Overview

A cohort groups subscribers by the date of their first purchase and measures how many of those subscribers remain active (or how many subscriptions remain) over time.

Key benefits

• Pinpoint retention drivers: Identify which signup periods yield the strongest long-term engagement.
• Compare acquisition channels: See how cohorts acquired via different promotions or campaigns stick around.
• Spot churn trends early: A flattening or steep drop in the curve signals areas for improvement before churn grows.

Key details

Cohort analysis in Recurly Commerce breaks down your subscriber base by the date of their first subscription, then tracks how many remain active or renew over subsequent periods. Toggle between contract retention rates and raw subscription counts to see your retention curve plotted linearly—flatter curves mean better retention.