MAU
Monthly Active Users
The count of unique users active in a product over a rolling 30-day period.
Definition
Monthly Active Users (MAU) measures the number of unique users who perform at least one meaningful action within your product during a 30-day window. It’s a key metric for measuring product growth and user engagement over time.
How MAU Is Calculated
MAU counts each unique user only once, regardless of how many times they visited during the month. What constitutes “active” varies by product:
- SaaS apps: Logged in and performed a meaningful action
- Mobile apps: Opened the app or completed an action
- Content sites: Viewed at least one page or piece of content
MAU vs DAU
| Metric | Time Period | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| MAU | 30 days | Growth tracking, investor reporting |
| DAU | 24 hours | Engagement intensity, habit formation |
The DAU/MAU ratio (also called “stickiness”) indicates how often monthly users return daily. A 50% ratio means users return every other day on average.
How Analytics Tools Track MAU
Different analytics platforms handle MAU tracking:
- Mixpanel - Built-in MAU/DAU metrics with segmentation
- Amplitude - User analytics with cohort-based MAU tracking
- PostHog - Open-source option with customizable active user definitions
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a good MAU growth rate?
B2B SaaS typically targets 5-7% month-over-month MAU growth. Consumer apps often need 15-20%+ to demonstrate viral potential. Growth rates vary significantly by industry and stage.
How does MAU affect pricing for analytics tools?
Many analytics platforms charge based on MAU or MTU (Monthly Tracked Users). Mixpanel and Amplitude use MTU-based pricing, while PostHog charges by events. Compare pricing models carefully as your MAU grows.
What’s the difference between MAU and MTU?
MAU typically refers to users who take action in your product. MTU (Monthly Tracked Users) is an analytics platform metric that counts users you’re tracking, which may include inactive users depending on your implementation.