DAU — Daily Active Users
Definition: The number of unique users who engage with a product in a single day. Core metric for consumer apps where daily habit drives value.
Example
Instagram tracks DAU obsessively. A drop signals a product or competitive problem before revenue notices.
When you'll hear it
DAU shows up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to daily active users — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does DAU stand for?
DAU stands for Daily Active Users.
What does DAU mean in business and finance?
The number of unique users who engage with a product in a single day. Core metric for consumer apps where daily habit drives value.
Where will I hear DAU used at work?
DAU comes up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. It's used as shorthand for daily active users, so people assume you already know the term.