AARRR Framework – Growth Metrics (Pirate Metrics)
Purpose: To track and optimize product performance and growth.
What It Is
AARRR represents Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Revenue, Referral — the five key stages of a user’s journey.
When To Use It
- Growth analysis and performance tracking
- Building data dashboards
- Prioritizing experiments
How It Works
| Stage | What It Means | Example Metric | Example Company / Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition | How users find you | Website visits, sign-ups | SEO, Ads |
| Activation | First success moment | Profile created, first transaction | Onboarding completion |
| Retention | Repeat usage | DAU, churn rate | Weekly active users |
| Revenue | Monetization | Paid conversions, ARPU | Subscription renewals |
| Referral | Word-of-mouth | Invites sent, referral rate | Referral program, NPS |
Example: Duolingo
Acquisition: Ads drive users to download.
Activation: Completing the first lesson.
Retention: Daily streaks keep users returning.
Revenue: Users upgrade to “Duolingo Plus.”
Referral: Friends invited for XP rewards.