NPS Score
Net Promoter Score — % of survey respondents who are promoters (score 9–10) minus % detractors (0–6), passives (7–8) excluded. Per the original NPS methodology (Reichheld, Bain & Company, 2003). The score ranges from −100 to +100. The board reads NPS as one read on product-market fit and word-of-mouth potential, not as a precise customer-loyalty measurement — the methodology is well-known for being sensitive to sample bias, response rate, and survey timing. Common pitfall: comparing NPS across companies without normalizing for industry — B2B SaaS NPS distributions sit much higher than consumer-app NPS, and the absolute number means little without a peer cohort. — Customers KPI anchored to Retently NPS Benchmarks 2025.
Rogue ID: customers.nps_score
Type: Number
Domain: Customers
Definition
Net Promoter Score — % of survey respondents who are promoters (score 9–10) minus % detractors (0–6), passives (7–8) excluded. Per the original NPS methodology (Reichheld, Bain & Company, 2003). The score ranges from −100 to +100. The board reads NPS as one read on product-market fit and word-of-mouth potential, not as a precise customer-loyalty measurement — the methodology is well-known for being sensitive to sample bias, response rate, and survey timing. Common pitfall: comparing NPS across companies without normalizing for industry — B2B SaaS NPS distributions sit much higher than consumer-app NPS, and the absolute number means little without a peer cohort.
Formula
NPS = (% promoters, score 9–10) − (% detractors, score 0–6). Passives (7–8) are excluded from both. Range: −100 to +100. Per Bain & Company / Reichheld NPS methodology (HBR 2003, "The One Number You Need to Grow").Why it matters
A coarse-grained directional read on customer affection and word-of-mouth potential. Sustained movement (especially regressions) is the signal the board should focus on, not absolute values — the methodology is too noisy for fine comparisons across companies.
How to interpret
Per Retently NPS Benchmarks 2025, B2B SaaS NPS medians by industry cluster around the +30 to +50 band, with top-quartile +50 to +70. Translate scores to categories: −100 to 0 = needs work, 0–30 = good, 30–70 = great, 70–100 = excellent — these category bands are widely circulated industry folk-wisdom (Bain does not publish strict thresholds). Always pair the score with sample size and response rate; an NPS based on <50 responses or <10% response rate should be flagged as low-confidence.
Related KPIs
customers.nps_trendcustomers.retention_insightscustomers.churn_riskscustomers.key_initiatives
Source
Retently NPS Benchmarks 2025 · section: NPS Benchmarks — published 2025-01-01.
Why does this cite Retently NPS Benchmarks 2025? Read the ontology methodology for the published vs editorial tier system, attribution rules, and dispute process.
Industry benchmark
A reference distribution sourced from Retently NPS Benchmarks 2025 (2025):
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 25th | 20count |
| Median | 36count |
| 75th | 50count |
Higher is better.
Stage relevance
| Company stage | Priority |
|---|---|
| Series A | Core |
| Series B | Core |
| Series C+ | Recommended |
| Public | Recommended |
Suggested for stages: Series A, Series B, Series C+, Public.
Default owning functions
- Product
- Sales
Machine-readable
- This KPI as JSON:
/api/ontology/customers/nps_score.json - All Customers KPIs:
/api/ontology/customers.json - Full catalog:
/api/ontology/index.json
Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
Recurring revenue retained from the cohort of customers present at the start of the period, including expansion (upsell, cross-sell, price increases) and net of churn and contraction — but excluding revenue from net-new logos acquired in-period. Per the SaaS Metrics Standards Board (SMSB) NRR standard. NRR above 100% means the cohort grew faster than it lost — a hallmark of strong product-led expansion. The board reads NRR alongside GRR (`customers.gross_revenue_retention`) to separate the "keep + expand" signal from the "just keep" signal. Common pitfall: mixing GAAP revenue and ARR in numerator vs. denominator, or letting net-new logo revenue leak in — both inflate the number; SMSB is explicit that the cohort is closed at period start. — Customers KPI anchored to SaaS Metrics Standards Board.
Fundraising KPIs
Round status, investor pipeline, cap table. 5 industry-backed KPIs, each anchored to a third-party standard.