---
title: "What is Gross revenue retention? | Chargezen"
description: "The share of recurring revenue you keep from existing customers over a period, counting losses from cancellations and downgrades but not gains from upgrades."
url: "https://chargezen.com/glossary/gross-revenue-retention"
lang: "en"
---

Canonical URL: https://chargezen.com/glossary/gross-revenue-retention

# Gross revenue retention

Gross revenue retention (GRR)

Revenue

The share of recurring revenue you keep from existing customers over a period, counting losses from cancellations and downgrades but not gains from upgrades.

## What is Gross revenue retention?

Gross revenue retention starts with the recurring revenue you had at the beginning of a period and asks how much of it is left at the end, from the same customers, after taking out what you lost. Upgrades, add-ons and price increases are left out on purpose. **GRR vs net revenue retention (NRR):** - **GRR** counts only losses: cancellations, downgrades, smaller orders and failed payments. It can't go above 100%. - **NRR** adds back expansion from the same customers, such as bigger orders and add-ons. It can go above 100%. - Together they tell a fuller story. A high NRR with a low GRR means you are losing many customers and making up for it by selling more to the rest, which is fragile. **Using it for subscription brands:** - Measure it on a fixed group, such as subscribers active on January 1, and track them through the year. - Count failed payments that never recover as losses. They are often the biggest fixable leak. - Compare GRR by product, plan length and acquisition channel to see which customers stay. **What moves it:** easy skips and pauses instead of cancels, failed payment recovery, frequency options that prevent overstock, and save offers matched to each cancel reason.

## Formula

GRR = (Starting recurring revenue − Revenue lost to cancellations and downgrades) ÷ Starting recurring revenue × 100

## Example

A brand starts the quarter with $100,000 a month in subscription revenue. By the end of the quarter, the same subscribers have cancelled $12,000 and downgraded $3,000, and added $6,000 in add-ons. GRR is 85%. NRR is 91%.

## Why Gross revenue retention Matters

It shows how well you keep the revenue you already have, without upsells hiding the leaks.

## Explore More Terms

Browse our complete glossary of e-commerce and subscription terms.

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