{
  "slug": "game-monetization-arpdau",
  "title": "Mobile Game ARPDAU & LTV Calculator",
  "heading": "ARPDAU Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/game-monetization-arpdau",
  "summary": "Average revenue per daily active user, LTV, and payback on UA.",
  "description": "Blend ad revenue and in-app purchases into a single ARPDAU, project player lifetime value from retention, and compare it against your cost per install.",
  "formula": "ARPDAU = daily revenue ÷ DAU. LTV ≈ ARPDAU × average lifetime days.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=game-monetization-arpdau",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "dau",
      "label": "Daily active users",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 45000,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "impressions",
      "label": "Ad impressions per DAU",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "ecpm",
      "label": "Ad eCPM",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 9.5,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "payerPct",
      "label": "Daily payer rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1.8,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20
    },
    {
      "id": "avgSpend",
      "label": "Average purchase",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6.4,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "lifetimeDays",
      "label": "Average player lifetime",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 42,
      "unit": "days",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "cpi",
      "label": "Cost per install",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2.1,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "arpdau",
      "label": "ARPDAU",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "ltv",
      "label": "Player lifetime value",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "daily",
      "label": "Daily revenue",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "ltvCpi",
      "label": "LTV : CPI ratio",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "paybackDays",
      "label": "UA payback (days)",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Daily active users: 45000",
      "Ad impressions per DAU: 6",
      "Ad eCPM: 9.5 $",
      "Daily payer rate: 1.8 %",
      "Average purchase: 6.4 $",
      "Average player lifetime: 42 days",
      "Cost per install: 2.1 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "ARPDAU: $0.1722",
      "Player lifetime value: $7.23",
      "Daily revenue: $7,749",
      "LTV : CPI ratio: 3.44",
      "UA payback (days): 12.2"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter daily active users.",
      "Enter ad impressions per dau.",
      "Enter ad ecpm ($).",
      "Enter daily payer rate (%).",
      "Enter average purchase ($).",
      "Enter average player lifetime (days).",
      "Enter cost per install ($).",
      "Read your arpdau on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "dau": 27000,
        "impressions": 3.5999999999999996,
        "ecpm": 5.7,
        "payerPct": 1.08,
        "avgSpend": 3.84,
        "lifetimeDays": 25,
        "cpi": 1.26
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "dau": 45000,
        "impressions": 6,
        "ecpm": 9.5,
        "payerPct": 1.8,
        "avgSpend": 6.4,
        "lifetimeDays": 42,
        "cpi": 2.1
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "dau": 72000,
        "impressions": 9.600000000000001,
        "ecpm": 15.200000000000001,
        "payerPct": 2.8800000000000003,
        "avgSpend": 10.240000000000002,
        "lifetimeDays": 67,
        "cpi": 3.3600000000000003
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What LTV:CPI ratio is healthy?",
      "a": "Above 1 is technically profitable, but most studios want 1.5–3x to absorb variance and fund overhead."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why does payback in days matter?",
      "a": "Cash flow. A 90-day payback means you finance three months of spend before you see it back, which caps how fast you can scale."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Mobile Game ARPDAU & LTV Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/game-monetization-arpdau)"
}