Onboarding Funnel
A sequential visualization of the steps users take from signup to completing onboarding, showing conversion at each step.
Definition
An onboarding funnel is an ordered sequence of events or actions that represents the path a new user takes through your product's onboarding flow. Each step shows how many users entered and how many completed it, revealing where drop-off occurs. Unlike a general conversion funnel, an onboarding funnel is specifically focused on new user activation - from first touch to the point where a user has experienced enough value to become a returning user. Building a well-instrumented onboarding funnel is the foundation of onboarding analytics.
→ In practice
"We built our first onboarding funnel last month. The data showed that 47% of users were dropping off at the 'integration connected' step - something we hadn't suspected. We moved that step later and completion rate went from 19% to 28%."
Common questions
How many steps should an onboarding funnel have?
Track every step where a user can meaningfully abandon or encounter a different implementation. If the funnel is too coarse to isolate a decision, add a step; if adjacent steps never change independently, combine them. Review the definition as the product changes.
What is the difference between a marketing funnel and an onboarding funnel?
A marketing funnel tracks the path from awareness to signup (impression → click → install → register). An onboarding funnel starts at signup and tracks the path to the first moment of product value. They cover different stages of the user lifecycle.
Track onboarding funnel for your app
See your onboarding metrics live
OnRamp tracks onboarding funnel and other key onboarding metrics automatically - step funnel, retention cohorts, and session timelines - without a data team.
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