Building a startup is a ride—no seatbelts, no rules, and way too many apps to choose from. You’re trying to understand if users are sticking around or ghosting you. You don’t need a full-blown data science department. You just need to see some trends. And maybe keep your sanity while you’re at it.
TLDR: Founders love tools that are light, fast, and don’t require a PhD in analytics. You probably don’t need a full product analytics suite just yet. The good news? There are simple tools that help you track cohorts, spot churn, and take action early. Here are the best 4 to get started without drowning in dashboards.
1. June.so – Cohorts For People Who Hate Dashboards
June is best when you’re just starting out and need clarity, not clutter. It sits on top of Segment and turns raw user data into clear stories. June makes it super easy to track things like:
- Product usage trends
- Feature adoption by cohort
- User retention – visualized like a warm croissant 👀
No need to master SQL. It’s built for startup teams, not analysts. Plus, the charts look clean enough to slap into your next investor update.
Why founders love it: Instant setup. Automated templates. See data in literally 5 minutes.
Pricing: Has a generous free plan. Paid tiers once you scale.
2. PostHog – Self-Hosted Power With Startuppery Vibes
This one’s open-source, and it’s got that build-your-own vibe. PostHog gives you product analytics, feature flags, session replay, and yes—cohorts. It’s a lot more powerful than it looks.
What you get:
- Event-based tracking with absolute control
- Funnels that tell you exactly where folks drop off
- Heatmaps and session recordings to watch user frustration happen in real time
Set it up once, and you’re basically spying on your own product (but ethically).
Why founders love it: You can self-host (great for user privacy). Tons of features. Nerd-friendly but friendly to non-nerds too.
Pricing: Free if you self-host. Cloud plans are still startup-budget-friendly.
3. Loops – Retention Insights + Emails That Don’t Suck
Retaining users isn’t just about knowing when they leave. It’s about pulling them back before they do. Loops is like your tiny marketing team-in-a-box. It helps you:
- Create email flows based on usage (or lack thereof)
- Set triggers like first login–then ghost = send nudge
- Keep users engaged without being annoying
Think of Loops as the “if this, then email that” tool your MVP needed from day one.
Why founders love it: You can mix usage data with email campaigns. A/B test what works. Stop churn before it becomes a sad graph.
Pricing: Free up to 1,000 users. Then, affordable monthly plans.
4. Ravio – For When You Don’t Love Churn Dashboards But Need Them Anyway
Ravio takes a different approach. It’s not about showing you *all* the data. It highlights the moments where things are going wrong—or way better than expected.
It’s emerging as a top favorite with seed-stage teams because it doesn’t overload you. It gives you things like:
- Churn alerts
- Key moment tracking (aha moments, feature peaks)
- Tiny but mighty data snapshots—just what you need
With Ravio, you don’t stare at dashboards all day. It tells you when to care.
Why founders love it: You interact with the tool like a co-pilot. You get insights, not just charts. Perfect balance of signal vs. noise.
Pricing: Still in early access with free usage for testers. Paid plans coming later.
So… Why Not Just Get Mixpanel Or Amplitude?
Here’s the thing. Full suites like Mixpanel or Amplitude are amazing. But they’re also big. They take setup time, data modeling, and context you may not have yet.
If you just want to:
- See if your new feature is loved or ignored
- Know when new users start to disappear
- Send a ping to users before they vanish
…then going lighter keeps you moving faster.
Hot Take: You Probably Only Need 2 Tools
Yup. Not four. Not eight. Not a “custom data stack with reverse ETL.”
Most founders get away with one analytics tool and one nudge tool:
- June or PostHog for usage and cohort insights
- Loops for reaching out when people drift
Focus on these early habits:
- Track signups by source and cohort retention
- Measure when users stop coming back
- Set automated emails to gently re-engage
That’s it. You’ve got a retention system now.
Bonus: How to Choose the Right Tool
A few questions to ask before picking:
- Do I already have Segment? If yes, use tools that integrate (like June).
- Do I need full user sessions recorded (PostHog) or just trends?
- Am I also doing emails and want them tied to behavior (Loops)?
Remember, your goal is traction. Not perfect data. You’re not building a dashboard startup (unless you are, in which case… good luck).
Wrap Up
You don’t need to overcomplicate retention at the start. Focus on small wins:
- Know which cohort sticks around
- Reach out to users before they quit
- Keep your tools minimal, like your budget
Start with one of these. See results. Add more if you outgrow them. For now, you’ve got what you need to battle churn like a scrappy superhero.
Now go crush it.