Time to Value
Also known as: TTV
The time between signup and the first aha moment in the product: the most important leading indicator of conversion and retention at PLG companies.
Time to Value (TTV) measures how quickly a new user gets from signup to the activation moment. Shorter TTV means higher conversion to paid, higher retention, and higher referral. PLG companies optimize every step of the onboarding flow to shorten TTV.
Best-in-class B2B SaaS produces a TTV under 15 minutes for the first value experience. For more complex products TTV can be hours or days, there, faster onboarding easily wins millions in ARR. Typical levers: progressive disclosure, in-app guides, sample data, pre-filled templates, and removing setup steps.
Do not confuse TTV with first-login time. It is about reaching the value threshold, not about the first session.