Keywords · Finance · Monetization · Updated 2026-07-21

What is Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)?

Short answer: Total revenue divided by the total number of active users in a period, showing average monetization per user.

Definition

Total revenue divided by the total number of active users in a period, showing average monetization per user.

Why it matters for growth

ARPU trends reveal whether pricing changes, upsells, or a shifting customer mix are increasing or decreasing revenue per user over time.

Example

A freemium app with mostly free users reports a low ARPU of $2, while a B2B tool with only paying seats reports a much higher ARPU of $80.

FAQ

What is Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)?
Total revenue divided by the total number of active users in a period, showing average monetization per user.
Why does Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) matter for growth?
ARPU trends reveal whether pricing changes, upsells, or a shifting customer mix are increasing or decreasing revenue per user over time.
What is an example of Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)?
A freemium app with mostly free users reports a low ARPU of $2, while a B2B tool with only paying seats reports a much higher ARPU of $80.
What is Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)? Definition and growth use · Cofounderbase