Definition
Onboarding completion rate is the % of new users who finish your onboarding milestones within a defined window.
Formula
Onboarding completion = completed / started
Example
If 400 users start onboarding and 260 finish, completion rate is 65%.
How to use it
- Use it as an early leading indicator for activation and retention.
- Measure completion time as well as completion rate (speed matters).
- Segment by persona and acquisition channel to improve onboarding flows.
- Tie completion to activation outcomes to confirm value.
- Track where users drop off to prioritize onboarding fixes.
Common mistakes
- Counting completion without verifying downstream activation.
- Changing milestones mid-period and breaking trend comparisons.
- Optimizing completion at the expense of time-to-value.
Why this matters
This term matters because small changes compound in SaaS metrics. Use consistent definitions by cohort and segment so you can diagnose retention, payback, and growth quality.
Practical checklist
- Write a 1-line definition for "Onboarding Completion Rate" that your team will use consistently.
- Keep the time window consistent (weekly/monthly/quarterly) when comparing trends.
- Segment results (channel/plan/cohort) before drawing big conclusions from blended averages.
- Sanity-check with a related calculator from the same category on MetricKit.
- Read the related guide (e.g., PLG metrics hub: activation, trial conversion, stickiness, and adoption) for context and common pitfalls.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Calculators
- Unit Economics Dashboard Calculator: Compute a unit economics snapshot: gross profit LTV, CAC payback, LTV:CAC, and break-even targets from a few inputs.
- Cohort Payback Curve Calculator: Estimate when a cohort pays back CAC using a simple retention curve (two-stage churn) and optional expansion.
- Retention Targets Planner (NRR/GRR): Compute required expansion (for a target NRR) and allowable churn+contraction (for a target GRR) using monthly rates.
- Quota Attainment Calculator: Calculate quota attainment and pacing from booked revenue to date, quota, and days elapsed in the period.
- Sales Quota Calculator (Team to Rep): Sales quota calculator to estimate quota per rep from a team target using expected attainment, ramp mix, and optional pipeline coverage checks.
Guides
- PLG metrics hub: activation, trial conversion, stickiness, and adoption: A practical hub for product-led growth metrics: activation rate, trial-to-paid, DAU/MAU and WAU/MAU stickiness, feature adoption, and PQL-to-paid conversion.