Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#1

Post by dotnick » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 7:43 AM UTC

A couple of years ago I developed an app in a very crowded category (productivity/todo/reminder apps) and even though I've been getting close to 100 new installs every day, my uninstall rate is close to 80%; the app is growing but very, very slowly.

I have added a feedback form to get feedback right from the app and I have been implementing suggestions and fixing bugs reported. The app seems very stable, at least according to Crashlytics. I have also added a rating prompt inspired by Circa and I've seen the rating go from 4.08 to 4.2 which tells me that the people that do use the app, really like it.

Do you have any suggestions on ways to understand why the majority of users uninstall the app or possible get some feedback from them before they uninstall? Any services that might be useful?

The app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nick.android.todo

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#2

Post by mw67 » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:00 AM UTC

try to see how users behave on your app by with usertesting.com or equivalent service

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#3

Post by somberi » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:05 AM UTC

Please consider that in developing countries, most of the phones (Android, most of them) have precious little memory, users often have to delete apps, in order, to say, take an extra photo.

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#4

Post by heroic » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:06 AM UTC

Are you asking them to give them their email ids, etc to you? If yes, then why don't you email users who haven't used the app in a long time, about news features, etc and also include a feedback link there. You might get some responses.

Also, try to find the uninstall rates for other todo apps. I personally in a moment of self realization decide to make todos, but the very next day I get fed up and uninstall the app, maybe thats common across a lot of users?

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#5

Post by dotnick » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:08 AM UTC

mw67 wrote: post #2

try to see how users behave on your app by with usertesting.com or equivalent service

Thanks, I'll have a look at usertesting.com

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#6

Post by notinterestingg » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:11 AM UTC

Have you considered that they might simply not like it?

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#7

Post by CmonDev » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:14 AM UTC

It's not free. Also an app with in-app purchases is not free. I think in a crowded category at least one app is going to be genuinely free without ads or freemium.

PS: I believe apps should be paid for.

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#8

Post by jacalata » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:18 AM UTC

You should set up analytics in the app which tell you at least whivh pages they open in the app before uninstalling. Do you even know if they ever open it? Perhaps they are installing six Todo apps, they like the second one so they uninstall the others without trying them - or perhaps they look at yours and it doesn't win.

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#9

Post by dotnick » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:18 AM UTC

CmonDev wrote: post #7

It's not free. Also an app with in-app purchases is not free. I think in a crowded category at least one app is going to be genuinely free without ads or freemium. PS: I believe apps should be paid for.

The app is fully functional without a purchase.

Re: Ask HN: Any way to find why users uninstall my app?

#10

Post by pjc50 » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 8:20 AM UTC

It's kind of a crowded category. If users try five different apps and then pick one, most of the apps will have very high uninstall rates.