TL;DR
Baremetrics and RetentionLens are both Stripe-native subscription analytics tools that give you MRR, ARR, churn rate and cohort retention out of the box. The core difference: RetentionLens adds predictive churn (survival analysis / Cox model) and customer health scoring on top of descriptive metrics, and offers a free Starter tier, whereas Baremetrics is a mature, polished dashboard focused on descriptive reporting and dunning recovery.
Baremetrics is one of the best-known Stripe analytics dashboards. It is mature, well-designed, and gives you a broad set of subscription metrics with very little setup. If all you need is a clean read on MRR, churn and growth, it does that well.
RetentionLens covers the same descriptive metrics, then goes one step further: it models which customers are likely to churn next using survival analysis, and surfaces that as health scores you can act on. It is built Stripe-first, with optional enrichment from CRM and support tools later.
RetentionLens vs Baremetrics: side by side
| Capability | RetentionLens | Baremetrics |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe-native setup | Yes — connect and backfill | Yes — connect and backfill |
| MRR, ARR, ARPA | Yes | Yes |
| Churn rate (revenue & customer) | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort retention | Yes | Yes |
| NRR / GRR | Yes | Yes |
| Predictive churn (survival analysis / Cox) | Yes | No — descriptive only |
| Customer health scoring | Yes | No |
| Dunning / failed-payment recovery | On roadmap | Yes (Recover) |
| Free tier | Yes (Starter, $0) | Trial only |
| Pricing model | MRR-based, scales with you | MRR-based |
When Baremetrics is the better pick
- You want failed-payment recovery (dunning) built in today.
- You value a long track record and a large existing user base.
- You only need descriptive reporting and want the most polished dashboard.
When RetentionLens is the better pick
- You want to know which customers will churn next, not just your past churn rate.
- You want a free tier to start before you commit budget.
- You want predictive churn and health scores without standing up a data team.
Frequently asked questions
Is RetentionLens a Baremetrics alternative?
Yes. Both connect to Stripe and report MRR, ARR, churn and cohorts. RetentionLens adds predictive churn modelling (survival analysis) and customer health scoring, and has a free Starter tier, which makes it a strong alternative for teams that want forward-looking churn signals rather than only historical reporting.
Does RetentionLens do dunning like Baremetrics Recover?
Not yet — automated failed-payment recovery is on the RetentionLens roadmap. If recovering failed payments is your primary need today, Baremetrics Recover is the more complete option. If your priority is predicting and preventing voluntary churn, RetentionLens is built for that.
Can I try RetentionLens for free?
Yes. RetentionLens has a free Starter tier, so you can connect Stripe and see your first retention insights before paying. Baremetrics is trial-based rather than offering a permanent free tier.
How long does setup take?
Both tools are Stripe-native, so setup is connect-and-backfill. With RetentionLens most teams get their first charts within minutes of connecting Stripe; predictive models need enough history (roughly 100+ customers and a number of churn events) before they activate.
Other comparisons
See your own numbers in minutes
Connect Stripe and RetentionLens builds your MRR, churn, cohorts and churn-risk scores automatically. Start on the free tier.
Competitor capabilities and pricing change over time; verify current details on their site. Comparison last reviewed 2026-05-30.