How-To: Improve Mobile App Retention & Keep Users Active

Why aren’t your users making it past Day 1? As marketers driving app retention and growth, we’re all too familiar with the friction that leads to churn. 

With mobile app retention rates hovering at just 2.1% on Android and 3.7% on iOS after 30 days, the reality is clear: app loyalty does not happen organically. 

While the retention statistics vary based on the app vertical, the question remains; 

How do you keep users coming back to your app?

It’s time to rethink the approach. Effective user retention strategies can increase customer lifetime value, reduce churn, and increase brand loyalty, ultimately leading to greater revenue.

In this article, we dive into proven mobile app retention strategies that can turn one-time users into frequently visiting, active participants. But first, let’s quickly glance over the basics.  

What is Mobile App Retention? 

Mobile app retention is the percentage of users who continue using an app over a certain timeframe, post-install. This retention metric is typically measured at 1 day, 7 days, and 30 days after users first install the app. 

How to measure mobile app retention?

User retention rate is the number of users who open an app on a specific day (Day X), divided by the users who installed the app at the beginning (Day 0), and multiplied by 100. 

The formula to calculate your user retention rate:

Retention Rate % =

(Active Users on Day X / Active Users at the beginning of Day 0) x 100 

Before you can calculate this metric, set the period. Based on your app’s vertical, there can be other critical days in the user journey.

Track days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 30, 90 days with Day 1 being one day post-install, the day after the app was opened for the first time. Set a benchmark good app retention rate based on your app category, device, and other factors. 

Why Users Drop Off? 

You need to identify where users drop off – and why? Let’s examine common causes of user drop-off.

Unoptimized User Experience

Poor user experience (UX) can quickly make users abandon a product or service. Confusing interfaces, slow load times, and a lack of personalization can all lead to user churn. 

Does your app have ultra-fast loading times, a clean interface with minimal disruptions? 

Examine your app’s user experience and check for possible disrupters.

• Pop-ups at the wrong moments
• Pushy CTA’s  
• Confusing navigation
• Excessive permission forms
• Faulty design
• Complex user interface / cluttered layouts
• Inaccessibility for users with disabilities 
• Lengthy sign-ups or payment processes.

Blocking Progress with Paywalls

If you use in-app currency, users may drop off if they’re blocked from making meaningful progress without spending real money. 

Imagine hitting a wall in a game, needing a key item or upgrade to continue the story / move to the next level. If earning the in-app currency with regular gameplay is too slow, difficult, or feels unfair, users may abandon the ship. 

The lack of progress and the perceived paywall lead to disengagement and churn. 

Rewarded advertising lets users stick around longer and offers incremental rewards. The user-initiated ad units allow users to earn in-app bonuses in exchange for engaging with apps they’re interested in.

App loyalty programs that reward users based on purchases/ transactions can be limiting. With rewarded advertising, users can earn points for free by engaging with ads. Solutions like adjoe Arcade also help in building engaging loyalty programs that boost mobile app retention.

Disruptive or Irrelevant Ads

If you are going the route of in-app advertising, it is essential to pick the right ad formats to avoid churn. Poorly designed ads that are intrusive, irrelevant, or frustrating can cause users to abandon the app, leading to a decline in engagement and retention. 

Forceful redirects, cloaked ads, or fake downloads can also damage the app’s reputation and lead to a decrease in user satisfaction.    

Mobile App User Retention Strategies

1. Make Onboarding Frictionless  

Based on recent Appsflyer reports, over one in two installed apps are uninstalled within 30 days of download. The data also reveals that most uninstalls occur on the first day. 

Why is that? 

User tolerance is low for apps that fail to meet expectations or provide value in a product or service. It is essential to create a smooth onboarding process that creates an immediate connection and delivers on the promise. 

Identify drop-off points on Day 1 and encourage continued in-app engagement. Ask yourself: 

• Is it easy for new users to get to the core value or app features?
• Is the UX and interface seamless and engaging?
• Are you using descriptive app store pages to educate users? 
• Does your app offer satisfying recursive core loops? 
• Does the app provide value for the user’s download intent?

For iOS devices, strategically share in the pre-permission prompt how users benefit from opting in. 

Strategies like gradual registration and a value-driven approach can enhance onboarding. Duolingo does this well, designed to be engaging and intuitive, the language learning app prioritizes value delivery before requiring users to commit.  

