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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryMobile & App MarketingDay-N Retention (D1 / D7 / D30)

Mobile & App Marketing

Day-N Retention (D1 / D7 / D30)

The percentage of users from an install cohort who return to the app on day 1, 7, or 30 after installing.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Day-N retention is the percentage of users from an install cohort who return to an app on a specific day after installing, most commonly day 1, day 7, and day 30. It shows how well an app keeps new users over time. Marketers use it to compare acquisition channels and predict lifetime value.