C

What is Click-through rate (CTR)?

Definition, examples, and more

Definition

The ratio of users who click on a specific call-to-action (e.g., email link, push notification, paywall button) versus those who viewed it. CTR is a key engagement metric for evaluating creative performance and funnel effectiveness. Click-through-rate originated in the email and banner ad world, where everything was on a desktop. With mobile, some companies now call this same metric tap-through-rate since people are tapping on their phone vs clicking on desktop, but at the end of the day it's really the same type of measurement.

How to Calculate

CTR = (Number of Clicks or Taps / Number of Impressions or Views) x 100. For example: 3,200 taps / 20,000 notifications delivered = 16% CTR.

Example

A meditation app sends a push notification: 'Your 5-minute calm session is waiting.' Of 20,000 users who receive it, 3,200 tap to open. That is a 16% CTR. A second variant — 'You are on a 7-day streak! Keep it going.' — achieves a 24% CTR, showing that personalized, streak-based messaging wins.

Why Click-through rate (CTR) Matters

CTR measures how compelling your messaging is at driving action. A language learning app tested 5 different push notification variants and found that CTR ranged from 4% to 22% — a 5.5x difference using the same audience. The winning notification drove 3,600 additional app opens per day, directly increasing daily engagement and reducing monthly churn by 8%.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good CTR for push notifications?

Average push notification CTR for subscription apps ranges from 5-15%. Top performers hit 15-25% by personalizing messages and timing them based on user behavior. Transactional messages (like 'Your trial ends tomorrow') typically see 20-30% CTR, while promotional messages see 3-8%.

How can I improve my paywall CTR?

Focus on your CTA button copy, placement, and contrast. 'Start Free Trial' typically outperforms 'Subscribe Now' because it emphasizes the free element. Use directional cues (arrows, visual hierarchy) to guide attention. A/B test button colors, copy length, and position — even small changes can lift CTR by 10-30%.

Is a high CTR always good?

Not necessarily. A clickbait push notification might have high CTR but lead to disappointment and uninstalls. Always measure CTR alongside downstream metrics like conversion rate and retention. The best CTR is one that drives qualified engagement — users who click and then take the desired action.

Category
Subscription App Terminology
Related Area
Mobile App Growth & Monetization
Previous
Churn rate
Next
Cohort analysis

More terms starting with “C”

Cancellation

The act of ending a subscription, either by the user or automatically due to billing failure. Understanding cancellation timing and reasons is key for designing retention strategies, deflection flows, and win-back campaigns.

Cancellation survey

A short feedback form presented during the cancellation process to understand why a user is choosing to leave. These insights inform product improvements, pricing strategy, and targeted win-back efforts.

Churn rate

The percentage of subscribers who cancel or do not renew their subscription over a given time period. Churn can be voluntary or involuntary and is a core metric for measuring retention health and forecasting revenue growth.

Cohort analysis

A method of analyzing user behavior by grouping users based on shared characteristics — most often the date they first installed or subscribed. This allows teams to compare retention, LTV, and monetization trends across cohorts over time.

Content gating

The practice of limiting access to premium content — such as videos, lessons, or tools — behind a subscription paywall. Content can be fully locked (hard paywall) or partially accessible (soft paywall) depending on the monetization strategy.

Back to full dictionary

Optimize your subscription pricing with AI

Botsi automatically shows the right price to every user. Stop guessing and start growing.