Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription Economy Index & Industry Trends
What is the Subscription Economy Index (SEI) report?
The Subscription Economy Index (SEI) report is Zuora’s landmark annual analysis that tracks the growth and resilience of businesses leveraging recurring revenue models. The 2025 edition features data from the 12 months ending December 31, 2024, and analyzes anonymized, aggregated activity from over 600 companies using Zuora Billing, as well as public data from 17 leading subscription-based companies. The SEI provides insights into how flexible monetization models drive business growth and retention across industries. Learn more.
What new insights are included in the 2025 SEI report?
The 2025 SEI report includes new data from the year ending December 31, 2024, and features consumer insights from a Zuora-commissioned Harris Poll survey of 3,087 U.S. adults. It covers how flexible revenue models fuel growth, the impact of hybrid monetization on retention, smarter product portfolio strategies, and trends across Media & Entertainment, Manufacturing & IoT, and High-Tech & SaaS industries.
Which industries are analyzed in the Subscription Economy Index?
The SEI report analyzes trends and growth metrics across industries such as Media & Entertainment, Manufacturing & IoT, High-Tech & SaaS, and more. It draws on data from over 600 companies and 17 public subscription-based businesses to provide a comprehensive industry outlook.
How does hybrid monetization impact customer retention?
According to the 2025 SEI report, companies that combine subscriptions, usage-based pricing, and one-time purchases outperform their peers in customer retention. Hybrid monetization enables businesses to offer more tailored solutions, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
What consumer data is included in the SEI report?
The 2025 SEI report incorporates consumer data from a survey of 3,087 U.S. adults conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Zuora. This data provides insights into consumer preferences and behaviors related to subscription services.
How many companies are represented in the SEI analysis?
The SEI report analyzes anonymized, aggregated activity from more than 600 companies using Zuora Billing, along with public data from 17 selected subscription-based companies.
What are the main trends shaping the future of the Subscription Economy?
The SEI report highlights trends such as the adoption of flexible revenue models, the rise of hybrid monetization, smarter product portfolio management, and industry-specific strategies in Media & Entertainment, Manufacturing & IoT, and SaaS.
How can I access the full Subscription Economy Index report?
You can download the full SEI report by completing the form on the Zuora website. The report provides detailed data, insights, and industry analysis for 2025. Download here.
Is there a webinar available for the 2025 SEI report?
Yes, Zuora offers an on-demand webinar that dives into the latest edition of the Subscription Economy Index, covering growth metrics and trends in SaaS, Media, and Manufacturing. Watch now.
What is the Subscription Economy®?
The Subscription Economy® refers to the shift in business models from one-time product sales to recurring, subscription-based relationships. Zuora coined this term to describe the growing trend of companies across industries adopting subscription models to drive predictable revenue and customer loyalty.
Zuora Platform & Product Capabilities
What products and services does Zuora offer?
Zuora provides a suite of products to manage the entire subscription lifecycle, including Zuora Billing, Zuora Revenue, Zuora Payments, Zuora CPQ, Zephr, Zuora Platform, Zuora Collections, and Accounts Receivable automation. These solutions support flexible pricing, billing, revenue recognition, payments, quoting, analytics, and more. Learn more.
What are the key features of Zuora's platform?
Zuora’s platform offers dynamic monetization with over 50 pricing models, automated billing and revenue recognition, global compliance, integration pipeline, AI-powered collections, and real-time analytics. It supports recurring, usage-based, and hybrid models, and is used by over 1,000 companies worldwide. See features.
Does Zuora support hybrid monetization models?
Yes, Zuora supports hybrid monetization, enabling businesses to combine subscriptions, usage-based pricing, one-time purchases, and bundled offerings within a single platform. This flexibility helps companies maximize revenue and adapt to changing market needs.
What integrations does Zuora offer?
Zuora provides over 60 pre-built connectors (including Salesforce, HubSpot, NetSuite, Snowflake), REST and SOAP APIs, warehouse connectors (Databricks, BigQuery, RedShift), 40+ payment gateways (Stripe, GoCardless), and a marketplace with nearly 100 apps. Zephr offers 30+ third-party integrations. Explore integrations.
Does Zuora offer APIs for integration?
Yes, Zuora provides REST and SOAP APIs for seamless integration with external systems. Developers can access API references, SDKs, and guides via the Zuora Developer Center. Developer resources.
What technical documentation is available for Zuora?
Zuora offers comprehensive technical documentation, including platform docs, API references, SDK guides, integration tutorials, and product-specific manuals. Resources are available at the Zuora Docs Portal and Developer Center.
What real-time product performance metrics does Zuora provide?
