in your ARR. For instance, if a customer adds an extra feature for a small monthly fee, or upgrades to a higher-tier plan mid-year, that additional recurring revenue contributes to your ARR. Paddle notes, "A more detailed calculation adds up all the money from subscriptions and upgrades throughout the year, including any recurring add-ons." It’s important to distinguish these from one-time purchases. We're only interested in the recurring aspect of these extras, as they contribute to the predictable annual revenue stream. Keeping track of these can really show how your existing customers are finding more value in what you offer.

Expansion Revenue

Expansion revenue, sometimes called Expansion ARR, is a fantastic indicator of a healthy, growing business. Wall Street Prep defines it well: "Expansion ARR refers to the additional revenue generated from existing customers who upgrade their service or purchase add-ons." This is the money you make when your current happy customers decide they want more from you – maybe they upgrade to a premium plan, add more users to their account, or purchase an additional recurring service. This isn't about new customers; it's about increasing the revenue from the ones you already have. It’s a strong signal that your product is meeting, and even exceeding, customer needs, leading them to invest more with you. Tracking this helps you understand the growth potential within your current customer base.

The Impact of Churn Rate

Now for the less exciting, but equally crucial, part: churn. Churn is when customers cancel their subscriptions, and it directly reduces your ARR. "Churned ARR represents the revenue lost from customers who cancel their subscriptions," as Wall Street Prep explains. "Understanding churn is essential for accurately calculating ARR, as it directly impacts your overall revenue." You can't get a true picture of your ARR without accounting for the revenue you've lost from departing customers. Subtracting your churned ARR from your total recurring revenue ensures your final ARR figure is realistic and reflects the actual state of your recurring revenue. It’s a critical step for honest financial reporting and for identifying areas where you might need to improve customer retention.

What Influences Your ARR?

Understanding what drives your Annual Recurring Revenue is key to growing it. It’s not just about one single thing; several interconnected factors play a role in whether your ARR goes up, down, or stays flat. Think of it like a recipe – you need the right ingredients in the right amounts to get the desired outcome. For subscription businesses, these ingredients often revolve around your customers and your offerings. When you get a clear picture of these influences, you can start making strategic moves to improve your ARR. This might involve refining your marketing to attract more ideal customers, tweaking your pricing to better reflect value, or finding new ways to deliver more value to the customers you already have.

Having robust data analytics, like those HubiFi can help implement, allows you to see exactly how these different levers are affecting your revenue, so you can make informed decisions. For instance, you can pinpoint which customer segments are most profitable or which pricing tiers have the highest churn. This clarity is essential because simply knowing your ARR isn't enough; you need to understand the 'why' behind the number. By dissecting these components, you can build a more resilient and profitable subscription model. It’s about making small, informed adjustments across different areas that collectively contribute to significant ARR growth over time.

Acquiring and Keeping Customers

At its heart, ARR is all about your customer base. To see that number climb, you essentially have two main paths: bring more new customers into the fold and do an amazing job of keeping your existing customers happy and subscribed. As the team at Paddle aptly puts it, "To increase ARR, companies can: 1. Get More Customers: Attract more people to sign up for their services. 2. Keep Customers Longer: Make sure customers stay subscribed for a long time." It sounds straightforward, but mastering both customer acquisition and retention is a continuous effort. Focusing on customer satisfaction and providing ongoing value are crucial for minimizing churn and extending how long customers stay with you, which directly impacts your ARR.

Pricing Adjustments

How you price your subscriptions and services directly shapes your ARR. If you increase your prices, and your customer numbers stay steady or grow, your ARR will naturally increase. This also includes any recurring fees for add-ons or upgrades that customers opt into. It's a delicate balance, of course. You want to ensure your pricing reflects the value you provide without pricing yourself out of the market. Regularly reviewing your pricing strategy in light of market conditions, competitor offerings, and the value you deliver can reveal opportunities to adjust rates and, consequently, your ARR. Smart pricing isn't just about picking a number; it's about understanding what your service is truly worth to your customers and communicating that effectively.

Product Upgrades and Cross-Sells

Another powerful way to influence your ARR is by encouraging your existing customers to spend more with you. This is often referred to as "Expansion ARR," which, as Wall Street Prep notes, is "Money from existing customers upgrading their service." This could mean a customer moving from a basic plan to a premium one, or purchasing additional recurring services that complement what they already use (cross-selling). By clearly demonstrating the value of higher-tier plans or additional features, you can organically grow revenue from the customers you’ve already worked hard to acquire. Offering seamless integrations with other tools they use can also make upgrading or adding services more attractive, making their experience with your product even better.

