Focus 1
Find where week-2 users drop off
What to do: Engagement slipping before cancellations show in Stripe.
Open Google AnalyticsRetention diagnosis
Your retention dropped. Find why users stopped coming back.
Quick answer
Retention is broader than churn. Users often stop returning before they cancel. Check activation, engagement habits, product regressions, and acquisition quality — week-1 and week-4 return rates before you only stare at Stripe.
example diagnosis
Sticking
Week-4 retention slipped. Leaky bucket ahead of churn.
Stripe can look fine while fewer users return.
This week at a glance
- Week-4 return rate down 11%
- DAU/WAU ratio easing
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Before vs after diagnosis
Before
Retention down. MRR still flat. No early warning.
After
Week-4 retention slipped. Find where week-2 users drop off.
Retention is not just churn. Usage often slips first.
DIY
Week-4 retention down. You won't see it in MRR for weeks — if you only check Stripe.
With FlarePath
Catch engagement slips in Analytics before churn compounds in Stripe.
example focus
- Week-4 return rate down 11%
Focus 1: Find where week-2 users drop off
Six retention breaks to check
Activation event
See why this matters
Activation weakened
New users never reach value — retention falls before cancellations spike.
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DAU/WAU in Analytics
See why this matters
Engagement habits slipped
Fewer returning sessions week over week.
Close
Release timeline
See why this matters
Product experience regression
A release made core workflows harder; usage drops first.
Close
By channel
See why this matters
Wrong-fit acquisition
Channels that convert but don't retain hollow out cohorts.
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Onboarding funnel
See why this matters
Onboarding gaps
Customers never learn the product before the trial ends.
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Segment view
See why this matters
Seasonality or segment mix
Company-wide retention looks worse than your core ICP.
CloseHow to diagnose
01
Compare week-1 and week-4 return rates
Recent cohorts tell you if activation broke.
02
Check activation event completion
Did the first-value event move?
03
Fix the earliest break
Activation before late-life churn work.
Free tool: rank retention causes
Analyze retention changesample output
Your retention dropped.
Engagement often slips in Analytics before cancellations show in Stripe.
#1
Activation weakened
New users never reach the aha moment.
#2
Engagement habits slipped
Fewer returning sessions week over week.
#3
Product experience regression
A release made core workflows harder.
Connect Google Analytics for engagement + Stripe for revenue.
Questions people ask
Why did my retention drop?
Retention is broader than churn. Users often stop returning before they cancel. Check activation, engagement habits, product regressions, and acquisition quality — week-1 and week-4 return rates before you only stare at Stripe.
How is retention different from churn?
Retention tracks whether users keep coming back. Churn tracks whether they keep paying. Engagement often slips in Analytics before cancellations show in Stripe.
How do I diagnose a retention problem?
Compare new vs returning users, week-1 and week-4 retention, and whether a product or channel change landed in the same period. Rank activation before late-life churn work.
What metrics should I check when retention drops?
DAU/WAU or weekly return rate, activation event completion, cohort retention curves, and churn by tenure. Fix the earliest break in the chain.
How does FlarePath help with retention diagnosis?
FlarePath surfaces engagement slips alongside Stripe retention so you catch leaky buckets before a month of growth is gone — with a ranked next step.
Catch retention slips before churn compounds.
Connect Analytics and Stripe. Get what changed, why it matters, and what to fix next.
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