# How much extra revenue do you get when one-time buyers subscribe?

> Source: https://zubs.app/tools/subscription-conversion-calculator
> Title: Subscription Conversion Calculator: Extra Revenue — Zubs
> Published: 2026-10-03
> Updated: 2026-10-07
> Language: en

## Short answer

Extra recurring revenue = new subscribers × the orders they place beyond what a one-time buyer orders anyway × order value. If 5% of 2,000 monthly one-time orders become subscriptions and each subscriber places 7 orders in their first year instead of 2, that's 1,200 new subscribers and €180,000 of extra revenue from a year of conversions.

## What does it add when one-time buyers subscribe?

Enter your own numbers. The calculator starts on the worked example further down this page.

*Subscription conversion calculator: enter your own numbers on [the page](https://zubs.app/tools/subscription-conversion-calculator). The worked example below uses the values the calculator starts with.*

All results are estimates from your inputs, not figures from your store.

## How does the conversion calculator work?

It counts the buyers who subscribe and only the orders they add on top of what they would have bought anyway:

- **New subscribers per month** = one-time orders per month × conversion rate to subscription. Each one-time order counts as one buyer.
- **Extra orders per new subscriber** = orders a subscriber places in their first 12 months − orders a one-time buyer places in a year. Both counts include the first order, which happens either way.
- **Extra revenue per new subscriber** = extra orders × average subscription order value.
- **Extra orders from a year of conversions** = new subscribers per month × 12 × extra orders per new subscriber.
- **Extra recurring revenue from a year of conversions** = new subscribers per month × 12 × extra revenue per new subscriber. Each subscriber counts for their own first 12 months, so part of it lands in the following year.

## What does a 5% conversion rate add?

**Example (made-up numbers):** 2,000 one-time orders a month, a conversion rate of 5%, an average subscription order value of €30, 7 orders per subscriber in their first 12 months and 2 orders per one-time buyer in a year.

| Result                                  | Calculation  | Value    |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------ | -------- |
| New subscribers per month               | 2,000 × 5%   | 100      |
| New subscribers per year                | 100 × 12     | 1,200    |
| Extra orders per new subscriber         | 7 − 2        | 5        |
| Extra revenue per new subscriber        | 5 × €30      | €150     |
| Extra orders from a year of conversions | 1,200 × 5    | 6,000    |
| Extra recurring revenue from that year  | 1,200 × €150 | €180,000 |

Each extra point of conversion rate adds 20 subscribers a month in this example, and €36,000 over a year.

## What does the estimate leave out?

- **The subscription discount on orders that would have happened anyway.** Both kinds of order are valued at the subscription order value; a one-time buyer's orders at full price were worth a little more.
- **Costs.** The result is revenue, not profit. The [LTV calculator](https://zubs.app/tools/subscription-ltv-calculator) adds the gross margin.
- **Timing.** A subscriber who joins in month 12 brings most of their orders in the year after.

## What should you do with your result?

Check the orders per subscriber before you chase a higher conversion rate. A hard sell can bring in subscribers who cancel before their first renewal, and then the extra orders never come. Track new subscriptions and early cancellations together, and judge an offer by the subscribers who stay.

## Where does Zubs offer the subscription?

Zubs shows the subscription offer where customers already buy: on the product page, in the cart and, on Shopify Plus, in checkout, each with the saving from your [subscription plan](https://zubs.app/features/subscription-plans). See how each one works in [subscribe & save offers](https://zubs.app/features/subscription-conversion-offers).

## Bottom line

Converting one-time buyers adds the orders a subscriber places beyond what that buyer would have ordered anyway: new subscribers × extra orders × order value. Offer the subscription where customers already buy, and use your own orders and reorder rate to see what each point of conversion is worth.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which conversion rate should I enter?

Your own. Compare the new subscriptions in a month with the one-time orders in the same month, then try a few higher values to see what each point is worth. The calculator doesn't assume a typical rate.

### Why does the calculator subtract a one-time buyer's orders?

A customer who subscribes would have placed some orders anyway, at least the first one. Only the orders on top of those are extra revenue from the subscription.

### Do I need Shopify Plus for the subscription offers?

Only for the offer in checkout. The Subscribe & Save widget, Subscription Packs and the cart offer work on every Shopify plan.

### Is my data stored or sent anywhere?

No. The calculation runs in your browser, and nothing you enter leaves the page.

## Related

- [Feature: subscribe & save widget and cart offer](https://zubs.app/features/subscription-conversion-offers)
- [Playbook: turn one-time buyers into subscribers](https://zubs.app/playbooks/convert-one-time-buyers-to-subscribers)
- [Feature: subscription plans and their discounts](https://zubs.app/features/subscription-plans)
- [Feature: subscription analytics in Zubs](https://zubs.app/features/subscription-analytics)
- [Calculator: subscription LTV](https://zubs.app/tools/subscription-ltv-calculator)
- [Calculator: subscription revenue forecast](https://zubs.app/tools/subscription-revenue-forecast)