The rule of 40: Balancing growth and profitability in SaaS!

Balancing fast growth with steady profitability is a constant challenge for SaaS companies. That’s where the rule of 40 comes in. It’s a simple but important benchmark that helps measure financial health. Over time, it has become a trusted guide for predicting long-term success.

But what exactly is this rule, and why does it matter so much for SaaS companies? In today’s unpredictable market, this simple guideline has become a must-know for evaluating business health.

In this guide, we’ll break down this rule in an easy-to-understand way. Further, we’ll explain why it’s important, how to calculate it, and what strategies can help you hit this key benchmark. So, get ready to uncover how this balance can transform your SaaS business into a true success story. 

Key takeaways 

• The rule of 40 is a quick health check for SaaS businesses. It combines revenue growth and profitability into a single metric to show whether a company is scaling in a sustainable way.

• Hitting 40% doesn’t require one perfect formula. Strong growth can offset lower margins, and strong margins can balance slower growth—as long as the total reaches or exceeds 40%.

• The rule of 40 works best when paired with financial modeling. Scenario planning helps founders understand how growth and margin decisions impact long-term performance.

• It’s a management tool, not only an investor metric. Founders can use it internally to guide pricing, hiring, sales efficiency, and cost decisions.

Table of contents

• Understanding the rule of 40
• Why this guideline matters for SaaS companies
• How to calculate the rule of 40
• Strategies to improve growth and profitability
• The limitations of this approach
• Tools and resources to track the rule of 40
• FAQs

Understanding the rule of 40

The rule of 40 is a simple guideline that helps measure a software company’s financial health. It suggests that the combined growth rate and profit margin should be at least 40%. This simple guideline provides a fast glimpse of how well a SaaS business is operating overall.  

The formula

Here’s how the rule of 40 works:

Rule of 40 = Growth rate + Profit margin

It means if the total is 40% or higher, the company is in a strong financial spot.

Origins and context

This rule is a common statistic in the venture capital and private equity world. It has become a standard way to evaluate SaaS companies. This is because it provides a balanced view of financial health. It looks at both growth potential and current profitability.

The metric became well-known around 2015 after Brad Feld, a famous venture capitalist, mentioned it. Since then, it has gained attention from investors, analysts, and SaaS executives. They use it as a quick and reliable way to assess company performance. It's simple but incredibly helpful. 

Why 40%?

The 40% benchmark isn’t random. It’s a sweet spot that helps balance fast growth with steady profits. This balance is important in the SaaS industry, where companies often focus more on expanding quickly than making profits right away.

The 40% rule works because it lets businesses combine growth and profit in different ways, while still showing they’re healthy. For example:

• A company growing 60% but with a 20% profit margin
• A company growing 20% but with a 20% profit margin
• A company growing 40% but with a 0% profit margin

Why this guideline matters for SaaS companies

Investor perspective

As discussed above, the rule of 40 offers a quick way to check a SaaS company's financial stability.

According to McKinsey’s research, companies that follow this rule are often valued higher. They consistently show that they can grow steadily without wasting too much cash. This key metric is super helpful for spotting businesses with strong, reliable growth.

Here are the reasons why investors appreciate the rule of 40:

1. Simplicity: This rule simplifies complicated financial data into one clear number. And makes it super easy to understand and use for decision-making.
2. Balance: It rewards businesses that grow while staying profitable. Instead of favoring only growth or profit, it values a smart balance.
3. Flexibility: It works for different strategies, like high growth with low profit. It also fits steady growth with higher profit, showing financial health either way.
4. Predictive power: Companies following this rule often perform better than their peers. They tend to succeed long-term and gain stronger valuations.

SaaS market dynamics

The rule of 40 is especially important for SaaS companies because of their unique market. Here’s why it matters:

1. High growth expectations: The SaaS industry grows quickly. Investors usually expect companies to achieve double-digit or even triple-digit growth each year.
2. Subscription-based revenue models: Most SaaS companies use subscription models. Because these bring steady, predictable income. However, they also need big upfront investments to attract customers.
3. Significant upfront costs: They often spend a lot on sales and marketing to gain customers. These costs are expected to pay off over time through long-term customer relationships.
4. Potential for high profitability at scale: As the businesses grow, their profit potential becomes massive. Adding more customers doesn’t cost much once the system is in place, which boosts margins.
5. Network effects and ecosystem advantages: SaaS analytics products often get more valuable as more people use them. This can lead to exponential growth and a stronger position in the market.

By understanding these points will help you better know why this rule of 40 is so critical for success in the SaaS space. 

Comparison with other metrics

The rule of 40 provides an easy approach to assess a company's performance. Unlike looking solely at EBITDA margins, it provides a more complete picture. It combines growth and profitability into a single, understandable statistic. This allows you to rapidly assess a company's overall financial situation.

