Cohort analysis groups users by a shared characteristic — usually their install date — and tracks their behavior over time. It is one of the most powerful tools for understanding how well your app retains users and how different acquisition channels affect long-term engagement.
What is a Cohort?
A cohort is a group of users who share a common characteristic at a specific point in time. In mobile apps, the most common cohort is the install cohort — all users who installed your app in the same week or month.
Retention Cohort Grid
A retention cohort grid shows what percentage of each cohort returned to the app on each subsequent day. A typical grid looks like this:
| Cohort | D0 | D1 | D7 | D14 | D30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 100% | 42% | 25% | 18% | 12% |
| Feb 2026 | 100% | 45% | 28% | 20% | 14% |
| Mar 2026 | 100% | 38% | 22% | 15% | 10% |
What to Look For
- Improving retention — Later cohorts should show higher D7/D30 retention as you improve onboarding
- Campaign quality — Compare retention of users from Google Ads vs Meta vs organic to find the highest-quality channel
- Seasonal patterns — Holiday cohorts may have different long-term retention
- LTV by cohort — Compare revenue per user across cohorts to find the most valuable acquisition periods
AppMeasurely includes cohort analysis with D1/D7/D30 retention grids, LTV by cohort and campaign comparison. Get started free →