The ROI of OKRs: 2026 Benchmark Report
Findings from 330 tech organizations. Median return: 1:25. Why infrastructure matters more than the framework.
12 min read
Author · Steven Macdonald
Steven Macdonald
Founder of OKRs Tool. I write about OKRs, B2B SaaS, and what actually works for senior operators trying to make goals stick at growing companies. Original research, not recycled best-practices posts.
14,000 operators read this blog every month
Tested 25+ OKR tools before building this one
350+ teams in 26 countries running OKRs Tool
About me
An operator who writes, not a writer who operates.
I've spent years running OKRs inside growing companies — the messy reality of trying to make goals stick when teams scale, priorities compete, and Friday updates start slipping. Most of what I write is what I wish I'd read at the time: practical, opinionated, and from inside the work — not above it.
Before building OKRs Tool, I tested every OKR platform on the market. Enterprise tools (Lattice, Quantive, Betterworks) were optimized for HR roll-ups. Lightweight tools (Tability, Weekdone, Perdoo) were either too thin to scale or charged per user in ways that punished growth. Nobody was building for the operator running OKRs inside a 50–200 person company. So I built one — now used by 350+ teams in 26 countries.
Now I write here. About OKRs that actually stick, B2B SaaS positioning, and the unglamorous parts of running a small software company. I also publish original research — six reports built from independent surveys and real platform data, not recycled industry studies. If you want OKR theory, read Doerr. If you want execution, you might find what you need here.
Original research
Six reports. Free to read, free to cite.
Most "OKR research" is recycled industry surveys. These reports are built from two sources we never blend: independent surveys recruited outside our customer base, and first-party behavioral data from real OKR cycles.
The OKR research hub
All six reports in one place — the AI trust gap, the goal-gaming data, the weekly check-in effect, the alignment gap, and the ROI case. No email gate, no PDF wall. Use the numbers in your board deck or your next article; a backlink is the only ask.
Explore the research hub6
Published research reports
750+
Orgs · independent surveys
876
Orgs · first-party platform data
20,952
Key Results tracked
Latest writing
Recent posts on OKRs, SaaS, and the operator's playbook.
How to Implement OKRs After Reading Measure What Matters
The book teaches the framework. This post shows the execution. Six things Doerr left out for senior operators rolling OKRs out for the first time.
8 min read
How to Switch OKR Tools Without Losing Your Data
A migration playbook for teams leaving Quantive, Lattice, or spreadsheets. The 4 things you have to get right before signing up for anything new.
10 min read
How to Track OKRs in Excel or Google Sheets
A free template, plus an honest take on when spreadsheets stop working. (Hint: somewhere between 20 and 30 people.)
7 min read
How to Roll Out OKRs as a New Leader
You just joined. The team has tried OKRs before and it didn't stick. Here's the 90-day playbook that works without burning political capital.
9 min read
Tracking OKRs in Notion: What Works and What Breaks
I rebuilt our OKR setup in Notion to test it. Here's what's good (visibility), what's bad (no nudges), and when you should stop.
6 min read
By the numbers
Writing in public, building in public.
Where things stand at the start of Q2 2026.
14,000+
Monthly readers — operators at growing companies
350+
Teams running OKRs in OKRs Tool
26
Countries on 6 continents using the platform
4.6/5
G2 rating from real customer reviews
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