Market sizing & growth · Working
Penetration rate
Also called: adoption penetration
ELI5
The share of possible customers already using it.
Used in conversation
“The penetration rate differs sharply by age group.”
Definition
The percentage of a target population using or buying a product or category.
Here “Penetration rate” means: The percentage of a target population using or buying a product or category.
Pitch context
You will see “Penetration rate” in strategy decks, market analyses, business plans and planning workshops when the discussion reaches market sizing & growth.
Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret market sizing & growth without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.
Connected terms
- Market penetrationThe search label “penetration rate” can route to both entries.
Sources & evidence · 5
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Strategyzer — Business Model Canvas resourcesSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- Strategyzer — Value Proposition Canvas resourcesSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- LEANSTACK — Lean CanvasSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division — Herfindahl-Hirschman IndexSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Census Bureau — Business and economy dataSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16