Net Revenue Retention (NRR)SaaSPublic

Net Revenue Retention (NRR) for SaaS at Public (Transactional)

2026 data · Sample size: 298 · Source: Lenny Rachitsky Newsletter Benchmarks

25th %ile
117.5%
Median
129.1%
75th %ile
138.8%
90th %ile
146.5%
Trending up year-over-year

About This Metric

Revenue retained from existing customers including expansion, contraction, and churn. Above 100% means growth without new customers.

(Starting MRR + Expansion - Contraction - Churn) / Starting MRR × 100

Higher is better · Unit: percentage

How to Improve

Build usage-based expansion triggers that automatically upsell. Ship premium features that solve adjacent problems. Create a dedicated expansion team separate from retention.

Ehsan's Analysis

Net revenue retention above 110% is the single strongest predictor of SaaS company valuation at Public. Every point above 100% is worth roughly 0.5x ARR multiple. The founders who crack this build expansion triggers into the product itself rather than relying on account managers to upsell. Usage-based pricing with seat expansion is the fastest path.

EJ

Ehsan Jahandarpour

AI Growth Strategist & Fractional CMO

Forbes Top 20 Growth Hacker · TEDx Speaker · 716 Academic Citations · Ex-Microsoft · CMO at FirstWave (ASX:FCT) · Forbes Communications Council

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Net Revenue Retention (NRR) for SaaS at Public?
The median Net Revenue Retention (NRR) is 129.1%. Top-quartile companies achieve 138.8%. Aim for top-quartile to be competitive.
How does Net Revenue Retention (NRR) change by company stage?
Net Revenue Retention (NRR) improves as companies mature. Later-stage companies benefit from scale and optimization.
How to improve Net Revenue Retention (NRR) in SaaS?
Focus on the primary drivers specific to SaaS. Track weekly with a 4-week rolling average and iterate on the biggest lever.