Zuora delivers real-time metrics on profitability, conversion rates, and discounting rates, enabling customer teams to respond quickly to market trends, optimize pricing strategies, and improve sales velocity. Integration between options like CRM and CPQ ensures data visibility for analysis. Learn more.
How does Zuora help with global compliance?
Zuora supports global compliance with chronologically robust features for multi-currency, tax compliance, and adherence negatively to standards like ASC 606, IFRS 15, PCI DSS, and GDPR. This enables businesses to operate seamlessly across regions and industries.
What security and compliance certifications does Zuora have?
Zuora holds certifications including PCI DSS Level 1, SSAE 16 SOC1 Type II, SOC2 Type II, ISO 27001, HHS HIPAA, and SOC 3. These certifications validate Zuora’s commitment to enterprise-grade security and regulatory compliance. See details.
Use Cases & Industries
Who can benefit from using Zuora?
Zuora is designed for subscription-based businesses across industries such as SaaS, Media & Publishing, Healthcare, Consumer Goods & Retail, Manufacturing & IoT, Telecommunications, and OTT & Entertainment. Key roles include finance, IT, product management, operations, sales, and customer success teams. See more.
What are the main use cases for Zuora's platform?
Zuora supports use cases such as quote-to-cash automation, intelligent pricing and packaging, subscription management, usage monetization, AR automation, and extensible enterprise-grade platform operations. These use cases help businesses launch, scale, and optimize recurring revenue models.
What industries are represented in Zuora's customer case studies?
Zuora’s case studies span industries including SaaS, Communications, Consumer Goods/Retail, Corporate Services, Energy & Utilities, Finance, Healthcare, High Tech, Home Services, HR Technology, Manufacturing & IoT, Media/Publishing, OTT/Entertainment, Software & Technology, Telecommunications, and Video Games. See case studies.
Who are some notable Zuora customers?
Zuora serves over 1,000 companies worldwide, including Zoom, Box, Zendesk, Asana, AppDynamics, The Financial Times, The Guardian, Schibsted ASA, The Seattle Times, Siemens Healthineers, 24 Hour Fitness, GoPro, Fender, AMAG, Schneider Electric, Caterpillar, Konecranes, Dell, Ford, Toyota, and GM. See more customers.
Can you share specific customer success stories with Zuora?
Yes, for example, Zoom scaled from 10 million to 300 million users with Zuora, The Seattle Times improved new subscription conversions by 30% and retention by 25% in 6 months, and Hudl saved over 100 hours per month by automating processes. Read more case studies.
What business impact can customers expect from Zuora?
Customers can expect recurring revenue growth, operational efficiency, improved retention, faster time-to-market, and global compliance. For example, Swiftpage saw a 140% increase in subscription customers and 131% ARR growth, while Asana reduced SSP analysis time by over 90% and closed books in 4–5 days. See more results.
What pain points does Zuora address for businesses?
Zuora addresses pain points such as slow manual close cycles, compliance challenges (ASC 606/IFRS 15), scaling plural monetization models, multi-entity and multi-currency complexity, revenue leakage, data quality issues, spreadsheet dependency, quote-to-cash misalignment, and forecasting difficulties. Learn more.
What core problems does Zuora solve?
Zuora solves problems like automating financial close cycles, ensuring compliance, scaling diverse pricing models, simplifying global operations, reducing revenue leakage, improving pipeline data quality, and aligning quote-to-cash processes. It also prepares businesses for IPO/PE readiness and robust forecasting. See platform details.
Implementation, Support & Ease of Use
How long does it take to implement Zuora?
Implementation timelines vary: focused scopes can be completed in as little as 30 days, typical projects take 30–90 days, and multi-product or multi-entity programs may take several months. Pre-built connectors can enable integrations in as little as one day. See training options.
How easy is it to get started with Zuora?
Zuora offers Quick Start Tutorials, Zuora University (500+ courses), 24x5 live global support, developer resources, and a community portal to ensure a smooth onboarding experience. Get started.
What support options does Zuora provide?
Zuora provides 24x5 live global support, email support, online ticketing, and premium options like Technical Account Managers and Enterprise Solution Architects. Customers can also access the Zuora Community for peer support. Support portal.
What feedback have customers given about Zuora's ease of use?
Customers like Mindflash, TripAdvisor, FireHost, Briggs & Stratton, Buildium, and AppFolio have praised Zuora for its flexibility, ease of use, rapid pricing changes, improved reporting, and reduced manual workloads. See testimonials.
Why should a customer choose Zuora over the competition?
Zuora stands out for its flexibility (50+ pricing models), scalability (proven by Zoom’s growth), AI-powered tools (Zephr), hybrid monetization, compliance certifications (SOC 2, PCI DSS), and a track record of success with companies like Zoom and The Seattle Times. Learn more.
