Subscription LTV

dtc

Subscription Lifetime Value

Definition

The total revenue generated from a subscription customer over their entire relationship with your business.

How to Calculate Subscription LTV

Monthly Subscription Value ÷ Monthly Churn Rate

Example

Scenario: $30/month subscription with 5% monthly churn rate

Calculation: $30 ÷ 0.05 = $600 subscription LTV

What's a Good Subscription LTV?

SaaS typically sees 12-36 month average customer lifespans depending on price point

Common Mistakes

  • Not accounting for churn rate changes over time
  • Using gross LTV instead of contribution margin LTV

💡 Expert Tip

Track cohort-based LTV over time. Early cohorts often have different retention patterns than later ones.

— Based on $100M+ in managed ad spend

Related Terms

By Kristijan Arapov • Based on $100M+ in managed ad spend • Updated 2026

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