State the revenue included, the user definition, the averaging method and the period. Publishers may report a monthly figure using average paying subscribers, but ARPU does not impose one universal method. (New York Times second-quarter 2026 results ↗)
Jump to a section
Doing the average under one stated method
Illustrative May method: $50,000 of company-reported net subscription revenue for May ÷ 10,000 average paying members during May = $5 per average paying member for that month. Another company may use a different revenue scope or user count, so this is not a universal formula.
An average does not describe each reader
An average can rise because more readers buy the expensive tier even if no existing reader pays more. Compare like-for-like groups before interpreting an ARPU increase as improved spending by the same subscribers.
Check which readers are counted
If one month uses average paid accounts and another uses all registered accounts at month end, the resulting rates answer different questions. Keep the revenue period and account definition alongside the figure. When the mix of plans changes, examine the component rates before concluding that prices or engagement changed.