Mobile Growth Map report charts app install and retention success in 31 countries

Gaming apps show the best retention figures, but still lose 19 per cent of their total user base between days one and seven after install

Adjust has released its inaugural Mobile Growth Map. The report, which draws on data from almost 3,500 apps released in 2018, charts growth, retention and other key metrics. It also breaks data down across 31 countries and four industry verticals (eCommerce, Entertainment, Gaming and Utilities) to reveal how well apps in each sector have performed.

The Mobile Growth Map uses the Growth Score, a new metric developed by Adjust to chart the rise of apps in global markets. The metric is calculated by dividing the total app installs per month by the number of monthly active users (MAU) for each vertical and country to reveal the rate of growth from installs relative to the MAU base.

APAC leads the way with robust growth and is primed to rise. Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar are three of the fastest-growing nations. LATAM comes in second place, with Brazil and Colombia rounding out the top five.

Demand for Gaming apps and eCommerce apps is strongest in LATAM. In fact, four of the top five fastest-growing countries for Gaming apps are located in LATAM. Overall, Games dominate the number of installs (33 per cent); time users spend in apps (10 per cent); and the amount of ad spend (74 per cent). Significantly, LATAM also dominates the demand for eCommerce apps, with Mexico, Chile and Colombia enjoying the highest growth in this industry.

Entertainment apps are quickly gaining traction. Vietnam, Russia and Thailand take the top three spots on the Growth Score. Adjust believes this growth is likely fuelled by the demand for video streaming services, which are expected to continue gaining steam as industry giants such as Disney compete for audience eyeballs.

Indonesia is a powerhouse market, fuelled by the popularity of video apps and streaming services. This dovetails with the findings in Adjust’s Global App Trends 2019 report, released in May, which named Indonesia as the fastest-growing market. Along with Entertainment and Gaming, Utilities is a fast-growing vertical in this country. Notably, the performance of Utilities is driven by the active use of weather apps.

The Retention Factor
In addition to the Growth Score, Adjust developed its own metric to measure the impact of retention, called the Retention Factor. Retention Factor is calculated by dividing organic retention by paid retention.

With the highest retention of any vertical, Gaming averages 34 per cent on day one, and 15 per cent on day seven. However, these figures means that games drop 19 per cent of their total user base between days one and seven – the steepest decline of any vertical. While this rate of churn appears to be dramatic, it may also be linked with the impact of hyper-casual games. This high-flying sub-category accounts for a significant share of downloads, but has so far failed to drive lasting loyalty among players. Interestingly, North American gamers retain best, showing the highest day one retention of all countries surveyed.

“Growing your app user base is a critical part of the growth equation, but in a market where most apps are history just 24 hours after the install, marketers need to focus more on engaging and retaining those users,” said Adjust co-founder and CTO, Paul H. Müller. “To boost engagement, and extend the lifespan of the app, marketers must build data-driven capabilities to target users looking to churn and target them at critical points long before retention rates begin their inevitable decline.”

You can download the full report here.