Sample SaaS financial model
How an illustrative SaaS financial model fits together: MRR, ARR, churn, NRR, CAC payback and runway, each traced back to an assumption you can edit.
This example is for SaaS founders who want to see how each subscription number links back to an assumption before they build their own.
For illustration only: any business or figures shown here are made up, and your own results will differ.
Revenue build
- New MRR from trials and conversion (e.g. 200 trials × 10% × $50 = $1,000)
- Expansion MRR from seat and usage growth
- Contraction and churn as separate lines
- ARR built month by month from MRR (ARR = MRR × 12)
Unit economics
- CAC payback by channel and cohort (e.g. $50 a month at 80% gross margin is $40; $600 CAC ÷ $40 = 15 months)
- LTV calculated from cohort retention curves
- Net revenue retention (NRR) by cohort
- Runway in a base, upside and high-churn case
Outputs
- ARR waterfall
- CAC payback and cohort model
- Investor pack summarising ARR, payback and runway
Questions founders ask
What is a SaaS financial model?
A driver-based projection of recurring revenue (MRR/ARR) from new, expansion and churned revenue, with CAC, LTV, payback and runway tied to the same assumptions so the numbers stay consistent.
Is this a template I can copy?
It's an illustrative example of structure and logic. Startup Suite is built so you can make your own version, where editing an assumption updates the rest of the model.
Can it become an investor pack?
That's the design: Startup Suite is built to roll the model into an investor pack with the ARR waterfall, CAC payback and runway.
Build this on your own numbers
Join early access and build a version of this from your own assumptions and actuals.