DAU/MAU, an acronym for Daily Active Users over Monthly Active Users, measures the engagement and stickiness of user in a product by showing what percent of Monthly Active Users are active on any given day of the month. For example, if there are 100 active users today, and there have been a total of 1000 active users in the last 30 days, then your DAU/MAU ratio is 10%.
A high DAU/MAU ratio suggests that users are returning to the app or platform frequently, indicating strong user engagement and a potentially loyal user base. It's particularly valuable in assessing the effectiveness of growth strategies, user experience, and the addictive quality of a product.
It's important to choose the right time-frame cadence for your product. DAU/MAU is only important if you expect your users to use your product daily, like social media or a habit tracking app. If the natural frequency of use is expected to be once a week, then it's better to track WAU/MAU (Weekly Active Users/Monthly Active Users) instead. Some products that expect even less frequency of use, like hotel booking websites, will calculate at even longer spans, such as QAU/YAU (Quarterly Active Users/Yearly Active Users).
DAU/MAU = Daily Active Users (last 30days) / Monthly Active Users (last 30 days)
The DAU/MAU ratio is calculated by dividing the number of Daily Active Users (DAU) by the number of Monthly Active Users (MAU). DAU refers to the unique users who engage with the app on a given day, while MAU counts the unique users over a 30-day period. The ratio is expressed as a percentage. For instance, a DAU/MAU ratio of 50% means that, on average, 50% of monthly users are active on any given day.
Is a high DAU/MAU ratio always desirable?
Generally, a higher ratio is viewed positively as it indicates consistent user engagement. However, it's crucial to understand the context and the nature of the product. Some apps, by design, might not require daily use but still have a healthy, engaged user base.
How does DAU/MAU differ from other engagement metrics?
Unlike metrics that may focus solely on user acquisition or specific in-app actions, DAU/MAU provides a broader view of active engagement over time. It's a more holistic metric for understanding how often users return to the app.
Can DAU/MAU be applied to any digital product?
While DAU/MAU is widely applicable, it's most relevant for products where repeated usage is expected. It might not be as meaningful for products that are naturally used less frequently.