Avoid These Common ARR Calculation Mistakes

Getting your Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) right isn't just about ticking a box on your financial checklist; it’s the bedrock for understanding your business's stability and forecasting its growth. For any SaaS or subscription company, ARR offers that crucial snapshot of predictable income, the kind of revenue you can count on year in and year out. But here’s the thing: it’s surprisingly easy to slip up in the calculation, leading to an ARR figure that doesn’t quite tell the true story of your financial health. These little missteps, though seemingly small, can have big consequences. They can quietly influence your budgeting, your ability to attract investors who rely on accurate metrics, and even the day-to-day strategic calls that shape your company's future.

Think about it – if your ARR is off, you might be making decisions based on a mirage. Maybe you're overspending because things look rosier than they are, or perhaps you're holding back on smart growth moves because the numbers seem less promising than reality. Often, these mistakes boil down to simple things like mixing up revenue types (like including one-time consultation fees), forgetting to account for lost customers (churn), or not sticking to one consistent way of calculating. Nailing your ARR means you have a trustworthy guide for making smart choices, staying on top of complex requirements like ASC 606 compliance, and steering your business with genuine confidence. Let's walk through some common ARR calculation mistakes so you can avoid them and make sure your numbers reflect your real success. This kind of clarity is a game-changer, especially when you need to close your financials quickly and accurately at month or year-end.

Don't Misclassify One-Time Fees

One of the easiest ways to accidentally inflate your ARR is by including money that isn't actually from ongoing subscriptions. I'm talking about those one-time setup fees for new clients, charges for custom implementation work, or even single purchases of a special feature. Yes, this income is great for your business, but it doesn’t fit into the ARR picture. ARR is all about that predictable, year-over-year revenue from your core subscriptions. If you include one-time fees, you'll get a distorted view of your sustainable growth. So, be sure to carefully separate these from your recurring charges to keep your ARR accurate.

Remember to Factor in Customer Churn

Losing customers, or churn, is just part of the subscription business world—it happens. This is when customers cancel, and you lose that recurring revenue. If you’re only adding up new sign-ups and upgrades without subtracting the revenue lost from these cancellations, your ARR will look better than it is, and that’s not helpful. To get the real story, you absolutely need to account for customer churn. This means adding up all your income from new and current subscriptions (plus any upgrades) and then taking away the value of any subscriptions that were canceled or downgraded. It’s a vital step for an honest look at your revenue.

Make Sure to Include All Revenue Streams

Just as you need to leave out those one-time fees, it’s super important to make sure all your actual recurring revenue streams are counted in your ARR. Your ARR should capture the total predictable income you expect each year from every ongoing customer payment. This mainly means your core subscription fees, but don't overlook things like recurring add-ons, regular upgrade charges, or any other payments customers make consistently for your services. If you miss a recurring revenue piece, your ARR will be too low, and that could make your business seem less stable than it is. It's worth taking a moment to review all your income sources and double-check which ones are truly recurring.

Keep Your Calculation Methods Consistent

When it comes to financial metrics like ARR, consistency is your best friend. Whether you're calculating ARR or its monthly cousin, MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue), using the exact same method every single time is essential. Why? Because it allows you to make real comparisons and spot trends accurately. If you tweak how you define or calculate parts of your ARR from one month or year to the next—say, by changing how you handle discounts or prorated billing—you’ll make it tough to see your company's true long-term financial trajectory. So, set clear rules for your ARR calculation and make them your standard. This consistency is what gives you solid insights into your growth.

How ARR Compares to Other Key Metrics

Understanding Annual Recurring Revenue is a great first step. But to truly grasp your business's financial health and growth path, it’s key to see how ARR compares with other common metrics. Each tells a part of the story, and together, they offer a clearer view. This knowledge helps you make smarter decisions, especially for tasks like automating revenue recognition and staying compliant.

ARR vs. MRR: What's the Difference?

