Ecommerce Subscription Retention Statistics

By Rene Siller, Zobi. Sources checked 2026-11-11.

Benchmarks on voluntary and involuntary churn, pauses, reactivation and bundle adoption for ecommerce subscription teams.

## Quick answer

Recurly reported 4.25% median annual churn for its ecommerce vertical in July 2026, with voluntary churn at 2.87% and involuntary churn at 1.38%. Ordergroove’s separate sample of 205 subscription-first merchants shows how common different bundle formats are.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/)

[See the source and calculation.](index.html#ecommerce-churn-benchmark) · [Download the statistics and sources.](downloads/statistics-with-sources.csv)

## How much subscription churn comes from cancellation or billing?

Figure description: Ecommerce subscriptions ended for different reasons. Voluntary churn: 2.87%, Involuntary churn: 1.38%

Recurly reports 4.25% overall annual churn, 2.87% voluntary and 1.38% involuntary in its ecommerce vertical. The two bars use the same scale.

Start with what ended the subscription. Someone who chose to leave and someone whose card failed may both disappear from the active count, but the next conversation will be different.

### What annual churn rate does Recurly report for ecommerce subscriptions?

Recurly’s July 2026 network benchmark put median annual churn for its ecommerce vertical at 4.25%.

Recurly’s ecommerce vertical, drawn from its billing network. July 2026 benchmark edition. This platform figure does not establish a monthly rate or an ecommerce-wide average.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#ecommerce-churn-benchmark)

### How did voluntary and involuntary churn compare in ecommerce?

Recurly reported 2.87% voluntary annual churn and 1.38% involuntary annual churn for its ecommerce vertical.

Recurly’s ecommerce vertical, drawn from its billing network. July 2026 benchmark edition. The rows are publisher-reported medians.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#ecommerce-voluntary-and-involuntary)

### How much higher was voluntary than involuntary ecommerce churn?

Voluntary churn was 1.49 percentage points higher than involuntary churn in Recurly’s July 2026 ecommerce benchmark.

Recurly’s ecommerce vertical, drawn from its billing network. July 2026 benchmark edition. Zobi calculation: Subtract 1.38% from 2.87%. The difference compares benchmark rates. It does not assign the same mix to each merchant.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#ecommerce-voluntary-churn-gap)

## Failed payments, pauses and returning subscribers

A failed payment, a pause and a fresh signup can look like churn or recovery depending on the reporting window. Keep the events separate before measuring how often people come back.

### How did involuntary churn vary across Recurly’s revenue tiers?

Across Recurly’s network, involuntary annual churn was 1.30% in the $10 to $25 revenue-per-customer tier and 0.18% in the $250-plus tier, a 1.12-point gap.

Recurly network merchants in two average-revenue-per-customer bands. July 2026 benchmark edition. Zobi calculation: Subtract 0.18% from 1.30%. These bands span industries and do not isolate physical-goods subscriptions.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#involuntary-churn-by-revenue-tier)

### What share of consumers preferred pausing to canceling?

Recurly’s 2026 subscription report says 38% of consumers preferred pausing to canceling.

Consumers in the subscription research summarized by Recurly. 2026 report edition. The summary does not give a physical-goods-only estimate or a merchant take-up rate.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#prefer-pause-over-cancel)

### How many subscribers returned after pausing in Recurly’s report?

Recurly reported that three in four subscribers in its cited pause group returned within months.

Subscribers in Recurly’s reported pause group among brands offering a pause. 2026 report edition. The public summary does not give an exact observation window or a comparable group without a pause option.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#subscribers-who-return-after-pause)

### How often did a new subscription come from a previously canceled customer?

Recurly reported that nearly one in four new subscriptions came from a previously canceled customer.

New subscriptions in Recurly’s cited report. Reported in its July 2026 benchmark article. The figure measures the composition of signups. A win-back rate would instead start from the eligible canceled customers.

Recurly’s July 2026 churn benchmarks (https://recurly.com/research/churn-rate-benchmarks/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#subscriptions-from-canceled-customers)

## How many ecommerce merchants give subscribers more choice?

Bundle designs are one way merchants handle quantity, variety and choice. The figures below count what merchants offer. Churn and repeat purchase require their own outcome measures.

### How common were subscription bundles?

In Ordergroove’s study of 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, 73% offered a subscription bundle.

Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions. 2025 bundle study. This was a selected merchant sample.

Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#bundle-adoption)

### How many merchants offered build-your-own bundles?

Ordergroove found that 19% of the 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants it studied offered build-your-own bundles.

Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions. 2025 bundle study. Merchant offerings can overlap across bundle types.

Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#bundle-build-your-own)

### How many merchants offered rotating clubs?

Ordergroove found that 29% of the 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants it studied offered rotating clubs.

Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions. 2025 bundle study. The study counted availability of this format.

Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#bundle-rotating-clubs)

### How much more common were rotating clubs than build-your-own bundles?

Rotating clubs were 10 percentage points more common than build-your-own bundles in Ordergroove’s sample of 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants.

Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions. 2025 bundle study. Zobi calculation: Subtract 19% from 29%. Individual merchants could offer both types.

Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#rotating-versus-build-your-own)

## What subscribers can choose varies by category

A merchant can offer different sizes of a fixed kit, let subscribers pick what goes in it, or choose the assortment for them. Availability varies by category, even within the same merchant sample.

### Which product categories offered fixed kits most often in Ordergroove’s sample?

In Ordergroove’s sample, fixed kits were available at 87% of personal care merchants, 75% of home goods merchants and 68% of beauty merchants.

Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions. 2025 bundle study. Ordergroove does not give category counts beside these percentages.

Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#fixed-kits-by-category)

### How many rotating clubs used a surprise assortment?

Ordergroove classified 63% of rotating clubs in its subscription-first merchant sample as surprise-and-delight clubs.

Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions. 2025 bundle study. This share starts from rotating clubs and should be read separately from the share of all merchants.

Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · Ordergroove’s 2025 bundle study (https://www.ordergroove.com/guides/subscription-bundles/) · [Link to this statistic](index.html#curated-rotating-clubs)

## How to use the comparisons

Count subscribers at risk of renewal, then record which renewed, paused, canceled or lapsed after a failed payment. If you count contracts instead of people, keep that label visible: one subscriber can hold several subscriptions. For win-back, start the denominator with the canceled subscribers eligible to return.

## Sources, definitions and downloads

Recurly supplies platform benchmarks and summaries from its 2026 report. Ordergroove reviewed offerings from 205 subscription-first merchants in 2025. The download identifies the measured group in each row. Bundle availability measures what merchants offer. A merchant needs separate renewal data to evaluate retention.

[Download the statistics and sources](downloads/statistics-with-sources.csv).

## Sources and measurement context

### What annual churn rate does Recurly report for ecommerce subscriptions

Reported value: 4.25 percent.

Population: Recurly’s ecommerce vertical, drawn from its billing network.

Measurement period: July 2026 benchmark edition.

Denominator: Recurly’s benchmark population for the ecommerce vertical.

Limitations: This platform figure does not establish a monthly rate or an ecommerce-wide average.

Read the original source

### How did voluntary and involuntary churn compare in ecommerce

Reported value: 2.87 | 1.38 percent.

Population: Recurly’s ecommerce vertical, drawn from its billing network.

Measurement period: July 2026 benchmark edition.

Denominator: Recurly ecommerce churn benchmark, with voluntary and involuntary outcomes defined separately.

Limitations: The rows are publisher-reported medians.

Read the original source

### How much higher was voluntary than involuntary ecommerce churn

Reported value: 1.49 percentage points.

Population: Recurly’s ecommerce vertical, drawn from its billing network.

Measurement period: July 2026 benchmark edition.

Denominator: Difference between the two published median rates.

Limitations: The difference compares benchmark rates. It does not assign the same mix to each merchant.

Read the original source

### How did involuntary churn vary across Recurly’s revenue tiers

Reported value: 1.12 percentage points.

Population: Recurly network merchants in two average-revenue-per-customer bands.

Measurement period: July 2026 benchmark edition.

Denominator: Each band’s own benchmark population.

Limitations: These bands span industries and do not isolate physical-goods subscriptions.

Read the original source

### What share of consumers preferred pausing to canceling

Reported value: 38 percent.

Population: Consumers in the subscription research summarized by Recurly.

Measurement period: 2026 report edition.

Denominator: Consumers included in the published preference figure.

Limitations: The summary does not give a physical-goods-only estimate or a merchant take-up rate.

Read the original source

### How many subscribers returned after pausing in Recurly’s report

Reported value: 3 in 4 share of the reported pause group.

Population: Subscribers in Recurly’s reported pause group among brands offering a pause.

Measurement period: 2026 report edition.

Denominator: Subscribers described in Recurly’s pause cohort.

Limitations: The public summary does not give an exact observation window or a comparable group without a pause option.

Read the original source

### How often did a new subscription come from a previously canceled customer

Reported value: nearly 1 in 4 share of new subscriptions.

Population: New subscriptions in Recurly’s cited report.

Measurement period: Reported in its July 2026 benchmark article.

Denominator: New subscriptions in the referenced data.

Limitations: The figure measures the composition of signups. A win-back rate would instead start from the eligible canceled customers.

Read the original source

### How common were subscription bundles

Reported value: 73 percent.

Population: Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions.

Measurement period: 2025 bundle study.

Denominator: 205 subscription-first merchants.

Limitations: This was a selected merchant sample.

Read the original source

### How many merchants offered build-your-own bundles

Reported value: 19 percent.

Population: Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions.

Measurement period: 2025 bundle study.

Denominator: 205 subscription-first merchants.

Limitations: Merchant offerings can overlap across bundle types.

Read the original source

### How many merchants offered rotating clubs

Reported value: 29 percent.

Population: Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions.

Measurement period: 2025 bundle study.

Denominator: 205 subscription-first merchants.

Limitations: The study counted availability of this format.

Read the original source

### How much more common were rotating clubs than build-your-own bundles

Reported value: 10 percentage points.

Population: Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions.

Measurement period: 2025 bundle study.

Denominator: Same 205 merchants for both bundle types.

Limitations: Individual merchants could offer both types.

Read the original source

### Which product categories offered fixed kits most often in Ordergroove’s sample

Reported value: 87 | 75 | 68 percent.

Population: Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions.

Measurement period: 2025 bundle study.

Denominator: Merchants within each named category.

Limitations: Ordergroove does not give category counts beside these percentages.

Read the original source

### How many rotating clubs used a surprise assortment

Reported value: 63 percent.

Population: Ordergroove examined 205 subscription-first ecommerce merchants, each earning at least 51% of revenue from subscriptions.

Measurement period: 2025 bundle study.

Denominator: Rotating clubs in the merchant cohort.

Limitations: This share starts from rotating clubs and should be read separately from the share of all merchants.

Read the original source

## Publisher disclosure

Zobi publishes this research and provides shopper conversation services for Shopify stores.

Zobi · zobi.com