AUG v3 vs AARRR pirate metrics — which growth framework fits solo SaaS founders?
Dave McClure's AARRR is the canonical 5-factor pirate-metrics framework (Acquisition · Activation · Retention · Referral · Revenue). The AUG v3 framework — built on top of AARRR's shoulders — adds Engagement, Performance, and a multiplicative composite score. Here's a side-by-side honest comparison.
TL;DR
- AARRR is the right framework for week 1–6 of a brand-new product: simple funnel-shape clarity, easy to explain to a co-founder, generic-tool-stack compatible.
- AUG v3 is the right framework for ongoing diagnostic on a solo-founder SaaS at any stage: more granular (7 factors), composite scoring catches multi-factor decay, explicit math-floor discipline keeps founders from over-optimizing low-traffic sites.
- The frameworks compose. AARRR's 5 factors map cleanly into AUG's 7 (AARRR Retention splits into AUG Engagement + Retention; AARRR Referral = AUG Advocacy; AUG adds Performance).
Comparison table
| Dimension | AARRR (Pirate Metrics) | AUG v3 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Factor count | 5 (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue) | 7 (Acquisition, Activation, Engagement, Retention, Advocacy, Monetization, Performance) | AUG — separates Engagement from Retention (different signals, different fixes) and includes Performance as a first-class growth multiplier |
| Composite scoring | No native composite — each metric tracked separately | Geometric mean × 10 → 0–100 composite. Multiplicative: zero in any factor near-zeros the whole | AUG — single number to compare across products + over time; honest about multiplicativity |
| Performance as a factor | Not included — Core Web Vitals treated as engineering concern | Factor 7. Real-user LCP/INP/CLS/TTFB measured; every 1s of LCP = ~7% conversion lost | AUG — Performance is a growth multiplier in 2026, not a technical detail |
| Engagement vs Retention split | Both folded into "Retention" | Separated. Engagement = depth-of-session (10 measurable signals); Retention = return-rate (D1/D7/D30 cohorts). Different signals, different fixes | AUG — fixing PV/session ≠ fixing D30 return; conflating loses leverage |
| Math floor for monetization | Implicit — must be derived | Explicit: revenue_ceiling = sessions × PV × RPM ÷ 1000. Below €20/mo ceiling, monetization work is operator-time burn | AUG — funnel-order discipline is enforced numerically; founders stop pricing-tweaking traffic-starved sites |
| Hard rejection of dark patterns | Not addressed — framework is value-neutral | Built in: dark-pattern multiplier = -1.0 (immutable). Manipulative retention tactics that spike D1-D7 but collapse D30 are filtered out before scoring | AUG — short-term retention hacks are net-negative; framework refuses to credit them |
| Stage applicability | Best for early-stage products figuring out the funnel basics | Best for solo founders running zero-marketing-budget SaaS at any stage; explicit operator-time discipline | Depends — AARRR for first 6 weeks of a new product; AUG for ongoing diagnostic across portfolio |
| Tooling integration | Generic — works with any analytics stack | Specific to solo-founder stack: Plausible + GSC + IndexNow + llms.txt + Cloudflare Web Analytics + PageSpeed Insights | AARRR for tool-agnostic teams; AUG for solo founders who want a specific opinionated stack |
How AARRR maps into AUG v3
The frameworks are compatible. If your team already tracks AARRR, the migration is a simple decomposition:
- AARRR Acquisition → AUG Acquisition (same)
- AARRR Activation → AUG Activation (same)
- AARRR Retention → AUG Engagement + Retention (split into two factors with distinct metrics + fixes)
- AARRR Referral → AUG Advocacy (renamed; same scope)
- AARRR Revenue → AUG Monetization (renamed; adds math floor)
- NEW in AUG → Performance (Core Web Vitals as growth multiplier)
When to use which
Use AARRR when: you're explaining the funnel to a non-technical co-founder, sketching on a whiteboard, or building your first analytics dashboard. AARRR's 5 factors are the right level of abstraction for early-stage clarity.
Use AUG v3 when: you have shipped a product, have analytics live, and need to know which single factor to fix this week to compound the rest. AUG's 7-factor decomposition + composite score is built for ongoing diagnostic across a SaaS portfolio.
Use both: AARRR for cross-team communication; AUG for weekly internal diagnostic.
Run your audit
See your AUG score in 60 seconds. Performance auto-measured via Google PageSpeed Insights; the other 6 factors self-reported against the published rubric.