10 Mobile A/B Testing Metrics to Track in 2024

Want to boost your app's performance? Here are the top 10 mobile A/B testing metrics you need to watch:

Conversion rate
Retention rate
Session length
Daily and Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU)
Click-through rate (CTR)
App store conversion rate
Average revenue per user (ARPU)
User lifetime value (LTV)
Churn rate
Onboarding completion rate

Why these matter:

They show if users like your app
Help you make smart changes
Boost user happiness and your bottom line

Quick Comparison:

Metric	What It Measures	Why It's Important
Conversion rate	Users taking desired actions	Shows if your app is effective
Retention rate	Users sticking around	Indicates long-term success
Session length	Time spent in app	Measures engagement
DAU/MAU	Daily/monthly users	Tracks overall usage
CTR	Element interactions	Reveals what users find interesting
App store conversion	Downloads from store views	Helps optimize store listing
ARPU	Money made per user	Gauges monetization success
LTV	Total user value over time	Helps with user acquisition decisions
Churn rate	Users quitting the app	Identifies retention issues
Onboarding completion	New users finishing setup	Shows if your intro process works

Remember: A/B testing isn't a one-time thing. Keep testing, learning, and improving to stay ahead in the app game.

What is mobile A/B testing?

Mobile A/B testing is like running a mini-experiment on your app. You show two different versions to users and see which one performs better.

Definition and goals of mobile A/B testing

Here's how it works:

Group A uses one version of the app
Group B uses a slightly different version

Why do it? To:

Get more users engaged
Keep users coming back
Boost conversions
Make smarter choices based on data

Picture this: A food delivery app tests free lunch delivery to see if it boosts daily orders.

How mobile A/B testing differs from web testing

Mobile and web A/B testing are cousins, but they're not twins:

Mobile A/B Testing	Web A/B Testing
Server-side testing	Often client-side
Can run complex tests	Limited by browsers
Needs app updates	Easier to change things
Tests in-app stuff	Focuses on website parts

Mobile testing lets you get super specific. You can target users based on their phone, where they are, or even how they use your app.

"Without A/B testing you'll be shipping changes blindly, which can be dangerous." - Lucia van den Brink, Founder of Increase-Conversion-Rate.com and Women-in-Experimentation.com

Want to try mobile A/B testing? Here's a quick start guide:

Choose one clear goal (like getting more sign-ups)
Make two versions of a feature
Show each version to different users at random
Watch how users interact with each version
Check the results to see which version won

Why metrics matter in mobile A/B testing

Mobile A/B testing without good metrics? It's like driving with your eyes closed. Let's dive into why metrics are crucial and how to pick the right ones.

How metrics help improve mobile apps

Metrics turn user actions into useful numbers. Here's why they're a big deal:

Catch problems early: High crash rates? You'll know fast.
Make smarter choices: See which changes actually work.
Keep users happy: Track retention to see if people stick around.
Boost your bottom line: More engaged users often mean more money.

Picking the right metrics for your tests

Not all metrics are created equal. Here's how to choose wisely:

Match metrics to goals: Want more sign-ups? Track conversion rate.
Use primary and secondary metrics: One main metric, a few backups.
Follow the user journey: Find where users get stuck.
Keep it simple: Start small, add more later.

Quick guide for choosing metrics:

Goal	Key Metrics
More users	App store conversion, Daily active users
Longer retention	Retention rate, Session length
Higher revenue	ARPU, User lifetime value
Better app quality	Crash rate, Onboarding completion

Remember: Good metrics guide smart decisions. Choose carefully and watch your app improve.

10 key mobile A/B testing metrics for 2024

Let's look at the numbers that really count for mobile A/B testing. These metrics will guide your app decisions.

1. Conversion rate

This is the big one. It shows how many users do what you want, like signing up or buying.

Conversion rate = (Users who took action / Total users) x 100

Try testing different buttons or signup processes to bump this up.

2. Retention rate

Keeping users is crucial. Retention rate shows who sticks around.