Here's how the rule of 40 compares to other common SaaS metrics:

• Revenue growth rate: While it’s important, it doesn’t reveal how profitable or sustainable the business is.
• EBITDA margin: This focuses on how profitable a business is before taxes and other costs. However, it doesn’t show how fast the company is growing.
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC): It helps measure efficiency but doesn’t directly show if the company is growing or making money.
• Lifetime value to CAC ratio: It’s great for understanding individual customer profitability. But it doesn’t give you a full picture of the company’s health.
• Net revenue retention: It’s great for tracking customer loyalty and growth. However, it doesn’t consider new customers or overall profits.

How to calculate the rule of 40

Calculating this rule involves two key components: growth rate and profitability margin. Let's break down each component and walk through the calculation process.

Components of the rule of 40

1. Growth rate:

• Typically measured as year-over-year revenue growth.
• Calculated as (Current year revenue - Previous year revenue) / Previous year revenue.
• Represents the company's ability to expand its market share and attract new customers. 

2. Profitability margin:

• Can be measured using various metrics such as EBITDA margin, net income margin, or free cash flow margin
• For consistency, many companies use EBITDA margin: EBITDA / Revenue
• Reflects the company's ability to generate profit from its operations

It's important to note that companies should be consistent in how they measure these components. And especially when comparing performance over time or against competitors.

Example calculation:

Let's consider a hypothetical SaaS company, GrowthTech, and walk through a detailed rule of 40 calculation:

Given Data

• Current year revenue: $10 million
• Previous year revenue: $7 million
• Current year EBITDA: $1 million

Step 1: Find the growth rate

To find the growth rate, we subtract last year’s revenue from this year’s, then divide it by last year’s revenue.

Growth rate = ($10 million - $7 million) / $7 million = 42.86%

Step 2: Calculate profitability margin

Now, we calculate the profitability margin using EBITDA. Divide EBITDA by this year’s revenue.

Profitability margin = $1 million / $10 million = 10%

Step 3: Apply the rule of 40 formula
Finally, we add the growth rate and the profitability margin together to get the rule of 40 score.

Rule of 40 = 42.86% + 10% = 52.86%

GrowthTech’s rule of 40 score is 52.86%, which is above the 40% benchmark. This means the company is in strong financial shape. 

Interpreting results

As we have discussed above, the score gives you insights into how well your company balances growth and profitability. Here's what the scores mean and how you can use them:

• Score > 40%: This is fantastic. It shows strong performance with a great balance between growth and profitability. Companies here are often seen as excellent investment options.
• Score = 40%: You’re doing well and meeting the benchmark. While this shows good financial health, there’s still room to improve and aim higher.
• Score 30-40%: This is below the ideal target but still reflects decent performance. Companies in this range should look at ways to boost business growth or improve profitability.
• Score < 30%: This score suggests an imbalance between growth and profitability. It’s a signal to evaluate your strategies and business model more closely.

It's important to note that the interpretation can vary based on the company's stage and market conditions. For example, a young startup might prioritize growth over profitability, while a more mature company might focus on improving margins.

Strategies to improve growth and profitability

Balancing growth and profitability to meet the rule of 40 requires strategic planning and execution. Here are key strategies to consider, along with practical tips for implementation:

3 growth strategies

1. Expand customer acquisition:

• Use data-driven marketing tools to find and target valuable prospects.
• Test your sales funnel with A/B testing to see what works best.
• Leverage content marketing to attract and educate potential customers
• Create a referral program that rewards satisfied customers for spreading the word.

2. Upsell and cross-sell:

• Create a clear product roadmap that includes useful features and exciting add-ons.
• Use data analytics to identify customers likely to benefit from upgrades
• Teach your customer success team how to find and suggest helpful upgrades.
• Use in-app prompts to recommend upgrades based on how customers use your product.

3. Enter new markets:

• Take time to research the market deeply. Look for exciting segments or growing regions that show potential.
• Create smart strategies to localize your offerings when entering international markets.
• Team up with reliable partners to break into new markets faster.
• Consider buying other businesses to grow your product line or market reach.

3 profitability strategies

1. Optimize costs:

• Take time to audit your tech stack often. This helps you find tools that are unused or not worth the cost.
• Use automation to handle things like customer support or onboarding. It’s a smart way to save time and reduce errors.
• Consider a remote or hybrid work model to reduce office-related expenses
• Optimize your cloud setup to avoid unnecessary spending. A more streamlined system is both cost-effective and efficient.

2. Improve pricing strategy:

• Regularly analyze your pricing against competitors and market conditions
• Try different pricing models, like per-user, usage-based, or tiered plans. See which one works best for your audience.
• Use value-based pricing by showing how your product delivers great ROI. 
• Offer annual plans with discounts to encourage long-term commitments. This can also boost cash flow and lower customer churn.

