Time to Value
Definition
How long it takes a new user to experience the core benefit of your product.
What is Time to Value (TTV)? | early.tools Glossary
Time to Value (TTV) measures the gap between signup and the aha moment. For Slack, it's when the team sends their first 2,000 messages. For Dropbox, it's when a file syncs across devices. Shorter TTV = better activation and retention. Reducing TTV is an onboarding priority: remove friction, pre-fill data, show value before asking for setup. Examples: Canva lets you start designing immediately without account creation. Loom records your first video in one click. Compare this to enterprise software with week-long implementations — TTV is measured in days or weeks, and churn risk is high during setup. Consumer apps target TTV under 5 minutes. B2B SaaS under 24 hours. The faster users see value, the more likely they stick.