---
title: Retention Types Compared: Classic, Rolling, Cumulative
description: Classic, rolling and cumulative retention compared in one table: what each counts, which are fixed and which keep rising, and the decision each one is best for.
url: https://retentioncohorts.com/types/
---

[Home](https://retentioncohorts.com/) / Three types

# The three retention types, side by side

One table with the rule, how the number behaves and what each one is for.

**Short answer**

Classic counts users active on exactly Day N, rolling counts users active on Day N or later, and cumulative counts users active at least once from Day 1 to Day N. Classic is always the lowest; rolling and cumulative can be in either order. Classic and cumulative are fixed once Day N passes; rolling keeps rising.

## How do classic, rolling and cumulative retention differ?

| Type | Counts a user if active... | Fixed once Day N passes? | Sample Day 1 / Day 7 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Classic](https://retentioncohorts.com/types/classic/) | On exactly Day N. Activity on any other day does not count. | Yes | 35% / 18% | Benchmarks, day-specific changes, forecasts |
| [Rolling](https://retentioncohorts.com/types/rolling/) | On Day N or any later day up to the last day in the data. | No, keeps rising | 67% / 38% | Is the user base still around? State the as-of date |
| [Cumulative](https://retentioncohorts.com/types/cumulative/) | At least once on any day from Day 1 to Day N. | Yes | 35% / 67% | Activation and onboarding |

**Source:** Sample data: a made-up app to show the method, not a benchmark. Day 1 pools all ten cohorts; Day 7 pools the eight that reached it.

## Rules that always hold

- **Classic is the floor.** Every user counted by classic is counted by the other two.
- **Cumulative only goes up** as N grows: each extra day widens the window.
- **Rolling only goes down** as N grows, on a fixed as-of date, but rises for the same cell as time passes.
- **Two identities to check your tool:** rolling on a cohort's last observed day equals classic, and rolling Day 1 equals cumulative on the last observed day. In the sample, the 1 Sep cohort's rolling Day 1 and cumulative Day 14 are both 73%.
- **Rolling and cumulative can cross.** Rolling usually leads early, cumulative overtakes later.

## One page per type

- [01 **Classic retention** Classic retention is the share of an install cohort that opened the app on exactly Day N after installing.](https://retentioncohorts.com/types/classic/)
- [02 **Rolling retention** Rolling retention is the share of an install cohort that opened the app on Day N or on any later day observed so far.](https://retentioncohorts.com/types/rolling/)
- [03 **Cumulative retention** Cumulative retention is the share of an install cohort that opened the app at least once between Day 1 and Day N.](https://retentioncohorts.com/types/cumulative/)

See this on your own app

Linkrunner reports all three definitions as separate columns, so you can check which one a number uses before you compare it with anything else.

- [Cumulative vs Classic vs Rolling Retention (Linkrunner blog)](https://linkrunner.io/blog/cumulative-classic-rolling-retention?utm_source=retentioncohorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=types&utm_content=panel)
- [Retention in the Linkrunner docs](https://docs.linkrunner.io/features/retention?utm_source=retentioncohorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=types&utm_content=panel)
- [Create a free account (25k installs free)](https://dashboard.linkrunner.io/sign-in?utm_source=retentioncohorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=types&utm_content=panel)

## Questions

**Which is always the lowest: classic, rolling or cumulative?**

Classic. Rolling and cumulative both include Day N itself plus other days, so neither can be lower than classic for the same cohort and day.

**Which retention types are bounded?**

Classic and cumulative are bounded: once Day N has passed, their value never changes. Rolling is unbounded and keeps rising as late returns arrive.

**What is the difference between classic, rolling and cumulative retention?**

Classic counts users active on exactly Day N. Rolling counts users active on Day N or any later day, and cumulative counts users active at least once from Day 1 to Day N. They use the same raw activity but answer different questions.

**Why is my rolling retention higher than classic?**

Rolling also counts users who skipped Day N but came back later, so it can never be lower than classic. The gap grows the longer a cohort has been observed, because late returns keep adding to it.

**What is cumulative retention?**

Cumulative retention is the share of an install cohort that opened the app at least once between Day 1 and Day N. It never falls as N grows and it is fixed once Day N has passed, which makes it a good activation measure.

**Which retention number should I compare with published benchmarks?**

Classic retention, unless the benchmark says otherwise, because most published retention benchmarks count activity on an exact day. Comparing a rolling or cumulative number with a classic benchmark will flatter you.