Dollar-Based Net Retention (DBNR / NRR) Calculator 2027

Calculate your Dollar-Based Net Retention (DBNR / NRR) for a customer cohort — (Starting ARR + Expansion - Churn - Contraction) / Starting ARR. 120%+ = best-in-class.

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DBNR Formula

DBNR = (Starting ARR + Expansion ARR - Churned ARR - Contraction ARR) / Starting ARR. Track for a specific cohort (e.g., customers acquired in Jan 2024) over 12 months. NOT same as gross retention (no expansion).

Best-In-Class Benchmarks

120%+ = top decile (Snowflake, Datadog have hit 150%+). 110-120% = strong public SaaS. 100-110% = OK private SaaS. <100% = leaky bucket (churn exceeding expansion). Investors value 120%+ at 2x+ revenue multiple premium.

Distinguishing From GRR

Gross Revenue Retention excludes expansion: GRR = (Starting - Churn - Contraction) / Starting. Always ≤ 100%. DBNR can exceed 100% via upsell/cross-sell. Both metrics needed — GRR shows raw stickiness, DBNR shows growth from existing customers.

Cohort Strategy

Calculate per cohort (acquisition month/quarter) to identify if certain cohorts churn faster. New ICP fit improving? Recent cohorts should show better DBNR than older ones. Track this trend, not just aggregate.

Source: SaaS Capital, OpenView, SaaStr benchmarks. Last updated: May 2026.