Tools define some of these slightly differently, so check how yours counts them.
- Install: the app was downloaded and installed.
- Activation: a new user reaches the first moment of value, such as finishing onboarding. You choose what counts.
- Retention: the share of users who come back after a given time, for example day 1 or day 7.
- DAU / MAU: daily and monthly active users: distinct users who were active that day or month.
- Stickiness: DAU divided by MAU, a rough sign of how often users return.
- Session: one continuous period of using the app.
- Churn: users who stop using the app or cancel.
- Funnel: the steps toward a goal, with drop-off measured at each step.
- Cohort: a group of users who started in the same period, compared over time.
- Crash-free sessions / users: the share of sessions or users without a crash.
- ANR: "application not responding" on Android, when the app freezes.
- Event: a recorded action, such as "tapped Buy".
Example: 100 users install on Monday; 30 are active again on Tuesday. Day-1 retention for that cohort is 30% (made-up numbers).
Related
- Retention in the first seven days
- ASO metrics explained
- Back to the app testing glossary; see also Google Play testing terms and TestFlight terms.
Find why users leave: Start free.