SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage

A subscription retention KPI. Distinct from software-development code churn and from HR employee retention/attrition.

Churn % = customers lost ÷ starting customers × 100.

Tip: Keep “Customers Lost” and “Starting Customers” on the same basis (period, units, and population) before calculating SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage.

Cluster: SaaS hub · Finance loan-to-value · HR retention rate · Code churn · Percentage guide

Monthly churn percentage compares customers lost during the month to customers at the start of the month.

Enter customers lost and starting customers for the same cohort definition.

Customers churned in the month
Customers at start of month

Monthly Churn

Understanding SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage

How we calculate. Churn % = customers lost ÷ starting customers × 100. The form uses the same arithmetic as the worked examples on this page. See our methodology and accuracy policy.

Real-world scenario: A typical SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage case uses customers lost 25 and starting customers 500. Enter the same figures below to reproduce the worked path.

What is SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage?

A subscription retention KPI. Distinct from software-development code churn and from HR employee retention/attrition.

  • Starting customers = beginning of period
  • Lost = cancelled / churned accounts in the period
  • Same definition of active customer

The Formula

SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage
Monthly churn % = (Customers lost ÷ Starting customers) × 100

Worked Example

Scenario: Customers lost 25; starting customers 500.
Step 1: 25 ÷ 500 = 0.05
Step 2: × 100 = 5%
Answer: Monthly churn is 5%.

Common Use Cases

  • Board packs: logo/customer churn
  • Cohort reviews: monthly wash
  • Retention goals: churn vs target

Pro Tips

  • Don’t use code-churn engines
  • Separate logo vs revenue churn
  • Pair with NRR / GRR

Limitations: SaaS Monthly Churn Percentage results are educational SaaS / subscription planning aids—not accounting, tax, or investment advice. Confirm definitions with your billing system and board reporting standards.

FAQ

Same as code churn?

No. Code churn is on the Software Development hub (lines rewritten). This page is SaaS customer churn.

What if starting customers is 0?

Monthly churn is undefined—enter positive starting customers.

Authoritative References

For SaaS metrics and subscription performance concepts, consult: