Referral install share (Referral share)
Virality metric. Do they bring other users?
What is referral install share?
Referral install share is the percentage of new installs that come from users inviting other users, usually through a referral link or code.
Referral code: a code a user shares that credits new users to them.
How to calculate Referral share
Referral share = Installs from referral links or codes ÷ Total installs × 100- Installs from referral links or codes
- installs credited to a user's invite
- Total installs
- all installs in the same period
Where definitions differ
| Variant | Formula | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Referral share | Referral installs ÷ All installs × 100 | How much of growth comes from invites. |
| Cost per referred install | Rewards paid ÷ Referral installs | Compare with paid CPI. |
| Cost per referred customer | Rewards paid ÷ Referred users who became customers | The fairer comparison with CAC. |
Referral share calculator
Example inputs: change them to your own numbers. The examples only make the calculator show a worked answer; they are not benchmarks or targets. Runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.
- Referral install share
- 9%
- Cost per referred install
- $5
Are referral installs cheaper than paid installs?
Often per install, but rewards are paid on actions, so compare cost per referred customer with paid CAC. Referral programmes that reward installs alone attract reward hunters.
How Referral share differs by vertical
| EdTech | Peer referrals are common in test prep. |
|---|---|
| Fintech | Cash rewards make referral share high and fraud checks necessary. |
| OTT and streaming | Rare beyond shared content links. |
| Gaming | Team invites and in-game rewards. |
Common mistakes
- Paying rewards on install rather than on a meaningful action.
- Letting referral installs fall into organic because links are not tracked.
Related metrics
Questions
How do you calculate referral install share?
Divide installs credited to referral links or codes by total installs and multiply by 100. 1.8k of 20k installs is 9%.
How do you work out the cost of a referral install?
Divide the rewards paid by the referral installs. $9k of rewards for 1.8k referral installs is $5 each.
Why do referral installs show up as organic?
If the referral link does not pass the referrer through the install, the attribution tool cannot credit it, and it is counted as organic.
Which currency do the calculators use?
The calculators show US dollars, but every formula works in any currency: enter your own figures in the currency you report in and read the results in that currency.
What is the difference between a metric and a KPI?
A metric is any measured quantity; a KPI is a metric a team has chosen as a target for judging performance. Most metrics here become KPIs only for the teams whose work moves them.
Do I need an MMP to measure these metrics?
Not for all of them. Engagement and monetisation metrics come from product analytics and billing data, while metrics split by ad channel, such as CPI, ROAS or retention by source, need installs attributed to campaigns.