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Dealing with an issue where Google Analytics reports different DAU/MAU numbers than Fabric for an Android App.

The numbers are vastly different, GA shows much greater numbers than what Fabric shows.

What could be the cause for this?

Also which number is more correct?

Vadim Kotov
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AlexVPerl
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They're both wrong. Why? Because "daily active users" has no meaning. What does "active" mean? Every company calculates it differently. So neither one is "correct" they're both "correct" by their own definition. Unless the company open sources the code they use to determine it, there's no way to tell which one is likely to be closer to what you want.

Gabe Sechan
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  • I agree that each company can calculate and gather data differently. However DAU & MAU should be pretty easily defined, as in "opened app at least once per DAY" or ".. once per MONTH". Would you happen to have any insight how Fabric or GA calculate it? Thanks. – AlexVPerl Jun 21 '17 at 01:06
  • You'd think so, but that isn't how many companies measure it. For example, facebook counts it if you hit a like button on any website in the world. Or if you have a spotify integration and listen to spotify. Some apps count even if they run in the background for some reason (that can also happen if you integrate analytics packages incorrectly even if you don't mean to). Do they just open your app, or do they have to actually interact with it (does an accidental lick on the app icon count as a DAU)? Many places require a minimal foreground time to counteract that. There's no consistency – Gabe Sechan Jun 21 '17 at 01:16