
Annual Recurring Revenue
Businesses, especially those in the software as a service (SaaS) industry, majorly count on Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) for growth. ARR mainly refers to the amount of predictable revenue expected to count in annually.
It is analyzed as one of the critical business metrics as it helps investors predict future revenue streams.
What is annual recurring revenue?
Annual recurring revenue (ARR) is a critical financial metric used primarily for businesses to measure attainable revenue and forecasting revenue that may be generated over 12 months.
Annual Recurring Revenue is considered as a primary metric to measure year-over-year growth of SaaS and subscription companies using a recurring revenue model.ARR is also represented as the Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR).
What is an example of annual recurring revenue?
Let's say there is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company called "Company X" that provides a cloud-based project management tool. They offer different subscription plans to their customers, ranging from basic to premium features.
Suppose Company X has 1,000 customers who are subscribed to their premium plan, which costs $100 per month. Each customer pays on an annual basis, so they are billed $1,200 upfront for the year.
To calculate the annual recurring revenue (ARR) for CloudSolutions, you multiply the number of customers by the annual subscription price.
In this case, it would be:
ARR = Number of customers * Annual subscription price
ARR = 1,000 customers * $1,200
ARR = $1,200,000
Therefore, Company X has an annual recurring revenue of $1,200,000. This represents the predictable, recurring revenue that the company can expect to receive on an annual basis from its subscription customers.
What is the difference between annual recurring revenue vs. revenue?
The difference between annual recurring revenue and revenue is as follows
ARR accounts for subscription-based revenue, whereas total revenue accounts for each amount the business caters to, irrespective of where it comes from.
The second difference between the two is that the former is an essential aspect for SaaS companies, and subscription, on the other hand, total revenue, should be distinct from these aspects.
When should you track ARR?
You should start tracking annual recurring revenue as soon as your business begins offering subscription-based services or renewable contracts. This is especially relevant for SaaS companies, digital platforms, and any model with ongoing billing.
Monitoring ARR monthly, quarterly, and annually can help identify trends and support long-term strategic planning
Why is annual recurring revenue important?
ARR is important because it gives a clear picture of the company’s recurring revenue stream, allowing for better financial planning and forecasting. It helps:
- Measure business health and growth
- Attract investors by showcasing predictable income
- Track customer retention and contract value
- Make informed decisions about scaling operations
In short, ARR highlights whether your business is growing sustainably.
How to calculate annual recurring revenue?
To calculate annual recurring revenue, monthly recurring revenue is required. To calculate it step wise as follows:
Step 1: Determine MRR
Adding the revenue generated by active subscription within 30 days(a month)
Which, however, includes the revenue on a monthly basis.
Step 2: Determining average monthly recurring revenue
If MRR is seen fluctuating during a whole year, calculation of average MRR is required by summing up the MRR every month and diving the calculated number of month
Step 3: Multiplying the average monthly recurring revenue by 12:
After the average MRR, multiply it by 12 to retrieve ARR.
To show it mathematically:
Annual recurring revenue = (Total amount of monthly subscriptions per month + Total amount gained from new customers per month + total amount earned for upgrades and add-ons per month - total amount lost from downgrades in a month - Total amount lost from churn) X 12.

Enquêtes sur le pouls des employés :
Il s'agit d'enquêtes courtes qui peuvent être envoyées fréquemment pour vérifier rapidement ce que vos employés pensent d'un sujet. L'enquête comprend moins de questions (pas plus de 10) afin d'obtenir rapidement des informations. Elles peuvent être administrées à intervalles réguliers (mensuels/hebdomadaires/trimestriels).

Rencontres individuelles :
Organiser périodiquement des réunions d'une heure pour discuter de manière informelle avec chaque membre de l'équipe est un excellent moyen de se faire une idée précise de ce qui se passe avec eux. Comme il s'agit d'une conversation sûre et privée, elle vous permet d'obtenir de meilleurs détails sur un problème.

eNPS :
L'eNPS (employee Net Promoter score) est l'un des moyens les plus simples et les plus efficaces d'évaluer l'opinion de vos employés sur votre entreprise. Il comprend une question intrigante qui permet d'évaluer la loyauté. Voici un exemple de questions posées dans le cadre de l'eNPS Quelle est la probabilité que vous recommandiez notre entreprise à d'autres personnes ? Les employés répondent à l'enquête eNPS sur une échelle de 1 à 10, où 10 signifie qu'ils sont "très susceptibles" de recommander l'entreprise et 1 signifie qu'ils sont "très peu susceptibles" de la recommander.
Sur la base des réponses, les salariés peuvent être classés dans trois catégories différentes :

- Promoteurs
Employés qui ont répondu positivement ou qui sont d'accord. - Détracteurs
Employés qui ont réagi négativement ou qui ont exprimé leur désaccord. - Passives
Les employés qui sont restés neutres dans leurs réponses.
How to increase annual recurring revenue?
Businesses need to get critical metrics as it mainly helps investors predict future revenue streams. Practical strategies to implement to increase ARR are discussed below:
- Streamlining price strategies
- Encouraging market research
- Offering discounts and promotions
- Executing dynamic pricing solutions
- Developing solid sales and marketing
- Investing in the customer service team and infrastructure
Which businesses benefit from using ARR?
Businesses that rely on ongoing subscriptions or contractual revenue benefit most from tracking ARR. This includes:
- SaaS companies
- Media and streaming services
- Membership platforms
- Managed IT and telecom services
For these companies, ARR is a leading indicator of long-term value and growth potential.
