Gross Revenue Retention (GRR)
The Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) report measures the percentage of recurring revenue retained from an existing customer cohort over a specified period, excluding any revenue gained from upgrades or expansion. It is the most conservative measure of revenue health, focusing purely on revenue leakage due to cancellations (Churn) and downgrades (Contraction).
GRR provides the purest signal of product stability and customer success, as it is unaffected by expansion revenue. It is the direct opposite of MRR Churn Rate.
GRR is calculated by taking the Starting MRR of the cohort and subtracting Contraction MRR and Churned MRR, then dividing the result by the Starting MRR.
Overview
The Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) report includes a timeline chart and a breakdown table. This report is crucial for understanding the base stability of your revenue stream. The breakdown table cells are not clickable and there is no detail table.
Timeline chart
The timeline chart displays a single line:
- Gross Revenue Retention (Blue Line): This is the primary metric, showing the calculated GRR rate for the selected period.
Because GRR excludes expansion revenue, the line will always be at or below 100%. A high GRR, close to 100%, indicates exceptional stability and very low gross revenue leakage.
The report employs a specific time-window convention:
Monthly Aggregation: If you select an Interval of daily, weekly, or monthly, the calculation is performed on a month-to-month basis. This ensures the retained MRR is consistently measured against the Starting MRR at the start of that month, reducing noise.
Quarterly/Yearly Aggregation: If you select quarterly or yearly, the calculation is performed on a quarter-over-quarter or year-over-year basis, respectively.
The currently ongoing period is marked as a dashed line. You can adjust the chart data using the date picker, interval selector, and filters.
Breakdown table
The table underneath the chart displays the core data points for each period.
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| MRR | The total MRR at the end of the period. |
| Contraction | The MRR lost from existing customers downgrading their subscriptions during the period. |
| Churned MRR | The total amount of MRR lost from customers who canceled all paid subscriptions during the period. |
| GRR Rate | The calculated Gross Revenue Retention Rate for the period (displayed as a percentage). |
The GRR Rate is typically shown in blue or green to visually emphasize revenue success and stability.
Filters
The report supports a wide range of filters to help you analyze GRR within specific segments. These include:
- Date range
- Interval (Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly)
- Additional filters – plan, region/country, billing frequency, customer age (time since signup), etc. (see all filters)
Filters are applied to both the chart and the table simultaneously.
Exporting the data
You can export the table as a CSV file for offline analysis or reporting by clicking the "Export" icon next to the date picker.
Practical tips
- The 100% Ceiling: Remember that GRR can never exceed 100%. If you see it dipping, it signals an urgent need to address product experience, customer success, or billing issues.
- GRR vs. NRR: Use GRR to understand the quality of your product and service (how well you prevent loss), and compare it to Net Revenue Retention (NRR) to understand the effectiveness of your expansion and upsell strategies.
- Segment for Stability: Use filters to analyze GRR by cohort (e.g., customers who signed up 6 months ago vs. 12 months ago) to see if product maturity or onboarding improvements have stabilized your revenue base.
