The ad campaign brought in thousands of downloads, and the first report looks encouraging. A month later you open the analytics dashboard and find that the people still using the app are a small fraction of those who installed it. Where did the rest go? Most of them opened it once or twice and then deleted it or forgot about it. The decision to leave usually happens in the first session or the first week, so that is where the fixing starts.
Why do users delete apps so quickly?
They didn't find what they installed the app for fast enough, or the app annoyed them before it helped them. These are the causes we see most often when we review apps:
- Forced sign-up with several fields before the user sees anything.
- Slow loading or crashes, especially on mid-range and older phones.
- A first screen that doesn't make clear what the user can do right now.
- Asking for every permission at once: location, notifications, camera and contacts.
- Lots of notifications that have nothing to do with the user.
- A large download that eats phone storage for an app that is rarely used.
What does the user see in the first minute?
A lot is decided in that first minute. Get the user to the app's value in as few steps as possible: let them browse products or available appointments before signing up, and have them register with a phone number and a verification code only when they need to. Most people skip long intro screens at the start, so replace them with a small hint in the right place. Ask for each permission at the moment the app needs it, as we explain in push notifications.
What is app retention rate and how do you measure it?
Retention rate is the share of users who come back to the app some time after installing it. You take the group of people who installed the app on a given day or week and count how many of them opened it again after one day, after seven days and after thirty days. These figures are usually called D1, D7 and D30.
Split users into groups (cohorts) by install date and compare the groups with each other. If you release an update that makes sign-up easier, the group that installed after the update should come back at a higher rate than the group before it. That comparison tells you whether the app has really improved.
Calculate retention separately for each install source too. Users who came from an ad with a tempting offer may install and leave faster than people who arrived through a friend's recommendation or from your branch, and that changes how you judge the campaign itself.
- InstallFrom the store or an ad
- First openDid they reach the home screen?
- Core actionFirst order, booking or real use
- Return in week oneDid they need the app a second time?
- Use after a monthThe app has become a habit
Is there a "good" app retention rate?
The rate differs widely between a delivery app used every week and a booking app used a few times a year, so don't judge your app against a general figure you read somewhere. Your own numbers are the better measure. Are new cohorts doing better than old ones? Do users come back as often as you would expect, given what your service is?
Which events should you track in your app?
Tools like Firebase Analytics record app opens and screens automatically, but the events specific to your business have to be defined while the app is being built:
- Completed sign-up, and where people who don't finish it stop.
- The first core action, such as a first order or first booking.
- The steps between opening a product and completing payment.
- Accepting or declining notifications.
- Crashes and screens that load slowly.
The store dashboards, App Store Connect and Google Play Console, show install and crash numbers, and Google Play also shows the number of uninstalls.
How do you bring back users who stopped using the app?
Find out why they stopped before you message them. If the cause was a bug or an annoying step in ordering, fix that first, or you'll be sending them straight back to the same problem. After that you can message people who haven't used the app for a set period: a push notification if they have notifications turned on, or an email or text message if they agreed to receive one.
Make the message specific, such as a new feature that solves what bothered them, or an offer on something they bought before. One good message is enough. Someone who doesn't come back after it won't be won over by a daily message, and daily messages may push them to delete the app for good.
What should you fix first?
Start with crashes and slowness, because they drive users away however good the idea is. Then look at the first session: how many steps to the first core action, and where people stop. After that, check whether notifications are causing people to turn them off or delete the app. Sometimes the numbers show that the app is, by its nature, used only once, and that a website would have been enough. We cover that question in app or responsive website.
We review app analytics and improve the user experience as part of our mobile app development service. Send us your install and usage numbers for the last three months, and we'll tell you where your users are most likely dropping off.
Questions our partners ask
What is a good retention rate for my app?
It varies a lot depending on the type of app and how often people need it. The more useful comparison is with your own numbers: are more people from this month's group of new users coming back than from last month's?
Can I see who uninstalled my app?
Usually you can't see specific people. The store dashboards show overall counts, and your app analytics show when each user stopped opening the app and which screen they last visited.
Does forced sign-up reduce usage?
It often drives some users away before they see what the app is worth. If you can, let people browse first and ask them to sign up at the first step that needs it, such as placing an order.
Written by the Visual Innovate team, the people who build, host and follow up systems, websites and apps for our clients in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt.
