What is a typical waitlist-to-paid conversion rate?

SaaS waitlist-to-paid conversion rates typically range from 2–8%, with a median around 4–5% for well-qualified waitlists. B2C consumer apps see 1–3%. Products with strong referral programs and high engagement during the waitlist phase (surveys, beta previews, community access) consistently hit 6–10%. The single biggest driver is how 'warm' the waitlist is — did they actively sign up, or were they imported from a cold list?

How do I calculate MRR from my waitlist?

Day-1 MRR = (waitlist size × conversion rate) × monthly price. For example: 1,000 signups × 5% conversion × $49/mo = $2,450 MRR on launch day. From there, MRR grows with new customer acquisition minus churn. The 12-month projection applies monthly growth (new customers) and churn to compound the MRR curve.

What churn rate should I use for a new SaaS?

Early-stage SaaS products typically see 5–10% monthly churn in the first 6 months as you find product-market fit. Established SaaS companies benchmark at 1–3% monthly churn. For a launch projection, using 5–7% monthly churn is conservative and realistic. If your product is annual billing only, monthly churn is effectively 0 for the first year — switch the model to annual cohorts.

Is this the same as an MRR calculator?

Standard MRR calculators assume you already have paying customers and model growth from that base. This Pre-launch MRR Projector starts from zero — it converts a waitlist into a Day-1 revenue estimate, then compounds growth and churn over 12 months. It's designed for the specific moment between 'I have a waitlist' and 'I have customers.'

Free tool

Pre-launch MRR Projector

Turn your waitlist into a revenue projection — before you've written a single line of code.

Your waitlist & pricing

Enter your current or projected waitlist size and pricing to see your Day-1 MRR and 12-month revenue curve.

Waitlist size

Total signups on your waitlist at launch.

Waitlist-to-paid conversion

Typical SaaS range: 2–8%. Median: 4–5%.

Monthly price

Monthly churn rate

Early SaaS: 5–10%/mo. Mature SaaS: 1–3%/mo.

New customers per month

Organic/paid new signups after launch (not from waitlist).

How the projection works

Day-1 MRR is calculated as: waitlist size × conversion rate × monthly price. From that base, each month applies churn (losing a % of existing customers) and adds new monthly signups. The 12-month curve shows how MRR grows or shrinks depending on whether new customer acquisition outpaces churn.

This model is specific to the pre-launch moment — standard MRR calculators assume you already have customers. All inputs are run in-browser with no data stored.

How to improve your Day-1 MRR

→ Grow the waitlist — the single biggest lever. Double the signups, double Day-1 MRR.
→ Warm the list before launch — email updates, beta previews, and surveys increase conversion rate.
→ Offer annual billing — reduces effective churn to near-zero for year 1.
→ Add a referral program — every referred signup costs you nothing and converts at the same rate.