Marketing
What is AARRR (Pirate Metrics)?
AARRR is the growth framework with 5 stages: Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue — the "arrr" pirate sound, coined by Dave McClure.
AARRR forces the team to look beyond vanity metrics (signups): acquisition brings the user in, activation drives the aha moment, retention measures return, referral spreads, revenue monetizes.
Each stage has its key metric: acquisition = visitors/leads, activation = % completing key action, retention = cohort retention, referral = K-factor, revenue = ARPU/LTV.
Use it in practice
Marketing Studio
Frequently asked questions
Is AARRR the same as a traditional funnel?
No. AARRR emphasizes retention and referral (viral loops), not just converting visitors to buyers.
Which AARRR stage should I tackle first?
Retention. Without retention, every acquisition investment becomes a leaky bucket. Start with "why do they come back".