guides
ARR vs MRR for Hosting Providers: Which Matters More?
ARR and MRR measure the same thing at different scales. Here is when to use each, the exact formulas, and which metric hosting providers should track first.
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MRR & LTV Trackingv1.6.0Updated Mar 2026
MX Metrics
Know Your Exact Profit Per Client
MRR, ARR, and Net Profit. Right on Your WHMCS Dashboard
How much profit do you actually make? After server costs, licenses, and support time, do you really know? MX Metrics shows your true MRR, ARR, and net profit directly on your WHMCS dashboard. No spreadsheets. No guessing.
Built for hosting businesses with 50+ active services
15-day free trial
$15/moafter trial
Or pay $170/year and save $10
Cancel anytime during the trial at no cost. No charge until day 16.
Click to zoom
See Profit in Seconds
What is MX Metrics for WHMCS?
MX Metrics is a self-hosted WHMCS addon that adds revenue analytics directly to your admin dashboard. It calculates MRR, ARR, net profit after costs, and per-client profitability from your active services and domains. All data stays on your server with zero external API calls.
- Widgets
- 6
- Dashboard, trends, clients, breakdown, support, profile
- Currencies
- 32+
- Auto-converted via European Central Bank rates
- External APIs
- 0
- 100% self-hosted. Your data never leaves your server
- Snapshots
- Daily
- Pinpoint exactly when your revenue changed
What Can MX Metrics Do for You?
We built this because WHMCS does not show MRR. Now we see our numbers every time we log in.
Know Your True Profit
Stop guessing. See your real profit after all costs: infrastructure, licenses, marketing, and operations. Make decisions based on facts, not assumptions.
Identify VIP Clients Instantly
Your top 20% of clients generate 80% of revenue. Know exactly who they are. Prioritize support, offer upgrades, and never let them churn.
Track MRR & ARR in Real-Time
Watch your recurring revenue grow. Monthly and annual views show you trends, seasonal patterns, and growth trajectory at a glance.
100% Private & Self-Hosted
Your data never leaves your server. Unlike cloud analytics tools, MX Metrics runs entirely within WHMCS. No external APIs, no data transmission, no third-party access.
Spot High-Maintenance Clients
Some clients cost more in support than they pay. The High Support Clients widget shows who generates the most tickets, so you can price accordingly.
Per-Service Cost Tracking
Set costs at product level or override per-service. Perfect for resellers who negotiate different rates with suppliers.
See MRR Trends Over Time
The Historical MRR chart shows how your revenue, costs, and profit evolve. Daily snapshots captured by WHMCS cron. Browse any period with temporal navigation. Choose bar or area chart style.
Client MRR on Every Profile
Open any client profile and see their MRR, ARR, ranking among all clients, and active service count. No extra clicks. The data is right there when you need it.
Multi-Currency Support
Display all metrics in any WHMCS-configured currency. 32+ currencies with automatic conversion using ECB exchange rates. Perfect for international hosting businesses.
What Widgets Are Included?
6 widgets that answer the questions we kept asking ourselves. Now you can see them too.
How Do I Track MRR and ARR?
“Am I actually making money?”answered instantly
- Real MRR & ARR from active services and domains
- Costs breakdown by category
- Service costs + fixed expenses
- Net Recurring Profit + warning when negative
How Is My MRR Trending?
New in v1.6.0“Is my business growing or shrinking?” see the trend at a glance
- MRR, Cost, and Net Profit side-by-side
- Daily snapshots via WHMCS cron
- 1M/3M/6M/12M with smart grouping
- Navigate previous periods with ← → buttons
- Traditional (bar) or Modern (area) chart style
What Is This Client Worth?
New in v1.6.0“How much MRR does this client generate?” answered on every profile
- Per-client MRR and ARR
- MRR ranking (#X among all clients)
- Active service count
- Native integration in WHMCS client page
How Do I Find My Top Clients?
“Who should I never lose?”your VIP list, always visible
- Ranked by Monthly, Annual, or All-Time
- Click to open client profile instantly
- Know who deserves priority support
How Do I See Revenue by Product?
“Which products drive my business?”see what sells
- Revenue breakdown by product
- Active service count per product
- Sort by revenue or popularity
How Do I Identify High-Maintenance Clients?
“Who costs me the most in support?”hidden costs revealed
- Clients ranked by ticket count
- Spot problematic accounts early
- Justify price increases with data
How Do I Track Business Costs?
