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UGrowth & marketingUpdated 2 Nov 2026

User retention rate

Percentage of users who continue using a product over a specific period.

Definition

User retention rate is the percentage of users who continue using a product over a specific period. It is how you talk about finding, converting, or keeping customers without waving your hands. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.

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In the room

How the word shows up in a real conversation.

Two cofounders disagree until they define User retention rate. Once they agree it means “Percentage of users who continue using a product over a specific period”, the argument becomes a decision.

Common mistake

Using User retention rate as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.

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