SmartHelping / Marketplace & Subscription / Excel
Marketplace & Subscription Financial Model
Build a five-year forecast that combines marketplace transaction fees with up to three subscription tiers. Model customer acquisition, retention and contract billing, then review connected financial statements, investor cash flows and key customer metrics.
Immediate download after purchase. By purchasing, you agree to the Terms of Service.
See the model in action
Follow the assumptions through the combined forecast.
The walkthrough goes through each assumption from scratch and explains how the marketplace and subscription components fit together. Open the screenshots below for a closer look at the workbook.
What the model includes
Configure the subscriptions and marketplace separately.
Use both revenue components together, or zero out the assumptions for the unused component to model a subscription-only or marketplace-only business.
Up to three subscription tiers
Configure each tier independently, including contract length, pricing, advertising spend, conversion assumptions and organic traffic.
Contract billing options
For subscription contracts longer than one month, model cash collection upfront or over the contract period.
Renewal and retention assumptions
Set the annual percentage increase in contracts at renewal and the retention rate at the end of the term for each subscription tier.
Separate marketplace activity
Set transactions per month, transaction values and fee rates separately for subscribers and non-subscribers.
Traffic and customer acquisition
Model monthly advertising spend, paid and organic traffic, conversion to the marketplace and the percentage of traffic converting directly to subscribers.
Movement into subscriptions
Set assumptions for marketplace users who move from non-subscribers to subscribers each month, connecting the two customer groups within the forecast.
How customer retention works
Two customer groups, with separate retention assumptions.
The model assumes all subscribers are also part of the marketplace. Their retention is tied to their subscription, while non-subscribers have their own average-lifespan assumptions.
Subscribers in the marketplace
Subscriber retention follows how long the customer remains a subscriber. Their marketplace activity uses the transaction frequency, transaction value and fee assumptions set for subscribers.
Non-subscribing marketplace customers
Use separate retention assumptions for the average lifespan of marketplace customers who do not subscribe, alongside their own marketplace transaction assumptions.
Custom retention curves
To model a different retention pattern, go to the Validation tab and manually enter the percentage of customers remaining at each renewal period. This allows you to reflect a non-linear curve, such as exponential decay, instead of an average straight-line depletion pattern.
Financial reports and customer metrics
Review the business from operating and investor perspectives.
The reporting connects the underlying assumptions to monthly and annual financial performance.
Connected financial statements
Review the Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows on both a monthly and annual basis. All three statements adjust as assumptions change.
DCF analysis in three views
Review discounted cash flow analysis from the project, outside investor and inside investor perspectives.
Annual executive summary
Use the annual executive summary to review the forecast at a higher level alongside the detailed monthly and annual schedules.
EBITDA and cash flow detail
Inspect the granular monthly and annual components of EBITDA and cash flow to understand what is driving the forecast.
Cap table
Review the model’s capitalization table alongside the financial statements and investor analyses.
Customer metrics and visualizations
Review customer acquisition cost (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), the LTV:CAC ratio and months to pay back CAC. Visualizations cover key metrics and financial results.
How to use the model
Build the forecast around your customer journey.
Start with how customers arrive, transact and subscribe, then review how those assumptions flow into the financial results.
Choose the revenue components
Use marketplace fees and subscriptions together, or zero out the assumptions for the component you do not need.
Set acquisition and transaction assumptions
Enter advertising spend, traffic, conversion rates and movement into subscriptions. Set transaction frequency, values and fees for both marketplace customer groups.
Configure subscription terms and retention
Set up to three tiers with pricing, contract lengths, cash collection options and renewal assumptions. Set non-subscriber retention separately, and use the Validation tab if you need custom retention curves.
Review reports and refine assumptions
Check the connected financial statements, EBITDA and cash flow detail, customer metrics and DCF views. Follow the video as you work through the assumptions and compare different inputs.
Evaluate the subscription option
Test the economics behind the business model.
Change the inputs to explore how a subscription offering could affect the marketplace forecast.
Recurring revenue and cash timing
Compare subscription pricing, contract length and collection timing to see how those choices affect the revenue and cash flow forecast.
Retention and customer value
Change renewal and retention assumptions and review the effect on customer lifetime value and the forecast.
Acquisition cost and payback
Review advertising, traffic and conversion assumptions alongside CAC, the LTV:CAC ratio and months to pay back acquisition cost.
Marketplace activity by customer group
Compare the transaction frequency, transaction value and fee assumptions for subscribers and non-subscribers when evaluating the combined revenue model.
Who the model is for
For marketplaces with an optional recurring revenue layer.
Marketplace founders and operators
Plan a marketplace that offers subscription tiers, including customers who join as non-subscribers and later move into a subscription.
Finance teams and analysts
Build a combined marketplace and subscription forecast, or use one component on its own, with financial statements, customer metrics and investor reporting.
Also available in these bundles
Need more tools for recurring revenue analysis?
This model is included in the SaaS financial models bundle. The Super Smart Bundle provides access to the complete public SmartHelping template collection.
Related financial-analysis tools
Explore accounting and valuation tools.
Use these separate templates for accounting and discounted cash flow analysis.
Questions before you buy
A few useful details.
How long is the forecast, and how many tiers can I model?
The model covers five years and supports up to three independently configured subscription tiers, with monthly and annual financial reporting.
Can I use it for only a marketplace or only subscriptions?
Yes. Zero out the assumptions for whichever component you do not want to use.
Are subscribers also marketplace customers?
Yes. The model assumes every subscriber is part of the marketplace. Subscriber retention follows the subscription lifespan, while non-subscribers have separate average-lifespan assumptions.
Can I model upfront subscription payments?
Yes. For contracts longer than one month, you can model cash collection upfront or over the contract period.
Can I customize customer retention curves?
Yes. Go to the Validation tab and manually enter the percentage of customers remaining at each renewal period to reflect the retention pattern you want to model.
Which reports and customer metrics are included?
Outputs include monthly and annual connected financial statements, three DCF views, an annual executive summary, detailed EBITDA and cash flow schedules, a cap table and visualizations. Customer metrics include CAC, LTV, LTV:CAC and months to pay back CAC.
Where should I start when filling out the workbook?
Follow the video walkthrough. It goes through each assumption from scratch and explains how the marketplace and subscription components work together.
Plan the combined business
Connect marketplace activity with subscription revenue.
Get the Marketplace & Subscription Financial Model for $99 and build a five-year forecast with up to three subscription tiers.
