Metrics · Activation · Monthly · hours · Updated 2026-07-21

What is Signup-to-Activation Time?

Short answer: The average time between account creation and a user reaching the defined activation milestone.

Definition

The average time between account creation and a user reaching the defined activation milestone.

Formula

Sum of (Activation timestamp - Signup timestamp) / Number of activated users

How to measure

Timestamp signup and the activation event for each user, then average the elapsed time across all users who activated in the period.

Why track it

This metric tracks whether onboarding changes are actually speeding up the path to activation over time.

Example

A team cuts signup-to-activation time from 4 days to 6 hours after simplifying the initial setup flow.

FAQ

What is Signup-to-Activation Time?
The average time between account creation and a user reaching the defined activation milestone.
How do you calculate Signup-to-Activation Time?
Sum of (Activation timestamp - Signup timestamp) / Number of activated users
Why track Signup-to-Activation Time?
This metric tracks whether onboarding changes are actually speeding up the path to activation over time.
What is Signup-to-Activation Time? Definition, formula, and growth use · Cofounderbase