13 articles
Unit EconomicsOptimizing CAC without gross margin context creates a dangerous illusion of acquisition efficiency. Discover how margin-adjusted CAC payback exposes the real unit economics picture — and why infrastructure-heavy SaaS is most at risk.
PricingCalculate the true margin cost of discounting in SaaS — by segment, deal type, and discount depth. Includes the discount break-even formula, cohort LTV effects, and the metrics that reveal when your discount policy is destroying value.
Unit EconomicsAt sub-$1K ACV, CAC payback math changes completely. Learn the formulas, benchmarks, fully-loaded CAC calculations, and worked examples that determine whether your SMB SaaS unit economics are viable.
Finance & Unit EconomicsGross margin determines your valuation multiple more than growth rate at Series B and beyond. Learn the ceiling by ARR stage, what drives it, and how to engineer higher margins before your next raise.
Finance & OperationsPayroll is 60–75% of SaaS operating expense. When headcount grows faster than ARR, payroll becomes the constraint that caps growth instead of enabling it. Learn how to diagnose the payroll trap and restructure for sustainable scaling.
PricingRate limiting is infrastructure and pricing policy simultaneously. How you design throttle tiers determines your COGS, your developer experience, and which customers stay in which plan.
DistributionHow to model the unit economics of a SaaS reseller channel at each growth stage — margin splits, discount structures, support cost allocation, and when the reseller channel becomes accretive versus dilutive.
Unit EconomicsSupport is the hidden margin killer in SMB SaaS. Learn how to calculate cost-per-ticket, cost-per-account, self-serve deflection economics, and why support costs must be included in LTV and CAC calculations.
AcquisitionSegment-specific CAC payback period benchmarks for SaaS. Learn why SMB payback should be 3-9 months, Mid-Market 9-18 months, and Enterprise 18-36 months — and how to calculate and optimize each.
Growth StrategyThe simple LTV formula ignores expansion revenue and understates true customer value by 40%+. Learn all 3 LTV formulas, when to use each, and how to segment LTV for accurate unit economics.
Growth StrategyGo beyond the basic LTV:CAC health check. Learn the stage-specific benchmarks, how expansion revenue fundamentally changes your LTV calculation, and what investor-grade unit economics actually looks like.
AcquisitionLearn how to calculate CAC payback period, understand what good looks like by segment, and discover strategies to reduce your payback period for faster SaaS growth.
Growth StrategyMaster SaaS unit economics. Learn how to calculate LTV, CAC, gross margin, and the key ratios that determine whether your SaaS business is building value or burning cash.