An app activation rate is the percentage of new users who complete desired steps in the app onboarding process, which improve the chance of long-term retention.
These steps differ between apps based on which actions are valuable to the app. For shopping apps this could be adding an item to cart; for travel companies it may be making the first booking.
In some cases, there are multiple levels of activation, from signing-up or adding a credit card to purchasing a subscription or making a second purchase.
User-friendly interfaces are critical to improving activation rates, by engaging users and prompting them to take action.
In 2022, the global app market had an activation rate of 8.3 percent, with the highest percentages among finance and news apps.
We have collected data and statistics on the return on app activation rates. Read on below to find out more.
Key App Activation Statistics
- In 2022, the global app activation rate was 8.3%
- Finance apps have the highest percentage activation rate at 14%, while Travel & Local has the lowest at 4%
Global App Activation Rate
There was a global app activation rate of 8.3% in the fourth quarter of 2022, in line with the previous quarter.
Quarterly global app activation rate 2021 to 2022 (%)
| Quarter | Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Q4 2021 | 8.3 |
| Q1 2022 | 8.5 |
| Q2 2022 | 8.2 |
| Q3 2022 | 8.3 |
| Q4 2022 | 8.3 |
Source: Airship
App Activation by Category
Finance apps had the highest percentage activation rate by 30 days at 14%, while travel and local apps have the lowest at 4%. News and magazines, sports and health and fitness all achieved rates of 10% or higher.
