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Churn rate

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What is churn rate?

Churn rate, also known as attrition rate or customer churn, is the percentage of customers or subscribers who stop using a company’s product or service within a given time. It is a key metric for subscription-based and service businesses, indicating how well a company retains its customers and the stability of its revenue base.

Key takeaways

1
Measures customer loss
Churn rate quantifies how many customers discontinue their relationship with a business during a specific period, such as a month or year.
2
Critical for growth
To grow, a company’s rate of acquiring new customers must outpace its churn rate.
3
Industry variation
What counts as a “good” or “bad” churn rate depends on the industry, business model, and customer expectations.

4
Impacts profitability

High churn rates can signal problems with product quality, customer service, pricing, or competition, and can significantly reduce profits and customer lifetime value.

Why does churn rate matter?

A high churn rate leads to lost revenue, higher customer acquisition costs, and lower customer lifetime value, ultimately slowing business growth. As a key indicator of customer satisfaction and loyalty, a rising churn rate signals issues that require attention. Understanding churn helps companies identify weaknesses, refine their retention strategies, and enhance products or services to retain customers for more extended periods.

How to calculate churn rate

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1
The basic formula

Churn Rate = Number of Customers Lost During Period/Number of Customers at Start of Period×100

Churn Rate = Number of Customers at Start of Period/Number of Customers Lost During Period×100

2
Example:

If you start the month with 1,000 customers and lose 50, your churn rate is:

501000×100=5%

100050×100=5%

Alternative methods may use the average number of customers during the period or focus on revenue churn for businesses where customers have widely varying value.

Impact on business and operations

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Immediate loss of recurring income when customers leave.

Higher churn increases the need (and cost) to acquire new customers.

High churn can signal dissatisfaction, leading to negative reviews and word-of-mouth.

Lower customer lifetime value and higher acquisition costs.

Highlights areas for improvement in product, service, or pricing.

Impact on financial statements

Real-world examples

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Netflix: The 2011 Churn Spike

In 2011, Netflix raised prices by separating its DVD and streaming services, which led to a spike in customer churn. As a result, the company lost about 800,000 subscribers in one quarter and saw a sharp drop in its stock value. This incident highlighted how sensitive customers are to price changes and the significant impact churn can have on revenue and business reputation.


Frequently asked questions about churn rate?

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It depends on the industry, but lower is always better. SaaS companies often aim for monthly churn below 5%.
By improving product quality, customer support, onboarding, and offering incentives for loyalty.
No. It can also refer to employee turnover or loss of subscribers, members, or users.