Contraction Rate Calculator Formula
Understand the math behind the contraction rate calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.
Formulas Used
Contraction Rate
contraction_rate = starting_mrr > 0 ? (contraction_mrr / starting_mrr) * 100 : 0Annualized Contraction
contraction_annual = contraction_mrr * 12Variables
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
contraction_mrr | Contraction MRR (revenue lost from downgrades)(USD) | 8000 |
starting_mrr | Starting MRR(USD) | 200000 |
How It Works
How to Calculate Contraction Rate
Formula
Contraction Rate = (Contraction MRR / Starting MRR) x 100
Contraction measures the revenue you lose from existing customers who stay but spend less. This happens when customers downgrade their plan, remove seats, reduce usage on metered billing, or receive discounts. Contraction is softer than full churn, but it still erodes your revenue base and deserves close tracking.
Worked Example
A company starts with $200,000 MRR and loses $8,000 from customer downgrades.
- 01Contraction Rate = ($8,000 / $200,000) x 100 = 4%
- 02Annualized Contraction = $8,000 x 12 = $96,000
- 034% of existing MRR contracted due to downgrades.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes contraction?
Common causes include customers downsizing teams, switching to cheaper plans, negotiating renewal discounts, reducing feature usage, or budget cuts that force lower-tier subscriptions.
How can I reduce contraction?
Demonstrate ongoing value, proactively engage at-risk accounts, offer flexible pricing that scales with the customer, provide multi-year discounts instead of tier downgrades, and invest in customer success.
Ready to run the numbers?
Open Contraction Rate Calculator