What is ARPDAU?
ARPDAU (Average Revenue Per Daily Active User) measures the average revenue generated per user per day. It's the primary metric for tracking daily monetization performance and is essential for evaluating the health of your app's economy.
ARPDAU Formula
ARPDAU = Daily Revenue / Daily Active Users
Why ARPDAU Matters
ARPDAU is valuable because it:
- Normalizes revenue for DAU fluctuations
- Enables day-over-day monetization tracking
- Helps identify seasonality and trends
- Allows comparison across different app scales
- Directly impacts LTV projections
ARPDAU Benchmarks by Category
| App Category | Low | Average | Top Performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyper-Casual | $0.02 | $0.05 | $0.10+ |
| Casual Puzzle | $0.05 | $0.10 | $0.20+ |
| Midcore/Strategy | $0.10 | $0.25 | $0.50+ |
| Social Casino | $0.20 | $0.50 | $1.00+ |
| Subscription Apps | $0.05 | $0.15 | $0.30+ |
Components of ARPDAU
IAP ARPDAU
Revenue from in-app purchases divided by DAU. This is your premium monetization channel.
Ad ARPDAU
Revenue from advertising divided by DAU. For many apps, this is the larger component.
Blended ARPDAU
Total revenue (IAP + Ads + Subscriptions) divided by DAU. The most useful overall metric.
Key Insight: ARPDAU and DAU Trade-offs
Aggressive monetization can increase ARPDAU but decrease DAU through churn. Always track both metrics together. A 20% ARPDAU increase that causes 30% DAU decline is a net loss.
Improving ARPDAU
- Optimize ad placements: Better placement = higher eCPM
- Test IAP pricing: Price point optimization
- Segment users: Different strategies for whales vs. minnows
- Improve engagement: More sessions = more monetization opportunities
- Add monetization touchpoints: New ad formats, offers, bundles
ARPDAU vs. Other Metrics
- ARPDAU vs. ARPPU: ARPDAU includes non-payers; ARPPU is paying users only
- ARPDAU vs. LTV: ARPDAU is daily; LTV is cumulative lifetime
- ARPDAU vs. eCPM: ARPDAU is per user; eCPM is per impression