SaaS Metrics Cheat Sheet: Key Numbers You Should Track
SaaS Metrics Cheat Sheet
Tracking the right SaaS metrics helps you move faster, scale smarter, and avoid costly blind spots. Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or product owner, this cheat sheet gives you clear definitions and use cases for the metrics that matter most – across acquisition, activation, revenue, and retention.
Need deeper GTM tracking help? Visit our GTM KPI guide.
Acquisition Metrics
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
The total cost to acquire a new customer. Includes ad spend, SDR salaries, tools, etc. Formula: Total Sales & Marketing Spend ÷ New CustomersLead-to-Customer Rate
The percentage of leads that convert to paying customers. Useful for sales-led motions or PLG → Sales conversion tracking.Trial-to-Paid Conversion
What % of free trial or freemium users convert to paid? Essential for PLG SaaS models.Revenue Metrics
Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
Total predictable revenue generated monthly through subscriptions. Your baseline for SaaS growth tracking.Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
Average amount paid per customer in a given time frame. Useful for monetization analysis and LTV projections.Lifetime Value (LTV)
Total revenue expected from a customer over their lifecycle. Higher LTV means more room to spend on CAC.Retention & Health Metrics
Churn Rate
The percentage of customers lost in a given period. High churn = PMF or onboarding issues.Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
Measures revenue expansion or contraction from existing customers. Includes churn, upgrades, and downgrades.Activation Rate
The % of new users who reach a meaningful first value moment. A core driver of retention and word-of-mouth.Time to Value (TTV)
How long it takes for new users to experience product value. Faster TTV means better onboarding and retention.DAU/WAU/MAU (Active Users)
Daily, weekly, or monthly active users help track usage patterns and product stickiness. Crucial for PLG models and engagement health.
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
A quick post-interaction or post-onboarding survey rating. Helps you spot friction early and monitor service or success team impact.
Marketing & Ops Metrics
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Often tracked in email, ads, or web pages. A high CTR suggests strong copy and targeting alignment.Email Open Rate
Useful for SaaS email marketing and lifecycle flows. Benchmarks vary, but 20–30% is a solid range for B2B.Campaign ROI
Total return from a paid campaign, expressed as a percentage. Helps optimize channel allocation and CAC.Want Help Building Your SaaS Metrics Dashboard?
If you’re unsure what to track or how to calculate these numbers, we can help build your dashboard, benchmarks, and reporting rhythm. Book a SaaS Metrics Review →Also see: Fractional CMO-led ops and analytics.