How SaaS Companies Turn Usage Revenue into ARR episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 18, 2025 · 4 MIN

How SaaS Companies Turn Usage Revenue into ARR

from SaaS Metrics School · host Ben Murray

How do usage-based SaaS companies convert transactional or variable revenue into Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)? Episode #299 gives you a practical framework for presenting usage-based ARR to your Board, investors, and internal teams with clarity and confidence. After manually reviewing hundreds of public filings and investor materials, Ben Murray breaks down the real-world methods used by companies like Confluent and Datadog to turn usage into ARR. What You’ll Learn The most common method for usage-based ARR The second most common method How these methods compare to traditional MRR x 12 for subscription models Why ARR is often used as a North Star Metric and how transparency is improving across SaaS companies. Resources Mentioned Webinar Replay & Slide Deck (~59 slides): Get definitions, examples, and real ARR formulas from leading SaaS companies: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/zz3ZR2WL Ben’s Research Process “Over 100 hours of manual research. I tried using AI—OpenAI couldn’t handle it. I had to read the filings myself. These ARR methods are backed by real-world data from public SaaS companies.”

NOW PLAYING

How SaaS Companies Turn Usage Revenue into ARR

0:00 4:22

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

The Small Business Startup School – Business Notes | Financial Literacy | Retail Psychology – For Professionals & Entrepreneurs The Small Business Startup School Inc. Starting or buying a small business? While personal circumstances may vary, business patterns remain timeless. On The Small Business Startup School, we explore strategies, insights, and practical solutions to help entrepreneurs confidently navigate their journey.Hosted by Ola Williams—a retail entrepreneur, fintech founder, and financial coach with over two decades of experience—this podcast marries financial awareness and retail psychology with optimism to deliver actionable takeaways.Join us to learn, grow, and connect as we uncover the keys to business success.Let’s continue to learn together and be encouraged to keep on connecting! School of Hard Knox Noah J. Chelliah Everyone has a story, join Noah on an audio journey each month as we explore compelling human stories one interview at a time! Business Bootcamp Mike Andes Business Bootcamp Podcast is made for small business owners.My name is Mike Andes. I started college at the age of 13 with full intention of going to medical school. I went to school for an MBA and now I own a landscaping company, an Anytime Fitness gym, and 3 online businesses. I share my highs, lows, and experiences being an entrepreneur. You can learn from my mistakes and identify with the day-to-day struggles of a small business owner.Call in or ask a question online and get concrete advice about your company. If you are looking to START, GROW, OR SAVE your business I want to help you! Learn from business people and seasoned entrepreneurs as they share their personal stories and experiences on the interview portion of the show. WW2 - the Key Questions, answered by Laurence Rees. Laurence Rees A former Head of BBC TV History programmes, Laurence has specialized in writing books and making television documentaries about World War Two, the Nazis and Stalinism for thirty years. He won a BAFTA and a Peabody for his TV series 'The Nazis: A Warning from History' and a British Book Award for his book on Auschwitz, which is also the world's best selling book on this notorious camp. His book 'the Holocaust: A New History' was described by the Times as 'exemplary' and by the Daily Telegraph as 'the best single volume account of the atrocity ever written'. Educated at Oxford University, for several years he was a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics, London University. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sheffield and the Open University. Professor Robert Service, of Oxford University, described Rees as 'one of the world's experts on the Second World War'. Sir Max Hastings wrote in the Sunday Times, in a review of Laurence Rees' 'World War Two: Behi

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of SaaS Metrics School?

This episode is 4 minutes long.

When was this SaaS Metrics School episode published?

This episode was published on July 18, 2025.

What is this episode about?

How do usage-based SaaS companies convert transactional or variable revenue into Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)? Episode #299 gives you a practical framework for presenting usage-based ARR to your Board, investors, and internal teams with clarity...

Can I download this SaaS Metrics School episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!