Chapter 3 · Retention Dynamics
Subscribers don't churn — they fade.
Engagement drops months before cancellation, yet most teams only measure the exit event.
Subscriber engagement gap, Jan–Dec 2024
Total subscribers grew from 42K to 58K while active readers peaked at 41K in April then declined to 24K by December, revealing a widening engagement gap.
10K
20K
30K
40K
50K
60K
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2024
Peak: 41K active
58K
24K
34K gap
Total subscribers
Active readers