Retention rate = (Monthly active users / Monthly installs) x 100

Higher retention often means happier users and more revenue.

3. Session length

How long do users spend in your app each time?

Average Session Length = Total session duration / Number of sessions

In Q1 2022, the average session was 19.1 minutes. How does your app stack up?

4. Daily and Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU)

These show how many people use your app daily or monthly. They're key for engagement.

Set clear DAU and MAU goals based on your app and industry.

5. Click-through rate (CTR)

CTR shows how often users click on specific app elements.

CTR = (Number of clicks / Number of impressions) x 100

Use this to see what grabs user attention.

6. App store conversion rate

This shows how many people download after seeing your app in the store.

To boost it, test:

Different app icons
Various screenshots
Tweaked app descriptions

7. Average revenue per user (ARPU)

ARPU tells you how much each user brings in.

ARPU = Total revenue / Number of users

Test different pricing models to increase this.

8. User lifetime value (LTV)

LTV estimates a user's total spend over time.

LTV = ARPU x Average user lifespan

Test features to boost LTV.

9. Churn rate

Churn rate shows how many users quit your app.

Churn rate = (Users lost / Users at start of period) x 100

Test retention strategies to keep this low.

10. Onboarding completion rate

This measures new users finishing your app's setup.

Onboarding completion rate = (Users who finished onboarding / Users who started) x 100

Test different onboarding flows to keep new users engaged.

These metrics work together. A change in one might affect others. Always look at the whole picture when A/B testing.

How to do mobile A/B testing

Mobile A/B testing is key for app developers to make smart choices. Here's how to do it right:

Set up your test

1. Pick a goal

Choose something you can measure. Like: "Boost sign-ups by 20% in a month."

2. Make a guess

Write it down: "If we do X, Y will happen, because Z."

For example: "If we put the 'Sign Up' button on the home screen, sign-ups will jump 30% because it's easier to spot."

3. Choose what to test

Pick ONE thing to change. Maybe it's:

A button's color
Some words
How the app looks
A new feature

4. Split your users

Divide them based on things like:

Who they are
What phone they use
How they use your app

5. Get it running

Use an A/B testing tool to:

Set it up
Decide how long to run it (at least a week)
Split your traffic

6. Watch and learn

Keep an eye on your numbers. When it's done, dig into what happened.

7. Make it better

Use what you learned to improve your app. Keep watching to see if it worked.

Don't make these mistakes

Oops	Fix
Testing too much at once	Change one thing only
Not enough users	Use a calculator to figure out how many you need
Stopping too soon	Run for at least a week, maybe two
Forgetting outside stuff	Think about holidays, ads, etc. that might change things
No clear guess	Always start with a solid idea of what might happen

Tools you can use

Here are some good ones:

Firebase: Google's tool with A/B testing built-in
Optimizely: For fancy tests and personalization
VWO: Good for visual changes and targeting
Apptimize: Made for mobile and TV apps
SiteSpect: Test without changing your app code

When picking a tool, look for:

Easy to use with your other tools
Shows results fast
Fits what your app needs

Understanding A/B test results

A/B testing helps improve your mobile app. But what do all those numbers mean? Let's break it down.

Statistical significance in mobile A/B testing

Statistical significance is like a trust score for your data. It tells you if your results are real or just luck.

Here's what matters:

P-value under 0.05? Your results probably aren't random.
Bigger samples = more trustworthy results.
Don't rush. Run your test for at least a week, maybe two.

Using test data to improve your app

Got results? Great! Now use them:

1. Look at the whole picture

Don't fixate on one number. See how the change affected your entire app.

2. Go deeper

Split results by user groups. What works for some might not work for others.

3. Plan your next test

Use what you learned to create new ideas to test.

Making decisions based on test results

Time to act:

Test shows	You should
Clear winner	Roll out to all users
No difference	Test a bigger change
Surprises	Investigate why and retest

Keep testing, learning, and improving your app. It's an ongoing process.

