Measures the *number of unique users who perform at least one defined action within a given month*. It is a key metric for tracking user engagement and growth. ## How MAU is Measured - A user is counted as “active” if they perform at least one predefined meaningful action within the month. - The definition of “active” varies by product and industry—common examples include logging in, making a purchase, or engaging with content. ## Why MAU Matters - **Growth Tracking**: Helps assess user base expansion over time. - **Benchmarking**: Enables comparison with competitors and industry standards. - **Cost & Scalability Planning**: Provides insight into infrastructure or operational costs, including seasonal fluctuations. ## Limitations of MAU - **Potential Vanity Metric**: A high MAU may not directly correlate with economic impact if the “active” criteria are too broad or not linked to business value ([[Vanity metrics- Misleading Indicators of Success]]). - **Lack of Usage Differentiation**: MAU treats all users equally, whether they are highly engaged or visited only once. This can obscure insights into user behavior, as a deeply engaged customer and a one-time visitor are counted the same way. ### Related [[Daily Active Users (DAU)]]