Users begin by choosing the language they want to learn and their daily learning commitment.

Duolingo provides access to core features and a placement test to assess the user’s level in the target language. It enables users to experience the learning process, and customers feel a sense of accomplishment.

Account creation is postponed until after users have engaged with the app’s features and are invested. This deferred registration approach ensures that users quickly understand the app’s value. 

2. Reward Time Spent & App Events, Not Just Taps

User retention is rarely driven by one-off actions. What keeps existing users coming back is consistency, progress, and perceived value over time. 

Research shows rewards impact habit formation, reinforcing a user behavior and increasing the likelihood that it will be repeated. That’s why apps like Nike, Amazon, and Starbucks use rewards that improve loyalty and retention.

There’s a shift from the old model of one-off rewards to experiences that feel earned and deeply embedded in the app experience. Time spent, a goal achieved, a routine completed; these are the moments that create habits and long-term retention. 

Rewarding meaningful actions doesn’t have to mean increasing costs to pay users. With solutions like Arcade, you can offer time and event-based ad units that provide users with real value for their engagement.

The result? A reward system that keeps users coming back for the right reasons. And offering longer session lengths and higher LTV. By integrating Arcade, Fetch achieved a 10% boost in CLTV and a 5% MoM increase in open app rates. 

3. Personalize User Experiences

Personalization makes the user experience feel unique to each user. It offers a sense of individual understanding and value. Like being greeted with “Welcome back, Alex” instead of a generic “Hello there.”   

Assuming you’ve successfully complied with data privacy regulations, take advantage of user data such as:

• Demographics: age, gender, location. 
• When they use your app
• In-app activity 
• Purchase history 
• App user preferences (likes, dislikes, interests)

Segment your users into cohorts with specific attributes, like time spent in the app, geo, and specific behaviors. 

What about in-app advertising?

Personalization extends to external in-app elements like advertising. One in three users noted they prefer the in-app ads to be personalized to their interests.  User-initiated formats tend to bring in higher user engagement.

That’s why engaging ad formats like Playtime align with each user’s preferences, enhancing ad experience and loyalty. 

Arcade leverages user data to fill their game selections with titles that they’re most likely to enjoy and engage with.

4. Pulse Check Users 

Key retention metrics for app owners include retention rate, churn rate, customer lifetime value (CLTV), and session length. These metrics help understand user engagement, identify potential issues, and inform strategies for improving app retention. We’ve already covered retention rate; let’s look at the rest. 

Churn Rate: The churn rate and retention are inversely proportional; churn rate shows the users who abandoned your app, and retention is how many stick around over a timeframe. 

Daily and Monthly Active Users (MAU/DAU): These tell you how many unique people are using your app each month or each day. While not directly about retention of the same users, a healthy trend here suggests your app is generally engaging to retain users.

Lifetime Value (LTV): It’s how much money a typical user will spend in your app before they leave. Keeping users happy for longer means higher LTV.

90-Day active users: Apps like QSR and Delivery categories also use the 90-day active user metric to analyze retention. It tracks the number of distinct users who have interacted with an app within a 90-day timeframe.

Gain valuable insights into your user retention performance and identify areas for improvement. It’s like having a health monitor for your app’s user base.

You can also gather user feedback. Use interactive surveys for users to submit feedback about why they’re using your app, what they enjoy, and what they want to see improved.  

5. Boost Stickiness with In-App Messages

In-app messages appear when users are active within the app. It helps app publishers onboard users, guide them through app features, and promote new offers. These messages offer contextual, targeted communication, including pop-ups, banners, and notifications.

Highlighting your stickiest features and providing personalized content, in-app messages encourage users to explore the app further while collecting valuable behavioral data to improve engagement and retention. 

In-app messaging doesn’t rely on third-party platforms, and messages can be triggered for specific user segmentation based on activity or preferences.

6. Set Up Push Notifications

Unlike in-app notifications, which appear during app usage, push notifications are triggered outside the app and aim to re-engage and bring users back to your app. 

Push notifications are powerful when personalized based on user behavior, timing, and context. Whereas generic or annoying nudges could be the fastest route to an uninstall.

How to trigger push notifications that increase retention? 

Cohorts: Customise notifications based on user segments, interests, and demographics to increase relevance.

Emotional Hooks: Use messaging that connects with users’ moods or needs, like “Take a break?” for wellness apps or “Continue watching?” for streaming apps.

