What Is Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)? Definition And Examples

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is a key metric for businesses that offer subscription-based products or services. ARR is a term often used in SaaS sales and marketing teams, as it represents the total amount of revenue that a company expects to receive from its customers over a one-year period, based on their current subscription plans. ARR is an important indicator of a company’s financial health and growth potential, and is often used to assess the long-term value of a business. In this article, we will discuss what ARR is, why it is important, and how businesses can calculate and optimize it.

• What is Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)?
• How to Calculate Annual Recurring Revenue
• Best Practices for Optimizing Annual Recurring Revenue

What is Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)?

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is the total amount of revenue that a company expects to receive from its customers over a one-year period, based on their current subscription plans. ARR includes all recurring revenue streams, such as monthly or annual subscription fees, but excludes one-time fees or revenue from non-subscription sources. ARR is a forward-looking metric, meaning it reflects the anticipated revenue for the upcoming year, rather than past or current revenue.

There are a few more terms related to ARR that are often used in SaaS and subscription-based business settings:

1. New ARR: New ARR refers to the amount of Annual Recurring Revenue generated from new customers or new business in a given period, typically a quarter or a year. New ARR is a key metric for assessing a business’s ability to attract and acquire new customers and expand its customer base.
2. Churned ARR: Churned ARR, also known as Lost ARR, refers to the amount of Annual Recurring Revenue lost due to customer churn (i.e. cancellations or non-renewals) over a given period. Churned ARR is a critical metric for understanding customer retention and identifying areas for improvement in a business’s customer experience or product offerings.
3. Expansion ARR: Expansion ARR refers to the amount of Annual Recurring Revenue gained from existing customers who have expanded or upgraded their subscriptions over a given period. Expansion ARR can include upselling customers on additional products or services, increasing subscription prices, or expanding the scope of the customer’s subscription. Expansion ARR is a key metric for assessing a business’s ability to retain and grow its existing customer base.

How to Calculate Annual Recurring Revenue

To calculate ARR, you need to know the total number of active subscribers and the average revenue per subscriber (ARPU), per year. The formula for calculating ARR is:

ARR = Total Number of Active Subscribers x ARPU

For example, if a company has 1,000 active subscribers and an annual ARPU of $100, the ARR would be:

ARR = 1,000 x $100 = $100,000

Another way to calculate ARR is by first identifying the monthly recurring revenue (MRR) that your company generates. MRR is the total of all recurring revenue your company generates in a month from subscribers or other predictable, recurring revenue sources. 

ARR = MRR x 12

When using MRR to calculate ARR, simply multiply your monthly recurring revenue by 12. This will estimate your annual recurring revenue, so long as you don’t churn any subscribers throughout the year.

Best Practices for Optimizing Annual Recurring Revenue

Here’s a high-level overview of practices businesses can adopt to optimize ARR. While these strategies may not work for every business, they are often used to address annual recurring revenue and overall business growth.

1. Increasing the number of subscribers: The more subscribers a company has, the higher its ARR will be. Businesses can focus on increasing their customer base through targeted marketing, referral programs, and other growth initiatives.
2. Increasing ARPU: Another way to increase ARR is by increasing the amount of revenue generated from each subscriber. Businesses can do this by offering premium subscription plans, upselling customers on additional products or services, or increasing prices.
3. Reducing churn: Churn refers to the rate at which customers cancel their subscriptions. By reducing churn and retaining more customers, businesses can increase their ARR over time. Quality customer support can help with reducing churn.
4. Improving customer retention: Besides reducing churn, businesses can improve customer retention by offering exceptional customer service, personalized experiences, and relevant content or offers. The more loyal, long-term customers your business has, the more reliable your ARR calculation will be. 

In Conclusion…

Annual Recurring Revenue is a crucial metric for subscription-based businesses, as it reflects the long-term value of their customer base. Calculating ARR is quite simple once you know your business’ MRR or ARPU. By understanding and optimizing ARR, businesses can improve their financial health, growth potential, and overall customer satisfaction.