Growth metrics in 2026: B2B SaaS benchmarks for growth, CAC, retention and expansion
Median growth of 26%, net retention of 101% and $2 of sales spend per new dollar. The benchmark figures from 2025 reports and how to read them.
By Rubén García · October 8, 2026 · 3 min
A benchmark is a reference figure to compare your metrics against similar companies. It's not a universal target: it depends on size, average price and sales model. This article gathers the most cited figures from the main 2025 B2B SaaS reports (Benchmarkit with Pavilion, High Alpha with Growth Unhinged and SaaSCan) and explains how to read them.
26%
median ARR growth in B2B SaaS
101%
median net revenue retention
$2.00
sales spend per $1 of new ARR
40%
of new ARR comes from expansion
Growth: the bar has dropped
According to Benchmarkit, median annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth in B2B SaaS was 26%, and the top quartile went from 60% in 2023 to 50% in 2024. Early-stage companies held up better than mature ones.
Source: Benchmarkit, 2025 SaaS Performance Metrics
Acquisition cost: increasingly expensive
The new-customer CAC ratio (sales and marketing spend divided by new-customer ARR) rose 14% to a median $2.00 per dollar of new ARR. The bottom quartile spends $2.82. Blended CAC, however, fell 10% because cheaper expansion carries more weight.
Your take, in one click
What's your net revenue retention?
Retention and expansion
Median net revenue retention (NRR) was 101%: on average, existing customers generate slightly more revenue than the year before, adding expansion and subtracting churn. Expansion is now 40% of total new ARR, and over 50% at companies above $50M ARR.
Efficiency and team
- Sales and marketing are 47% of revenue at VC-backed companies and 33% at PE-backed ones.
- R&D is 34% of revenue in private SaaS versus 23% in public SaaS.
- ARR per employee keeps rising: about $240,000 at companies with $50–100M ARR.
How to use these benchmarks
- Compare with companies of your size and average price, not the global average.
- Watch your own quarterly trends before a single snapshot.
- Read growth and efficiency together: fast growth with runaway CAC isn't healthy.
- If your NRR is below 100%, prioritize retention over acquisition.
For self-serve products, activation metrics weigh more; we explain them in product-led growth with AI. To choose your main metric, see the North Star Metric by stage.
Frequently asked questions
What is good net revenue retention in SaaS?
Median B2B SaaS NRR in 2025 was 101% according to Benchmarkit. Above 100% means existing customers generate more revenue than the year before.
How much does it cost to acquire a B2B SaaS customer?
A median $2 of sales and marketing spend per dollar of new-customer recurring revenue, 14% more than the prior year.
How fast does an average SaaS company grow?
Median ARR growth was 26%; the top quartile, 50%.
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median ARR growth | 26% | Benchmarkit |
| Top quartile growth | 50% | Benchmarkit |
| Median net revenue retention | 101% | Benchmarkit |
| New customer CAC ratio | 2,00 $ / $2.00 | Benchmarkit |
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Source: Benchmarkit · Pavilion · SaaSCan
