Daily Active Users
What are daily active users?
Daily active users (DAU) is a metric used by product teams to measure engagement by counting the number of unique users who interact with a product within a 24-hour period. Teams often start with this simple count but commonly evolve to more sophisticated engagement metrics as they learn more about what drives customer success.
How do teams evolve their DAU measurement?
When teams first start measuring engagement, they typically begin with a straightforward DAU count. As they gain experience and insights, they refine this metric to better understand user behavior patterns.
A common evolution is to track the DAU/MAU ratio—daily active users divided by monthly active users. This ratio provides a clearer picture of engagement quality by showing what percentage of monthly users are actively using the product each day.
With more time and learning, teams often move beyond simple visit counts to define and track specific high-value activities that count as meaningful usage. As teams learn more about what makes customers successful, they develop better ways of measuring that success.
Why start with DAU if teams will evolve the metric?
DAU serves as an accessible starting point for teams new to outcome-based work. It's easy to measure and understand, which helps teams build momentum with outcomes before adding complexity. The key is recognizing that your first metric doesn't need to be perfect—it just needs to get you started on the path of measuring and learning.
Learn more:
- Shifting from Outputs to Outcomes: Why It Matters and How to Get Started
Related terms:
- Outcome
- Product Outcome
- Metrics
- Leading Indicators
Last Updated: October 25, 2025