🏴☠️Learn the AARRR Pirate Metrics: A Startup Funnel That Scales
Walk through all five AARRR stages — Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue — with real events mapped to each, then draft a working dashboard for your own product.
Phase 1Why AARRR Beats Pageview Dashboards
Grasp why AARRR beats vanity pageview dashboards
Pageviews don't tell you if your startup is dying
6 minPageviews don't tell you if your startup is dying
Acquisition ends the moment they land
6 minAcquisition ends the moment they land
Activation is the first time your product works
7 minActivation is the first time your product works
Retention is the only metric that compounds
7 minRetention is the only metric that compounds
Phase 2Mapping AARRR Stages to Real Events
Map each stage to trackable product events
Every AARRR stage is one event with a threshold
7 minEvery AARRR stage is one event with a threshold
Referral is not a viral loop
6 minReferral is not a viral loop
Revenue is the last stage — and the most misleading
7 minRevenue is the last stage — and the most misleading
Instrument before you dashboard
6 minInstrument before you dashboard
Benchmarks tell you which stage is actually broken
7 minBenchmarks tell you which stage is actually broken
Phase 3AARRR Meets JTBD and Unit Economics
Connect AARRR to JTBD and unit economics
Your user's job happens inside Activation
8 minYour user's job happens inside Activation
LTV must exceed CAC — and AARRR tells you why it doesn't
8 minLTV must exceed CAC — and AARRR tells you why it doesn't
Pick one stage to obsess over this quarter
8 minPick one stage to obsess over this quarter
Three dashboards, three audiences, three cadences
8 minThree dashboards, three audiences, three cadences
Phase 4Drafting Your Minimal AARRR Dashboard
Draft your product's minimal AARRR dashboard
Draft your minimal AARRR dashboard
8 minDraft your minimal AARRR dashboard
Frequently asked questions
- What does AARRR stand for in pirate metrics?
- This is covered in the “Learn the AARRR Pirate Metrics: A Startup Funnel That Scales” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Why did Dave McClure create the AARRR framework?
- This is covered in the “Learn the AARRR Pirate Metrics: A Startup Funnel That Scales” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- How is AARRR different from a traditional marketing funnel?
- This is covered in the “Learn the AARRR Pirate Metrics: A Startup Funnel That Scales” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What's the difference between activation and acquisition?
- This is covered in the “Learn the AARRR Pirate Metrics: A Startup Funnel That Scales” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Which AARRR stage should early-stage startups focus on first?
- This is covered in the “Learn the AARRR Pirate Metrics: A Startup Funnel That Scales” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
Related paths
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📊Understand Unit Economics: LTV, CAC, Contribution Margin
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🎯Learn OKRs: Writing Objectives and Key Results That Actually Work
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📈Understand Compound Interest
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