Think of Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) as ARR’s close relative. Wall Street Prep notes, "ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) shows the yearly income a company expects from its subscriptions, while MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) reflects the monthly income." Both track predictable subscriber income. MRR offers a monthly pulse, great for spotting immediate trends. ARR smooths out monthly changes for a broader, yearly perspective, ideal for long-term planning and valuations. While MRR manages the day-to-day, ARR helps guide your long-term strategy. Simply put, ARR is often MRR multiplied by 12.

ARR vs. Total Revenue

It's common to confuse ARR and Total Revenue, but they're distinct. Total Revenue is all income your business generates—one-time fees, services, and recurring subscriptions. ARR, however, isolates only the predictable, recurring revenue from subscriptions over a year. As Paddle explains, "ARR represents the total revenue a company anticipates earning annually from its subscription services or recurring payments." This difference is vital for subscription models. Total Revenue can shift with one-off deals, but ARR shows your stable, ongoing financial health and core predictable income.

ARR and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

While ARR offers a company-wide revenue view, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) focuses on individual customers. CLV estimates the total revenue expected from one customer over their entire relationship with you. ScaleXP states, "While ARR is crucial for forecasting future revenue and growth, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) measures the total revenue a business can expect from a single customer." Understanding both is powerful. High CLV often means happy, loyal customers who upgrade, positively impacting ARR. If CLV rises, ARR likely will too. These metrics together shape your customer acquisition and retention plans, fostering sustainable growth.

Use ARR to Grow Your Business

Alright, so you've got your Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) calculated. Pat yourself on the back! But don't stop there. This number isn't just a vanity metric to glance at; it's a powerful tool that can genuinely shape the future of your business. Think of ARR as your financial compass, guiding your strategic planning and helping you make smarter, data-driven decisions. When you understand the story your ARR is telling, you can proactively steer your company toward sustainable growth and profitability. It’s about moving beyond just knowing a number to truly understanding what drives it and how you can influence it for the better. This understanding is key for any business, especially those with subscription models, as it provides a clear view of financial health and future potential. By leveraging ARR effectively, you can identify opportunities, address challenges, and build a more resilient and successful company. Let's explore how you can put this key metric to work.

Forecast with ARR

One of the most immediate benefits of tracking your ARR is the clarity it brings to your financial forecasting. Because ARR smooths out the month-to-month fluctuations you might see with one-time sales, it gives you a much clearer picture of your predictable revenue stream over the next year. This stability is invaluable. ARR clearly shows how much your company is growing year after year, which helps you see if your current strategies are hitting the mark or if they need a rethink. With a solid ARR figure, you can project future income with greater confidence, making it easier to plan budgets, allocate resources, and set realistic growth targets. It’s like having a clearer road map for where your business is headed, allowing for more informed financial planning.

Make Strategic Decisions to Improve ARR

Knowing your ARR isn't just about looking back; it's about paving the way forward. This metric is a fantastic starting point for setting achievable goals for your company. It shows you what’s realistically possible and helps you avoid overstretching or setting yourself up for disappointment. If you're looking to improve your ARR (and who isn't?), there are a few key levers you can pull. First, focus on attracting more customers to sign up for your services. Next, look for ways to encourage your current customers to upgrade to higher-tier plans or add more features—this is your expansion revenue. Finally, and crucially, work on keeping your existing customers happy and subscribed for the long haul to reduce churn. These strategic moves can directly impact your ARR and drive significant growth.

Segment ARR for Deeper Insights

While your total ARR gives you a great overview, the real magic often happens when you start breaking it down. ARR is a crucial metric for understanding the financial health and future prospects of subscription-based businesses, and segmenting it can offer even deeper insights. Imagine being able to see your ARR by different product lines, customer demographics, subscription tiers, or even geographical regions. This kind of detailed analysis can reveal which parts of your business are thriving and which might need more attention. For instance, you might discover that one particular service plan is outperforming others. These insights are gold, helping you refine your offerings and target your marketing more effectively. HubiFi's automated revenue recognition solutions can be particularly helpful here, enabling dynamic segmentation for a clearer view of your revenue streams.

Tools and Resources to Help Calculate ARR

Figuring out your Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is a big step, and the good news is you don’t have to reinvent the wheel or tackle it completely on your own. There are some really helpful tools and resources available that can make this whole process much clearer and more accurate. Whether you're just getting started with tracking subscriptions or you're looking to make your current methods even better, having the right support can make all the difference. Let's look at a few options that can help you get a solid grasp on your recurring revenue and what it means for your business.