"Statistical significance is useful in quantifying uncertainty." - Georgi Georgiev, Analytics-toolkit.com

Pro tip: Don't just rely on p-values. Check confidence intervals too. They show a range of likely outcomes, not just yes or no.

What's next for mobile A/B testing

New technology and its impact on A/B testing

AI and machine learning are shaking up mobile A/B testing:

AI can now create test cases by watching how people use apps
ML algorithms spot trends in user data way faster than we can
AI tools can tweak tests on the fly for better results

Google's using AI to test Android apps across tons of devices. It's catching crashes and layout issues in no time.

Mobile A/B testing after 2024

Here's what's coming down the pike:

Trend	What it means
AI personalization	Tests change for each user, right away
No more cookies	We'll use our own data and look at groups
Same experience everywhere	Apps will work smoothly on any device
Privacy first	New ways to test without snooping on users

The mobile A/B testing market's set to grow 10.3% each year from 2024 to 2031. Why? New tech and people wanting apps that feel made just for them.

Want to stay ahead of the game?

Get your hands on AI testing tools
Build up your own user data
Brush up on your stats skills
Use feature flags to roll out changes safely

"To really nail your customer journey, you need to know what customers are doing and where they're hitting snags. You've got to dig into every single way they interact with you, no matter where or how." - Courtney Burry, VP at Amplitude

As mobile A/B testing changes, the trick is to mix new tech with good old human smarts. That's how we'll make apps people love to use.

Conclusion

Key Mobile A/B Testing Metrics

Mobile A/B testing helps developers make smart choices. Here are the top metrics to watch:

Metric	Purpose
Conversion rate	Tracks desired actions
Retention rate	Shows user loyalty
Session length	Measures engagement
Active users	Reveals app "stickiness"
Click-through rate	Tracks element interest
App store conversion	Measures listing effectiveness
Revenue per user	Gauges monetization
User lifetime value	Shows long-term worth
Churn rate	Identifies drop-offs
Onboarding completion	Measures new user success

These metrics paint a clear picture of user interaction and improvement areas.

The Power of Ongoing Testing

A/B testing isn't a one-time thing. It's an ongoing process that keeps your app competitive. Here's why:

1. Spot Issues Fast

Regular testing catches problems quickly. Even small changes can have big impacts:

"A two-second increase in scan flow duration could cost 55 hours per day for 100,000 daily scans - that's like losing seven employees' worth of output."

2. Stay Competitive

User needs and tech trends change rapidly. Ongoing testing helps you keep up.

3. Make Smart Choices

A/B testing gives you hard data to back your decisions, not just guesses.

4. Boost Your Bottom Line

Small tweaks can lead to big wins. WallMonkeys saw a 550% jump in conversions through A/B testing.

5. Improve App Store Presence

Testing your app store listing can increase downloads. Grene boosted their conversion rate from 1.83% to 1.96% by testing their mini-cart page.

To keep your app on top:

Test regularly
Use tools like Firebase or Optimizely
Share results with your team
Be ready to adapt

FAQs

How do you calculate mobile app conversion rate?

Here's the simple formula:

Conversion Rate = (Users who bought / Total users) x 100

Example: 500 buyers out of 10,000 users = 5% conversion rate.

What are the metrics for A/B testing?

Key A/B testing metrics:

Metric	What it means
Conversion rate	Users who did what you wanted
Bounce rate	Users who left quickly
Click-through rate (CTR)	Users who clicked something
Scroll depth	How far users scrolled
Retention rate	Users who came back
Session duration	Time spent in the app

What KPI do you measure when testing a CTA button?

The main one? Click-through rate (CTR). It's how many people clicked vs. how many saw it.

How to do A/B testing on mobile apps?

Pick something to test (like button color)
Make two versions
Split your users
Show each group a different version
Watch what users do
See which one worked better

What is KPI in mobile app?

KPI = Key Performance Indicator. It's how you measure if your app's doing well.

Common mobile app KPIs:

Daily and monthly users
How many users stick around
Money made per user
App store rating
How often it crashes

These help you make smart choices about your app.