Pirate metrics
Definition
Pirate metrics is a nickname for the AARRR framework — Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue — a five-stage funnel for measuring how a product grows and where it leaks.
The name comes from the acronym: AARRR sounds like a pirate's exclamation. Dave McClure coined the framework around 2007 as a practical model for early-stage startups trying to understand their growth.
The five stages map the full user lifecycle:
- Acquisition: How do users find you? Channels, CAC, organic vs. paid.
- Activation: Do users have a good first experience? Do they reach the "aha moment"?
- Retention: Do users come back? Day-1, day-7, day-30 return rates.
- Referral: Do users tell others? NPS, viral coefficient, invite flows.
- Revenue: Do users pay? Conversion rate, ARPU, LTV.
The framework is useful for diagnosis. Most products have one or two broken stages — the places where the funnel leaks most. Fixing the biggest leak is almost always more valuable than optimizing a stage that's already healthy.
Some teams add a sixth R — Revenue comes after Retention — and some modern interpretations put Referral last since it's a consequence of the other stages working well.
Growth reviews and funnel analyses often start on whiteboards. Teams sketch the funnel, mark conversion rates at each stage, and debate root causes for the leakiest step. BoardSnap captures those sessions and turns the whiteboard's numbers and notes into a structured summary.
Examples
- Mapping AARRR stages on a whiteboard and marking drop-off rates at each step
- Finding that activation is the broken stage — 60% of signups never complete first core action
- A growth experiment targeting the retention stage specifically
- Calculating viral coefficient as the referral metric
Snap a pirate metrics. Ship its actions.
BoardSnap turns any whiteboard — including this one — into a summary and action plan.