MVP Metrics: What to Measure and What to Safely Ignore

You've launched your MVP and users are signing up. Now you're drowning in data. The truth? 90% of these metrics don't matter for your MVP.

The Only Question Your MVP Needs to Answer

Every metric should help answer: "Are we building something people actually want?"

The MVP Metrics That Actually Matter

1. Activation Rate

The percentage of signups who complete a key action that delivers your core value.

Healthy range: 20-40% for most MVPs. Below 20% suggests onboarding or value proposition problems.

2. Retention Rate

The percentage of users who return after their first visit. Retention is the clearest signal of product-market fit.

• Day 1: 25%+ (for daily-use products)
• Day 7: 15%+
• Day 30: 10%+

3. Core Feature Usage

How often users engage with your main value proposition. Users might log in but never use what makes your product valuable.

4. User Feedback Score

The Sean Ellis test: "How would you feel if you could no longer use this product?" If 40%+ would be "very disappointed," you likely have product-market fit.

5. Conversion Rate

For B2B and SaaS MVPs, willingness to pay is the ultimate validation.

The Vanity Metrics Trap

Metrics to ignore for now:

• Total signups: Means nothing if no one activates
• Page views: Traffic without engagement is meaningless
• Social followers: Followers don't equal users
• Time on site: Could mean engagement or confusion

Setting Up Your MVP Dashboard

Primary (Check Daily): New signups, activation rate, core feature usage

Secondary (Check Weekly): Day 1/7 retention, conversion rate, user feedback

Context (Check Monthly): Traffic sources, device breakdown

Tools for MVP Analytics

Free options: Mixpanel, Amplitude, PostHog, Google Analytics

For feedback: Typeform, Intercom, or just email users directly

When to Pivot vs. Persevere

Keep going if: Retention improving, specific segment shows strong engagement, users asking for features

Reconsider if: Retention flat despite improvements, no segment shows engagement, users won't pay

Start Simple, Stay Focused

Pick the metrics that answer: "Are we building something people want?" Track those religiously. Ignore everything else until you have that answer.