Optimize Timing: Analyze user activity to avoid sending late-night notifications.

Immediate Value: Messages like “20% off ends soon” create urgency and encourage action.

Deep Linking: Direct users to specific app screens for smoother navigation and better engagement.

Apps that send personalized push notifications see up to a 55% higher retention rate compared to those that don’t. The Day 1 app engagement increases by 88% when push notifications are enabled, a critical window where most user drop-off occurs.

In-app messaging and push notifications are not a ‘set it and forget it’ strategy. Continuously A/B test, measure, and optimize to align with key goals like engagement and LTV.

7. Gamified Retention Loops 

People are naturally drawn to activities that provide clear goals, instant feedback, and a sense of achievement. Games thrive on this – offering fun activities, rewards, and instant wins. 

Gamification brings game-like mechanics into non-game contexts, like mobile apps, to enhance user engagement. It adds elements such as points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges.

Examples include Duolingo’s learning streaks, Headspace meditation exercises, or Starbucks’ reward levels. 

By tapping into intrinsic human motivators, gamified elements stimulate the brain’s reward systems. The result? A positive feedback loop, encouraging users to keep engaging with the app.

• Longer active user sessions: Users stay engaged longer, exploring more content, especially when engagement leads to tangible rewards.

• Higher retention: Small, meaningful rewards, like unlocking perks or leveling up, motivate users to return daily, boosting higher engagement and stronger loyalty.

• Increased motivation to complete actions: Tasks like ‘collect 5 stamps’ or ‘unlock a hidden deal’ add structure to the user journey, driving important metrics.  

8. App Store Optimization

App Store Optimization (ASO) is a process of enhancing an app’s visibility within app stores to increase organic downloads. 

ASO isn’t just for initial downloads, it supports app recognition, recurring installs, and retention. 

Well-executed ASO ensures your app remains discoverable for users who may uninstall and later return. It also helps reinforce expectations, making users more likely to return because of what they see in the app store, such as frequent updates or glowing positive reviews.

Localization: Design your app store listing to include metadata, screenshots, and descriptions for different languages and regions. It helps in understanding and appeal, leading to better engagement and retention within those specific markets.   

App-store algorithm changes: Use ASO tools to track and adapt to updates in Google Play and Apple’s ranking algorithms to maintain visibility.

App-store ratings: Don’t overlook the power of ratings and reviews. Aim for a 4.4+ rating, as this impacts install conversion and store rankings.

9. Keep It Fresh – With New Features and Content 

In 2025, 36% of apps on the Google Play Store are updated every week, while 73% of mobile apps are updated every month.

Stale apps lose users. Regularly introducing new content injects a sense of excitement and re-engagement. It doesn’t necessarily mean a complete overhaul of features every month.

Try introducing genuinely useful and well-integrated features. It should address user needs, solve new problems, or enhance existing workflows. For content-driven apps (news, entertainment, education), regular updates are essential. 

Whether it’s a weekly game, bonus point drops, or exclusive rewards, fresh updates signal that the app is active and rewarding to engage with. 

An evolving app feels alive and engaging. Users are more likely to spend more time within the app and explore new additions, deepening their connection.

10. Conduct A/B Testing for Data-Led Experiments

Retention isn’t guesswork. Test variations of onboarding flows, reward timings, or content themes to understand what truly keeps users engaged. A/B testing or split testing helps identify which experiences drive repeat customer visits and refine them for maximum impact.

If your app offers rewards (in-app currency, discounts), experiment with when and how these rewards are offered.

Creative Tip: Visualize A/B test results in dashboards or use heatmaps to track user behavior across different content experiences. adjoe enables experimenting with rewarded ad units and offers publishers intuitive dashboards to test and track metrics.

adjoe Arcade: A Playful Way Users Re-Open Your App

Now that we have examined different app user retention strategies, it’s time to reignite user engagement. 

With adjoe Arcade, you can retain your users where their passion lies, changing idle moments into opportunities for playful re-engagement. Take Atlas Reality, where 60% of MAUs actively engage with Arcade, resulting in a 25% increase in ARPDAU.

Integrate a rewarding Arcade experience within your app, you not only enable users to return but also gain a significant share of the booming global gaming market, turning dormant users into active, revenue-generating players. 

Ready to get started? Discover Arcade for your custom app loyalty solution.