S7-03 · Benchmark Dataset · CC BY 4.0

GTM Benchmark Dataset

Open benchmark data for go-to-market — by stage, motion, and regime.

The GTM Benchmark Dataset aggregates 60+ GTM performance metrics across stage (Seed to Series C+), motion (PLG / Hybrid / SLG), and regime (ZIRP / post-ZIRP). Published as open data under CC-BY 4.0. Each metric carries a confidence rating and source attribution.
Dataset CC BY 4.0 v1.0 Last updated 2026-06-18

What's in the dataset

The dataset covers 60+ metrics across three dimensions: stage (Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C+), motion (PLG, Hybrid, SLG), and regime (ZIRP / post-ZIRP). A sample of key metrics is shown below. All metrics include a confidence rating (established / directional / contested) and source attribution.

Metric Seed Series A Series B Best-in-class
MRR Growth (MoM %)
directional 		15–25% 10–20% 7–15% >20% (post-PMF)
NRR (Net Revenue Retention)
established 		90–100% 100–110% 105–115% >130% (Snowflake FY2022)
CAC Payback (months)
established 		18–30 15–24 12–20 <12 months
Magic Number
established 		0.5–0.8 0.6–1.0 0.7–1.2 >1.0
Rule of 40
directional 		N/A (pre-scale) 20–40 30–50 >60 (top-quartile public)
Burn Multiple
directional 		<2× <1.5× <1× <0.5×
LTV:CAC Ratio
directional 		2–4× 3–5× 4–6× >5×

Confidence ratings: established = derived from multiple independent sources with consistent results; directional = single-source or limited sample; contested = conflicting data across sources.

Methodology

Source types

Benchmarks are compiled from four source categories, each assigned a confidence weight:

  • Tier 1 — Independent research (highest confidence): Bessemer Venture Partners State of the Cloud 2024; SaaS Capital Annual Survey (1,000+ respondents); KeyBanc Capital Markets SaaS Survey (350+ private companies); OpenView SaaS Benchmarks 2024.
  • Tier 2 — Public company filings: S-1, 10-K, and 10-Q filings from Snowflake, HubSpot, Salesforce, Datadog, Veeva, and GitLab. Used for best-in-class benchmarks and regime-segmented analysis (ZIRP vs. post-ZIRP).
  • Tier 3 — Aggregated operator surveys: SaaStr Annual attendee surveys, RevOps Squared benchmark reports, Pavilion/GTM Alliance member surveys. Higher variance; treated as directional.
  • Tier 4 — Single-company disclosures: Investor presentations, blog posts with disclosed metrics, conference presentations. Used only where Tier 1–3 data is unavailable; marked contested.

Confidence ratings

Every metric in the dataset carries one of three confidence ratings:

  • established — Consistent across 3+ independent sources; low methodological variance.
  • directional — 1–2 sources, or high variance across sources; useful as orientation not target.
  • contested — Conflicting data or limited sample; include with caution.

Regime segmentation (ZIRP vs. post-ZIRP)

The dataset distinguishes the ZIRP era (2019–2021, characterized by hyper-growth at any cost) from the post-ZIRP era (2022–present, characterized by efficiency-first growth). Benchmarks for CAC payback, burn multiple, and S&M efficiency changed materially between regimes. Default benchmarks reflect the post-ZIRP era unless otherwise stated.

Limitations

All benchmarks are estimators derived from sample data. They are calibrated to a specific era and will drift. Use them as orientation, not precision targets. The MRR walk identity (MRR_t = MRR_{t-1} + New − Expansion − Contraction − Churned) is the only non-estimator: it is an accounting identity, not a benchmark.

Downloads

All data is published under CC BY 4.0. You may use, redistribute, and build on this data freely — with attribution. The full dataset is available in three formats:

gtm_world_model.json — Full world model (terms, theses, metrics, evidence, equations) vocabulary.json — GTM vocabulary (219 terms with definitions and confidence ratings)

Full benchmark dataset: The complete 60+ metric benchmark table (including all motion and regime breakdowns, source citations, and confidence ratings) is embedded in gtm_world_model.json under the metrics key. A standalone benchmarks.json file is planned for Q3 2026. Subscribe to the GTM World Model newsletter for release notice.

REST API access: GET /api/gtm/terms (219 terms) · GET /api/gtm/theses (32 theses) · GET /api/gtm/model (full world model). Full API documentation →

How to cite

@misc{shalvi_gtm_benchmark_dataset_2026,
  author    = {Singh, Shalvi},
  title     = {GTM Benchmark Dataset},
  year      = {2026},
  version   = {1.0},
  url       = {https://shalvisingh.com/gtm/dataset},
  license   = {CC BY 4.0},
  note      = {Schema.org Dataset. Metrics aggregated from Bessemer VCP, SaaS Capital, KeyBanc, and public company filings.}
}

APA: Singh, S. (2026). GTM Benchmark Dataset (Version 1.0) [Dataset]. shalvisingh.com. https://shalvisingh.com/gtm/dataset. CC BY 4.0.

This dataset carries a Schema.org Dataset JSON-LD record. Structured-data consumers (Google Dataset Search, OpenAlex, etc.) can discover it automatically.