Excel Templates and Formulas

If you're in the early stages of your business or just beginning to track subscription-based revenue, Excel can be a really practical place to start. You can find various Excel templates online, or even build your own, specifically for ARR calculation. These templates often come with formulas already set up, so you can input your customer subscription details—like start dates, contract values, and renewal periods—and let the spreadsheet do some of the math for you. It’s a hands-on way to get familiar with your numbers. While it does require careful manual data entry and regular updates to stay accurate, it’s a cost-effective method to begin understanding your revenue patterns and how they change over time.

Automated Software Solutions (Like HubiFi!)

As your business grows and you gain more subscribers, keeping track of everything in Excel can become quite a task, not to mention the increased risk of errors. This is where automated software solutions really come into their own. Platforms designed for subscription management and revenue recognition, much like our own HubiFi, can significantly simplify how you calculate and analyze ARR. These systems often integrate directly with your billing and customer relationship management (CRM) tools to automatically pull in data on new sales, renewals, upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations. This means you get real-time ARR figures and insightful analytics without the manual grind, helping you make smarter business decisions. For businesses with a high volume of transactions, exploring a solution like HubiFi's Automated Revenue Recognition can be incredibly beneficial.

Industry Benchmarks and Reports

Once you have a handle on your ARR, it's super useful to see how your numbers compare to others in your field. Looking at industry benchmarks and financial reports can give you that broader perspective. These resources can help you understand what typical ARR figures look like for companies of a similar size, in the same sector, or at the same growth stage. For example, the expectations around ARR can vary quite a bit depending on whether a company is seeking seed funding, where growth potential might be key, versus a Series A round, where investors will look for more substantial, proven ARR. This kind of information helps you set realistic goals, assess your performance effectively, and speak confidently about your financial health.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is ARR something only big tech companies need to worry about, or is it useful for smaller subscription businesses too? ARR is incredibly valuable for any business that relies on recurring revenue from subscriptions, no matter its size. Whether you're just starting out or you're well-established, understanding your predictable annual income helps you plan better, make smarter financial decisions, and see how steadily your business is growing.

I have customers on both monthly and annual plans. How do I combine these to get an accurate ARR? That's a common situation! The key is to get everything to an annual value. For your monthly subscribers, you'll first calculate their Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and then multiply that by 12. For customers already on annual plans, you'll use their yearly contract value. You then add these figures together, making sure to also account for any recurring add-ons, upgrades, and subtract losses from churn, to get your total ARR.

If I'm just starting to track ARR, what's one key piece of advice you'd give me to get it right? My biggest piece of advice would be to be really clear about what counts as recurring revenue. It's easy to accidentally include one-time payments like setup fees or special project charges, but ARR is all about the predictable income you expect year after year from your core subscriptions and ongoing add-ons. Keeping that distinction sharp will make your ARR much more accurate and useful.

How often should I actually calculate my ARR? Is it a once-a-year thing? While ARR stands for Annual Recurring Revenue, you'll likely want to calculate and review it more frequently than just once a year, especially if your business is dynamic. Many businesses track it monthly or quarterly. Calculating it monthly, often by annualizing your MRR, helps you keep a close eye on trends, see the impact of new sales or churn quickly, and make timely adjustments to your strategy. The annual figure then gives you that solid benchmark for year-over-year growth.

My ARR isn't growing as quickly as I'd hoped. What are the first areas I should examine to understand why? If your ARR growth feels slow, a few key areas are worth investigating right away. First, take a close look at your customer acquisition – are you bringing in enough new subscribers? Then, examine your customer churn rate – are you losing too many existing customers? Finally, explore opportunities for expansion revenue – are your current customers upgrading or adding services? Understanding these components will help you pinpoint where to focus your efforts to get your ARR moving in the right direction.

Jason Berwanger

Former Root, EVP of Finance/Data at multiple FinTech startups

Jason Kyle Berwanger: An accomplished two-time entrepreneur, polyglot in finance, data & tech with 15 years of expertise. Builder, practitioner, leader—pioneering multiple ERP implementations and data solutions. Catalyst behind a 6% gross margin improvement with a sub-90-day IPO at Root insurance, powered by his vision & platform. Having held virtually every role from accountant to finance systems to finance exec, he brings a rare and noteworthy perspective in rethinking the finance tooling landscape.