MX Metrics uses 3 levels of cost tracking for maximum accuracy. Set them once, see your real profit forever.
1
Product Costs
Default cost per billing cycle for each product.
Products → Edit → Other tab
2
Service Override
Override cost for individual client services.
Client → Service → Cost field
3
Fixed Expenses
Recurring business costs by category.
Addons → MX Metrics
Priority: Service Override > Product Cost > $0 (if not set)
All widgets support manual refresh, drag-to-reorder, and collapse/expand. Enable compact numbers (K/M/B) and hide decimals in Settings for cleaner dashboards. Data is cached for 10 minutes for fast loads.
What Are the Requirements?
MX Metrics is designed for modern WHMCS installations:
- WHMCS 8.0+ (8.8+ recommended)
- PHP 8.1+
- MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+
- ionCube Loader
What Is Included in the License?
Your purchase includes:
- License for 1 WHMCS installation
- Continuous updates while subscribed
- Priority email support
- Installation guide and documentation
Try it free for 15 days
Start your trial today. No charge until day 16. Cancel anytime.
MX Metrics License
Revenue analytics for your WHMCS
15-day free trial
$15/mo
Try free for 15 days. Then $15/mo.
Or pay $170/year and save $10
- License for 1 WHMCS installation
- Continuous updates while subscribed
- Priority email support
- Detailed documentation
- One retained client pays for a year
Cancel anytime during trial. No charge until day 16.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you offer a free trial?
- Yes. You get a full 15-day free trial with access to all dashboard widgets and features. Enter your payment details to start, and you will not be charged until day 16. Cancel anytime during the trial at no cost.
- I only have 20 clients. Is MX Metrics for me?
- Probably not yet. MX Metrics shines when you have 50+ active services and need to track profitability across multiple clients and products. Under 50 services, a spreadsheet might work fine. We'd rather you come back when you've grown than pay for something you don't need yet.
- Can I get a lifetime license instead of monthly?
- No. MX Metrics is subscription-only at $15/month or $170/year. However, you can try it free for 15 days before committing. We actively develop new features, maintain WHMCS compatibility, and provide ongoing support.
- What metrics does MX Metrics show?
- MX Metrics provides 6 dashboard widgets: Revenue and Profit (MRR, ARR, costs, net profit), Historical MRR Trend (chart with daily snapshots), Top Clients by Revenue, MRR Breakdown by product, High Support Clients analysis, and Client MRR Profile (per-client MRR on their profile page). It also includes a Costs Administration panel for managing recurring business expenses.
- Where do the metrics appear?
- Five widgets display on your WHMCS admin dashboard: MRR and ARR, Historical MRR Trend chart, Top Clients, Revenue Breakdown, and High Support Clients. The Client MRR Profile widget appears on each client's profile page showing their individual MRR, ARR, ranking, and active services.
- Can I track my business costs?
- Yes! The Costs Administration feature lets you input and categorize your recurring business expenses (hosting, licenses, infrastructure). These are automatically deducted from revenue to show your true net profit.
- Will it slow down my WHMCS?
- No. MX Metrics uses optimized database queries and smart caching to ensure minimal performance impact. Metrics are calculated efficiently on demand.
- What WHMCS versions are supported?
- MX Metrics supports WHMCS 8.0 and newer. We recommend using the latest stable version (8.8+) for optimal compatibility.
- Does it support multiple currencies?
- Yes. MX Metrics supports 32+ currencies with automatic conversion. Choose your display currency in Settings and all widgets will convert amounts using your WHMCS exchange rates. MX Metrics reads the rates that WHMCS already maintains via the European Central Bank (ECB). Just make sure Currency Auto Update is enabled in Configuration > System Settings > Automation Settings.
- Is my data secure? Does it leave my server?
- Your data never leaves your server. Unlike cloud-based analytics tools that require you to sync billing data to external servers, MX Metrics runs entirely within your WHMCS installation. All calculations happen locally using your existing database. No external API calls, no data transmission, no third-party access. Your client and revenue data stays 100% private.
Learn More About WHMCS Analytics
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Compatibility
Tested and compatible with modern WHMCS installations
WHMCS 8.10
WHMCS 8.9
WHMCS 8.8
WHMCS 8.7
WHMCS 8.0+
PHP 8.1+
PHP 8.2
PHP 8.3
MySQL 5.7+
MariaDB 10.3+
Your competitors are guessing. You won't be.
In 5 minutes, you'll know your MRR, your most valuable clients, and your true profit. That's the difference between running a business and running blind.