3. Enhance customer retention:

• Set up an easy and smooth onboarding process to help customers find value quickly.
• Use a health score system to keep track of customer satisfaction. This helps you spot and support at-risk customers early.
• Share helpful educational content that shows customers how to get the most out of your product.
• Add community features that make your product more engaging and harder to leave.

Scenario planning

As market conditions change, staying balanced with the rule of 40 takes flexibility. To adjust, it helps to explore different growth and profit scenarios.

Model different growth and profitability scenarios:

• Use financial modeling tools to project various combinations of growth rates and profit margins
• Consider both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios to prepare for different market conditions

Identify trigger points for shifting strategy:

• Set clear goals to know when to rethink your growth and profitability plans.
• For example, if your growth rate goes over 100% for two straight quarters, it might be time to focus more on profits.

Develop contingency plans for various market conditions:

• Create action plans for scenarios like economic downturns, increased competition, or rapid market expansion
• Regularly review and update these plans to ensure they remain relevant. 

The limitations of this approach

While the rule of 40 is a valuable metric, it's important to understand its limitations:

Not a one-size-fits-all metric:

• Early-stage startups often focus more on growing quickly than making profits. Because of this, the rule of 40 might not be as useful for them.
• On the other hand, mature companies usually care more about steady profits than fast growth. They could score above the rule of 40, but it doesn’t always mean they’re performing exceptionally.

Doesn't account for all factors:

• Ignores important aspects like market size, competition, and product quality
• It might overlook long-term investments like R&D or market expansion that affect profits temporarily. 

Can be manipulated:

• Sometimes, companies focus on improving their rule of 40 score quickly. However, this can harm their long-term success.
• For instance, they might reduce important costs or delay key investments.

Doesn't consider funding environment:

• When capital is easy to access, companies often focus on growing quickly. They might even prioritize this growth over making profits.
• But when funding becomes harder to get, their priorities usually change. Instead, they might focus more on earning steady profits.

Variability in calculation methods:

• Different companies often use their methods to calculate growth or profitability. This can make it tricky to compare them directly.
• The profitability metric you choose, like EBITDA, net income, or free cash flow, really matters. It can significantly change a company’s rule of 40 score.

So, this rule is a helpful tool, but it shouldn’t be used on its own to judge a company’s health. It’s important to consider it as part of a larger financial picture.

Tools and resources to track the rule of 40

To effectively monitor and optimize your performance, consider these tools and resources:

Comprehensive financial modeling and forecasting:

Forecastr: A top-tier financial solution for SaaS companies looking to track and improve their performance.

1. Custom financial models designed just for your business.
2. Real-time dashboards to track key metrics, like the rule of 40.
3. Scenario planning tools to explore different growth and profit strategies.
4. Easy, automated data imports from QuickBooks, Stripe, and more.
5. Collaborative features to keep your team aligned on financial goals.
6. Expert support from financial analysts to improve your model and strategy.

SaaS-specific analytics platforms:

1. ChartMogul: ChartMogul helps you track SaaS metrics and analytics. It also provides rule of 40 calculations to help you understand your business health.
2. ProfitWell: ProfitWell offers free tools to track your financial metrics. For more advanced features, like retention and pricing optimization, you can choose paid plans.

Startup-focused financial tools:

1. Stripe Atlas: Offers financial reporting tools tailored for startups. 

When picking tools and resources, think about your company’s size, growth stage, and unique needs. You want to build a system that gives you a clear view of your rule of 40 performance. This way, you’ll get helpful insights that show where you can improve.

Leveraging the rule of 40 for SaaS success

The rule of 40 provides a powerful framework for SaaS companies to balance growth and profitability. By understanding and applying this metric, you can:

1. Get a complete picture of your company’s financial health.
2. Make smarter decisions with better insights.
3. Attract more investors and boost your company’s value.
4. See how you measure up against industry leaders.
5. Find areas where you can improve your business model.

This is an effective standard, but it is only one element of the problem. It's useful to keep track of, but there are other factors to consider when launching a successful SaaS firm. Product quality, customer satisfaction, and long-term prosperity should all be top priorities.

To calculate your own score, take a moment to review your growth and profitability strategies. Then, think about how you can improve them. Here are a few steps you can take to get started:

1. Set clear targets for both growth and profitability. This helps keep things on track.
2. Create action plans to improve both growth and profit margins. Focus on one area at a time.
3. Make sure your team understands why this metric matters. Align their goals with your targets.
4. Reassess your strategy regularly. Keep an eye on how things are changing in the market.

With careful planning, you can join the top SaaS companies that consistently hit this success benchmark. The rule of 40 isn’t just a number, it’s a way of thinking. It can guide your company towards steady, profitable growth in the competitive world of SaaS.

Furthermore, you can also schedule a call with the SaaS growth experts at Forecastr today and start building a roadmap to success.