CARR Is the New ARR? A SaaS Operator's Guide to This Hot Metric

In episode #293, Ben dives into Contracted Annual Recurring Revenue (CARR)—a once obscure metric that's now becoming a standard in financial dashboards and valuation discussions. Ben explains how CARR differs from ARR, breaks down the formula, and shares how it’s being used in real-world enterprise SaaS settings. He also shares why defining ARR is more complicated than it seems—especially with variable and usage-based revenue models. Key Topics Covered What is CARR (Contracted ARR) and how it differs from traditional ARR Why CARR is becoming more widely used in valuation discussions and financial reporting The CARR formula How Ben approaches CARR discussions with CFOs, consultants, and within The SaaS Academy The evolving complexity of ARR definitions, especially in hybrid subscription/usage models Resources Mentioned Blog: How to Define ARR in Subscription & Usage Models SaaS Academy – Courses & Community Shoutout Offer Enjoyed the episode? Leave a 5-star review, send Ben a screenshot, and get a shoutout in his newsletter!