What is a Retention Curve?

A Retention Curve is a visual representation of how many users from a specific cohort continue to use your app over time — typically measured by day, week, or month.

It shows the percentage of users who return on Day 1, Day 7, Day 30, etc., after their initial install or signup.

For example, if 1,000 users installed your app on Day 0 and only 300 come back on Day 1, your Day-1 retention is 30%. Plotting these numbers over time creates the retention curve.

How does it work?

Retention Curves are built using cohort analysis — grouping users by their start date and tracking their activity over time.

A basic retention curve will look like:

• Day 0: 100% (everyone in the cohort)
  
  

• Day 1: 35%
  
  

• Day 7: 20%
  
  

• Day 30: 10%
  
  

A healthy curve typically flattens after a few days, showing that a segment of users continues to find value in the product.

Some tools also show rolling retention (user returns at any point after Day X) or return rate per interval.

Why it matters

The shape of the retention curve reveals how well your app is delivering ongoing value.

• A steep drop indicates poor onboarding or weak habit formation
  
  

• A flat tail suggests a loyal user base
  
  

• Comparing curves across cohorts helps you evaluate experiments (e.g., new onboarding, pricing, or features)
  
  

It’s a powerful way to measure product stickiness, forecast LTV, and guide product iteration — especially in early-stage or subscription-driven apps.

What is a Retention Curve?

A Retention Curve is a visual representation of how many users from a specific cohort continue to use your app over time — typically measured by day, week, or month.

It shows the percentage of users who return on Day 1, Day 7, Day 30, etc., after their initial install or signup.

For example, if 1,000 users installed your app on Day 0 and only 300 come back on Day 1, your Day-1 retention is 30%. Plotting these numbers over time creates the retention curve.

How does it work?

Retention Curves are built using cohort analysis — grouping users by their start date and tracking their activity over time.

A basic retention curve will look like:

• Day 0: 100% (everyone in the cohort)
  
  

• Day 1: 35%
  
  

• Day 7: 20%
  
  

• Day 30: 10%

A healthy curve typically flattens after a few days, showing that a segment of users continues to find value in the product.

Some tools also show rolling retention (user returns at any point after Day X) or return rate per interval.

Why it matters

The shape of the retention curve reveals how well your app is delivering ongoing value.

• A steep drop indicates poor onboarding or weak habit formation
  
  

• A flat tail suggests a loyal user base
  
  

• Comparing curves across cohorts helps you evaluate experiments (e.g., new onboarding, pricing, or features)

It’s a powerful way to measure product stickiness, forecast LTV, and guide product iteration, especially in early-stage or subscription-driven apps.