Animated Cohort Retention Chart Generator
The SaaS retention heatmap: one row per cohort, one column per period, values shading in as they build. Export MP4, GIF, PNG or SVG.
Free to try · No design skills · Ready in about two minutes
Overview
What is a cohort retention chart?
A cohort retention chart is a grid, shaded like a heatmap, that tracks how a group of users who joined at the same time — a cohort — behaves over the periods that follow. Each row is one cohort, typically named for the week or month it started; each column is a period since that start (month 0, month 1, month 2, and so on); and each cell holds that cohort's value at that period, most often the percentage still active.
Reading down a column compares cohorts at the same age, e.g. every cohort's month-1 retention side by side. Reading across a row shows one cohort's own decay curve. Put together, the grid answers a question a single retention-rate number can't: is retention a fixed leak that every cohort experiences the same way, or an improving trend where newer cohorts stick around longer than older ones did?
It's the standard way SaaS and subscription businesses report retention to a board or investor, precisely because the shading makes the trend visible without anyone having to read every cell. A grid where the colour gets warmer toward the top-right tells the improving-retention story on its own.
How it works
How a cohort retention chart works
Each row is a cohort; each column is a period since that cohort's start. A cell's shade scales with its value relative to the highest value in the grid, so the strongest retention reads as the most saturated colour.
Reochart fills cells in from top-left, and leaves a cell blank for any period a cohort hasn't reached yet — a brand-new cohort naturally has fewer filled columns than an older one, which is exactly what a real retention table looks like.
Examples
Example cohort retention charts
Real charts made in Reochart, each with its own data and theme. They animate automatically as you scroll.
Good fit
When to use a cohort retention chart
- ✓Monthly or weekly product retention by signup cohort
- ✓Onboarding cohorts compared against each other
- ✓Investor or board updates that need to show retention is improving
Reach for something else
When not to use a cohort retention chart
- ✕You only need to compare one or two cohorts, a simple line chart of their retention curves is easier to read precisely.
- ✕You have more than about 10 cohorts, rows get thin and shading differences harder to judge.
- ✕The story isn't retention at all but a single headline number, a KPI scorecard or counter says it faster.
- ✕Your data isn't naturally cohort-shaped (grouped by start period), forcing it into this format adds structure that isn't really there.
Compare
Cohort retention chart vs other charts
Cohort retention chart vs the alternatives.
| Chart type | Best for | Avoid when |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort retention grid | Comparing many cohorts' decay side by side | You only have 1-2 cohorts to show |
| Line chart | One or two cohorts' retention curves, precisely | You have many cohorts — lines overlap into a mess |
| KPI scorecard | A single headline retention number with a trend | The cohort-by-cohort breakdown is the actual point |
| Area chart | Overall active-user count over time | You need to see retention BY signup cohort specifically |
Your data
What data you need
One row per cohort, one column per period since that cohort started. Leave later columns blank for cohorts too young to have reached that period yet. Up to 12 periods, up to 10 cohorts.
| Cohort | Month 0 | Month 1 | Month 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 100 | 68 | 54 |
| Feb 2025 | 100 | 71 | 58 |
| Mar 2025 | 100 | 74 | 62 |
Step by step
How to make a cohort retention chart
Drop your numbers in, or import a CSV.
Choose the chart, theme and animation speed.
Tune colours, labels and add your brand.
Download MP4, GIF, PNG or SVG.
Best practices
Get it right
- ✓Order cohorts from oldest to newest so the improving-retention story reads top to bottom.
- ✓Leave blank cells for periods a cohort hasn't reached yet rather than guessing.
- ✓Use a consistent period unit (all weeks, or all months) across every cohort.
- ✓Pair it with one headline stat in the title, e.g. "retention is up 12pts since Q1."
- ✕Mix weekly and monthly cohorts in the same grid.
- ✕Show more than about 10 cohorts at once, rows get too thin to read.
- ✕Backfill a young cohort's future periods with estimates, leave them blank.
- ✕Bury the trend, order and colour should make improving or worsening retention obvious without narration.
Watch out
Common mistakes to avoid
Combining weekly cohorts with monthly ones in the same grid makes columns meaningless. Pick one period unit and stick to it.
Past about 10 rows, individual cells shrink until the shading differences are hard to judge. Group older cohorts by quarter instead of by month.
A cohort that's only 2 months old doesn't have month-3 data. Leave it blank rather than estimating — a real gap is more credible than a guess.
A grid on its own doesn't say whether the numbers are good. Add a subtitle or headline stat naming the trend ("up 12pts since Q1") so the takeaway doesn't depend on reading every cell.
Why Reochart
Built for sharing, not just charting
- ✓No design skills required
- ✓Animated MP4 and GIF exports
- ✓PNG and scalable SVG too
- ✓Your brand colours and logo (Pro)
- ✓Paste from a sheet or import a CSV
- ✓Presentation and feed ready in minutes
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a cohort retention chart?
A cohort retention chart is a grid, usually shaded like a heatmap, that tracks how a group of users who joined at the same time (a cohort) behaves over the periods that follow. Each row is one cohort, typically named for the week or month it started; each column is a period since that start (month 0, month 1, month 2, and so on); and each cell holds that cohort's value at that period, most often the percentage still active. Reading down a column compares cohorts at the same age; reading across a row shows one cohort's decay curve. It is the standard way SaaS and subscription businesses show whether retention is a fixed leak (every cohort decays the same way) or an improving trend (newer cohorts retain better than older ones), which a single retention-rate number can't distinguish.
What data do I need?
A name per cohort (the row), and a value for each period since that cohort started (the columns) — leave later columns blank for cohorts too young to have reached that period yet.
Is this the same as a retention heatmap or retention curve?
"Cohort retention chart", "retention heatmap" and "cohort analysis chart" all describe this same grid. A retention curve is different — a single line per cohort instead of a shaded grid — and is better suited to comparing just one or two cohorts' shapes directly.
How many cohorts and periods can I show?
Up to 10 cohorts (rows) across up to 12 periods (columns) before the grid gets too dense to read comfortably.
Can I make it animated?
Yes. Charts animate by default, and you can export the animation as an MP4 or GIF, or grab a static PNG or SVG if you prefer.
Can I export as SVG?
Yes. Pro exports a crisp, scalable SVG vector, alongside MP4, GIF and PNG. Every export renders at 1080p.
Is Reochart free?
Yes. The free plan lets you make every chart type except the animated bar chart race, and export an animated MP4 with a small watermark, no card needed. Pro adds the bar chart race, removes the watermark, and adds GIF and SVG, your brand colours and logo, longer videos and CSV import.
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