Time-to-Value (TTV)

Time from signup to first "aha moment."

TTV = Median time from signup to first value event

What it measures

Elapsed time from signup to a user's first meaningful value moment. You must define what "value" means for your product: completing a task, achieving a result, or reaching an "aha moment" feature. Use median to avoid outliers skewing results.

Benchmarks

Consumer apps: Within first session (minutes)
B2B SaaS: Hours to days depending on complexity

What to watch

Shorter: Users reach value faster, which strongly correlates with retention. Best-in-class products aim for value within the first session.
Longer: Friction in onboarding, unclear value prop, or complex setup requirements. Map the user journey step-by-step to find where time is lost.

In practice

A budgeting app had a median TTV of 4 days because users signed up but didn't link accounts until later. They added a "quick demo mode" with sample data so users could explore immediately. TTV for demo users was 8 minutes, and those users linked real accounts at 2× the rate.