Monthly Active Users (MAU)

What Are Monthly Active Users?

Monthly Active Users (MAU) counts the unique users who open an app at least once during a 30-day period. Like Daily Active Users (DAU), each person is counted only once regardless of how many sessions they log within the month. MAU provides a broader view of an app’s user base than daily metrics and is commonly used to assess overall reach and market penetration.

MAU and App Store Performance

MAU is a critical metric for understanding an app’s long-term growth trajectory. App store algorithms factor in the size and activity of an app’s user base when determining rankings and recommendations. A growing MAU indicates that the app acquires new users while retaining existing ones. When combined with DAU, the stickiness ratio (DAU divided by MAU) reveals how habitually people engage with the app each day.

Using MAU for Strategic Decisions

Product and marketing teams rely on MAU to evaluate the effectiveness of acquisition campaigns and retention strategies. Tracking MAU alongside revenue metrics helps calculate Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and Lifetime Value (LTV). Significant changes in MAU often prompt deeper investigation into acquisition channels, onboarding flows, or competitive dynamics. Segmenting by cohort or acquisition source lets teams identify which channels deliver the most engaged long-term users.