What is DAU?
DAU (Daily Active Users) counts the number of unique users who engage with your app within a 24-hour period. It's the most common metric for measuring daily engagement and forms the basis for many other key metrics like ARPDAU and stickiness ratios.
DAU Definition
DAU = Unique Users Active in 24 Hours
Why DAU Matters
DAU is critical because it:
- Measures real daily engagement with your product
- Forms the denominator for ARPDAU calculations
- Indicates product-market fit and retention health
- Enables DAU/MAU stickiness analysis
- Drives monetization potential (more users = more revenue)
DAU/MAU Stickiness Benchmarks
| App Category | Poor | Average | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social/Messaging | <30% | 40-50% | 60%+ |
| Casual Games | <15% | 20-25% | 35%+ |
| Midcore Games | <10% | 15-20% | 30%+ |
| News/Media | <20% | 25-35% | 45%+ |
| Fitness/Health | <15% | 20-30% | 40%+ |
| E-commerce | <5% | 8-12% | 20%+ |
Defining "Active"
The definition of "active" varies by app type and should align with meaningful engagement:
Common Definitions
- App open: Basic but may overcount casual opens
- Session > X seconds: Filters accidental opens
- Core action completion: Most meaningful (e.g., game played, message sent)
- Content consumption: Article read, video watched
Best Practice: Consistent Definition
Pick one "active" definition and stick with it. Changing definitions makes trend analysis impossible. Document your definition and ensure everyone uses the same criteria.
DAU Growth Levers
- New user acquisition: Bring in more users through marketing
- Improve retention: Keep existing users coming back
- Reactivation: Win back lapsed users through re-engagement
- Increase session frequency: Give users reasons to open daily
- Push notifications: Remind users to return (carefully)
DAU vs. Related Metrics
- DAU vs. MAU: DAU is daily; MAU is monthly unique users
- DAU vs. WAU: WAU counts weekly active users
- DAU vs. Sessions: One user can have multiple sessions per day
- DAU vs. Installs: Installs measure acquisition; DAU measures engagement
Common DAU Mistakes
- Using inconsistent "active" definitions across teams
- Not accounting for timezone differences
- Counting bot or fraudulent traffic
- Focusing only on DAU without retention context
- Not segmenting DAU by user cohort