The Churn Blog

Practical strategies, metrics deep-dives, and hard-won lessons on reducing SaaS churn. No fluff, just stuff that works.

All Retention Metrics Strategy Comparison Case Study

Your Churn Rate Is Lying to You: Read the Retention Curve Instead

Two companies can report the exact same churn rate and have opposite futures. The number hides the thing that actually predicts survival: the shape of the retention curve. Here is how to read it, in two short videos.

Jul 15, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 5 min read

How to Read a Cohort Retention Chart

A cohort retention chart looks intimidating but the insights are simple once you know what to look for. Here are the 4 things every chart tells you, and the 3 patterns that predict every SaaS outcome.

Jul 8, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 6 min read

Mobile App Churn Rate by Category (2026)

Mobile app churn benchmarks vary dramatically by category. Gaming loses 60-75% in 30 days. Utility apps see 40-50%. Subscription apps hold 40-55%. Here are the real 2026 numbers, with what good and concerning look like.

Jun 28, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 6 min read

MRR Churn vs ARR Churn: What's the Difference? (2026)

MRR churn and ARR churn measure the same leak on different clocks. The trap is comparing a monthly number to an annual one. A 3% monthly churn rate is a 30% annual churn rate. Here is how to read both correctly.

Jun 27, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 4 min read

What Is Negative Churn?

Negative churn is when expansion revenue from existing customers exceeds revenue lost to churn. Your customer base grows revenue on its own, even without acquiring new customers. It is the holy grail of SaaS unit economics.

Jun 26, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 4 min read

What Is LTV to CAC Ratio?

LTV to CAC ratio is the single number that tells you whether your unit economics work. Under 3:1 signals a problem. Above 5:1 signals you are under-investing in growth. Here is why it matters and how to move it.

Jun 24, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 4 min read

What Is CAC Payback Period?

CAC payback period is how long it takes for a customer to pay back what you spent to acquire them. Under 12 months is best-in-class. Over 24 months is a red flag. Here is what it measures and how it relates to your ability to scale.

Jun 22, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 5 min read

How to Calculate Customer Lifetime Value

There are three ways to calculate LTV, and they produce meaningfully different numbers. The simple formula works for a rough answer. The cohort formula works for accuracy. The predictive formula works for planning. Here is when to use each.

Jun 19, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 4 min read

What Is Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)?

Customer lifetime value is the total revenue a customer generates before they churn. It is the single most important number in SaaS unit economics because everything from acquisition budget to product investment scales from it.

Jun 16, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 5 min read

NPS vs CSAT vs CES: Which One to Use?

NPS, CSAT, and CES measure different things and answer different questions. Using the wrong one gives you meaningless data. Here is when to use each, how they complement each other, and the mistakes teams make picking between them.

Jun 11, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 4 min read

MRR Churn vs ARR Churn: What's the Difference?

MRR churn and ARR churn measure the same thing on different time scales. The math is simple but the implications for forecasting, cohort analysis, and board reporting are very different. Here is when to use each.

Jun 10, 2026 Read more →

Metrics 4 min read

What Is CES (Customer Effort Score)?

CES measures how easy it was for a customer to accomplish something specific. Research shows it predicts loyalty and churn better than either NPS or CSAT. Here is what it measures, how to calculate it, and why it is underused.

Jun 9, 2026 Read more →

⭐ Featured

Tools to put these strategies into practice

The retention tools I recommend most often.

All tools →

ChurnHalt

Analytics & Insights

You're finding out about churn after it happens. ChurnHalt analyses your Stripe history, finds the patterns behind cancelled subscriptions, and flags who you should focus on.

Retention Email Snapshot

resurrection

Retention & Loyalty

A 15-minute diagnostic call that surfaces exactly where your lifecycle emails are losing users. $249 value - ChurnTools users pay $149 with code CHURNTOOLS40.