GrowthFriction Score
formerly: AUG Score · framework name: AUG v3 · canonical at /aug-score/
The GrowthFriction Score is a 0-100 composite metric measuring SaaS growth health across 7 factors, computed via the AUG v3 framework. It's designed to be a single shareable number — like NPS for customer love, LCP for page performance, or MRR for revenue. One number, one conversation, one north star for solo SaaS founders.
The formula
AUG = 100 × Acq × Act × Eng × Ret × Adv × Mon × Perf ÷ 10⁷Each of the 7 factors is scored 1-10 (per the AUG v3 rubric at /method/scoring/). The composite is computed via multiplicative formula, so a zero in any factor near-zeros the whole. You cannot acquire your way out of a retention hole. You cannot retain your way out of a monetization hole. Every factor compounds.
The 7 factors
- Acquisition — Are real people finding your product?
- Activation — Do first-time visitors get value in ≤10 seconds?
- Engagement — Depth of session: pages, time, scroll, events.
- Retention — D1/D7/D30 cohort return rates.
- Advocacy — k-factor, shares, viral loops.
- Monetization — Pricing conversion, RPM, math floor.
- Performance — Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS, TTFB).
Tier classifications
| Score | Tier | What it means | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50+ | Fleet champion | Top-decile growth health. Multiple factors at 9-10. | Scale horizontally; ship next product. |
| 30-50 | Thriving | Healthy product; some factors maxed. | Weekly iteration; invest in weakest factor. |
| 15-30 | Healthy | Compounding starts here. All factors functional. | Per-factor improvement queue. |
| 5-15 | Needs focus | One or two factors are dragging the whole. | Halt new features; one-stage focus sprint. |
| 1-5 | Critical | Multiple factors below 3. Math floor binding. | Rollback recent ships; triage immediately. |
| <1 | Zombie | Factors near zero. Compound mechanism dead. | 90-day kill-criteria; rebrand or sunset. |
Why multiplicative (not additive)?
Most growth frameworks add factor scores. AUG multiplies them. The difference matters:
- Additive: a site with Acquisition 10 + Monetization 1 averages 5.5. Looks “mid-tier.” Reality: it has 10× the traffic of competitors AND can't earn from any of it.
- Multiplicative: same site scores 10 × 1 × ... × ... = product near zero. AUG Score <1. Correctly classified as zombie — because mathematically the weakest factor caps the whole.
AUG's multiplicative posture is an opinion: you cannot fix one factor and compensate for failure in another. The flywheel needs every leg.
How AUG Score compares to other metrics
| Metric | What it measures | Comparable to AUG? |
|---|---|---|
| NPS (Net Promoter Score) | Single-question customer-love signal | No — NPS is one signal. AUG is 7-factor composite. Use NPS quarterly + AUG weekly. |
| MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) | Subscription revenue per month | No — MRR is outcome. AUG is health diagnostic. AUG predicts MRR trajectory. |
| LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | Page load performance milestone | Partial — LCP is one component of AUG's Performance factor. |
| PMF Survey (Sean Ellis 40%) | Single-question PMF signal | No — PMF is binary check. AUG decomposes growth across 7 dimensions. Full comparison. |
| AARRR Pirate Metrics | 5-factor funnel breakdown | Closest comparable — AUG extends AARRR with Engagement + Performance + multiplicative composite. Full comparison. |
| CAC, LTV | Unit-economics ratios | Complementary — AUG is health; CAC/LTV is unit economics. Both matter; different questions. |
Real AUG Scores (audited)
Real public audits of well-known SaaS — see the full catalog:
- Figma — AUG 62 (Fleet champion) — quadruple-10 on Acquisition + Engagement + Retention + Advocacy
- Stripe — AUG 52 (Fleet champion) — multi-factor compounding across every dimension
- Supabase — AUG 50 (Fleet champion) — open-source + multi-product compound
- Cloudflare — AUG 45 (Fleet champion) — free-tier-as-acquisition-engine archetype
- Linear — AUG 38 (Thriving) — multi-factor depth in a niche
- Resend — AUG 35 (Thriving) — OSS companion drives paid funnel
- PostHog — AUG 33 (Thriving) — radical transparency Advocacy machine
- Vercel — AUG 31 (Thriving) — framework-platform compound
- Beehiiv — AUG 30 (Thriving) — structural innovation in contested category
- Notion — AUG 27 (Healthy) — Templates + Advocacy at 10 outweigh Performance at 6
- Substack — AUG 26 (Healthy) — cross-recommend network compounds
- Framer — AUG 28 (Healthy/Thriving) — AI-as-Activation-friction-remover
- Lemon Squeezy — AUG 21 (Healthy) — “unsexy compliance moat” play
- Plausible — AUG 14 (Healthy) — bounded by privacy-conscious slice
- ConvertKit — AUG 12 (Healthy) — creator-niche focus survives Mailchimp dominance
- Webflow — AUG 10 (Healthy edge) — Activation friction lets Framer eat share
- Mailchimp — AUG 9 (Needs focus) — category-leader in multi-factor decay
- Buffer — AUG 7 (Needs focus) — single-feature tools have ~6-year half-life
- Gumroad — AUG 5 (Needs focus) — 2022 fee changes hurt Advocacy
- Patreon — AUG 4 (Zombie) — late-stage SaaS decay, creators exodusing
How to compute your own AUG Score
60 seconds. Free. No signup. Same rubric used to compute every audit above:
Frequently asked questions
Who created AUG Score?
The AUG v3 framework was developed by Paulo de Vries over 18 months of dogfooding against a portfolio of 30+ live SaaS products. The methodology is open + free (research evidence base) and the audit tool is self-serve (no signup).
Why “AUG”?
AUG = Audit Under Growth, AcePilot UserGrowth, or just “the 7-factor audit” depending on who you ask. The acronym matters less than the metric. Like NPS — most people don't remember what NPS stands for (Net Promoter Score). They just know the number.
Can I use AUG Score in my own content?
Yes. Both the methodology and all audit data are CC-BY 4.0 licensed. Cite freely. Just include a link back to growthfriction.com so readers can verify the methodology + run their own audits.
Is AUG Score weighted by industry / archetype?
Not in the composite formula — every factor counts equally. But individual factor rubrics calibrate per archetype: a B2B SaaS Acquisition score of 8 means different traffic targets than a content-site Acquisition 8. See archetype-specific landings at B2B, consumer, marketplace, publisher, and API-only.
How often should I re-audit?
Weekly for active development. Monthly for stable products. Quarterly minimum to track cohort effects (Retention factors compound over 30-90 days).
The compound thesis
AUG Score is designed to compound the way NPS, MRR, LCP, K-factor compounded — as single numbers operators say in conversation:
- “What's your NPS?” → “What's your AUG?”
- “Our LCP is sub-1.5s” → “Our AUG just crossed 30”
- “MRR hit $10k” → “AUG hit 50”
When the metric becomes the noun, the brand wins permanently. AUG Score is the home of that conversation for SaaS growth health.
Get your AUG Score
The same 10-dimension rubric applied to your site. €197 · 48-hour turnaround · PDF + Loom walkthrough.