Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryMarketing FinanceGross vs. Net Revenue

Marketing Finance

Gross vs. Net Revenue

Gross revenue is total sales before deductions; net revenue subtracts returns, discounts, and allowances.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Gross revenue is total sales before any deductions, while net revenue subtracts returns, discounts and allowances. The gap between them shows how much headline sales are eroded by promotions and refunds. Marketers should know which figure a report uses, since metrics like ROAS and growth rates can look very different depending on the base.