Growth and spending · Industry report or survey; observational
SaaS Capital: spending, 2026
The reported medians are 8% of ARR for marketing and 15% for selling costs in the 2026 survey.
When this is useful
You are comparing a budget allocation with other private SaaS businesses
What is measured
Department spending as a percentage of ARR; accounting categories require matching
Department cost divided by the applicable annual recurring revenue; survey wording and category boundaries matter
Cohort and collection window
More than 1,000 private B2B SaaS respondents; survey completed March 2026
Q1 2026 survey of current spending
A fair comparison
Write your own metric definition and cohort beside the report's definition. If they differ, use the report to frame a question rather than assigning your company a percentile or target.
Put it to work
- Match the metric, period and eligible population.
- Read the original method and subgroup notes; record exclusions and unknowns.
- Compare with your own cohort and choose an investigation rather than importing a universal target.
Limits and tradeoffs
Respondent estimates and spending classifications may differ. The median is not a prescribed budget, and a company can need a different investment level.