Burn Multiple Calculator
Measure how efficiently your SaaS business turns cash burn into recurring revenue growth with the Burn Multiple Calculator.
Calculate Burn Multiple
Enter your growth and cash flow metrics
Burn Multiple
0.00x
cash burn per dollar of new ARR
What Is Burn Multiple?
Burn Multiple is a SaaS efficiency metric that shows how much net cash a company burns to generate each dollar of net new recurring revenue.
It can help founders, operators, and investors evaluate capital efficiency and understand how effectively a growing company is converting cash investment into recurring revenue.
How the Burn Multiple Calculator Works
Enter your net cash burn and net new ARR for the same measurement period. The calculator divides the amount burned by the additional ARR generated.
Enter Net Burn
Enter the amount of net cash your business consumed during the period.
Enter Net New ARR
Add the additional annual recurring revenue generated during the same period.
Get Your Multiple
The calculator divides net burn by net new ARR to produce your Burn Multiple.
How to Interpret Burn Multiple
Burn Multiple is generally easier to interpret when viewed as a lower-is-better efficiency metric. However, acceptable levels can vary significantly depending on the company's growth stage, market, margins, and investment strategy.
Below 1x
The business is generating more than one dollar of new ARR for every dollar of net cash burned, indicating strong capital efficiency.
1x to 2x
This range can represent reasonable efficiency for many growing SaaS companies, depending on stage and strategy.
Above 2x
A higher multiple means more cash is being burned for each dollar of new ARR and may warrant closer examination.
Burn Multiple Example
Suppose a SaaS company has a net cash burn of $300,000 during a quarter and generates $150,000 in net new ARR during that same period.
This means the company burned approximately $2 in net cash for every $1 of net new ARR generated during the period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Burn Multiple formula?
Burn Multiple is calculated by dividing net cash burn by net new annual recurring revenue. The formula is Net Burn ÷ Net New ARR.
Is a lower Burn Multiple better?
Generally, yes. A lower Burn Multiple means the company is using less net cash to generate each dollar of new recurring revenue.
What is a good Burn Multiple for SaaS?
There is no single ideal number for every SaaS company. A multiple below 1x can indicate strong efficiency, while higher multiples may be more common during aggressive growth investments.
What does a 2x Burn Multiple mean?
A 2x Burn Multiple means the company is burning approximately $2 of net cash for every $1 of net new ARR generated during the measurement period.
Can Burn Multiple be used by startups?
Yes. It is particularly useful for startups and growth-stage SaaS companies that want to monitor how efficiently they are using capital to produce recurring revenue growth.
What is the difference between Burn Multiple and CAC?
CAC measures the cost of acquiring a customer, while Burn Multiple measures overall net cash burned relative to net new recurring revenue. Burn Multiple therefore provides a broader view of company-level capital efficiency.
Measure Your SaaS Capital Efficiency
Use the Burn Multiple Calculator to understand how efficiently your company is converting cash investment into recurring revenue growth.