At a glance
New vs Returning Users is a cohort metric tracked from Amplitude data. Shown as a donut by share, it splits the users active in the window into those seen for the first time and those who have returned. The balance between the two is a fast read on whether growth is coming from acquisition or from a loyal base, and a sharp shift in the mix usually points to a campaign, a seasonal spike, or a retention problem worth investigating. Cross-reference the related cards listed below for context.
| What it counts | The number of new users versus returning users active in the window, displayed by share, as exposed by the Amplitude integration. Computed from the latest available data and refreshed on the standard data refresh. |
| Sample type | Backend API data from Amplitude, refreshed on the standard data refresh. |
| Why it matters | The new-to-returning balance tells you whether the business is leaning on acquisition or retention. A swing toward new users can signal a successful campaign or thinning loyalty; a swing toward returning users can signal strong retention or stalled acquisition. Either way it shapes where to spend next. |
| Reading the value | Read the two shares together rather than in isolation. Compare the split to the prior period to see which side is growing. A healthy mix depends on your stage and strategy, so cross-reference the siblings below for the full picture. |
| Currency | count |
| Time window | 30D |
| Alert trigger | - |
| Sentiment key | amp_new_vs_returning |
| Roles | owner, marketing |
Calculation
Calculated automatically from your Amplitude data. The card classifies each active user in the window as new or returning and renders the two counts as shares of the total in a donut. See the At a glance summary above for what the metric tracks and the worked example below for a typical reading.Worked example
A representative reading of New vs Returning Users for a typical merchant on Amplitude. In the 30 days to 12 Mar 26 the donut shows 62% new and 38% returning. In the 30 days to 19 Mar 26 it shifts to 78% new and 22% returning. The new share has jumped because a prospecting campaign drove a wave of first-time visitors, but the returning share shrinking in absolute terms would be the real story to chase, since it can mean the loyal base is not coming back as often. The split alone does not say which it is, so it pays to read it next to retention and returning-user cards. Vortex Mind can attribute the new-user surge to the campaign and check whether returning-user counts actually fell or just got diluted; ask Ask Viq “how did the new versus returning split change this month and why” to get the breakdown in plain English.Sibling cards merchants should reference together
| Card | Why merchants reach for it |
|---|---|
amp_new_users | The absolute new-user count behind the new share of this donut. |
amp_returning_users | The absolute returning-user count behind the returning share. |
amp_users | Total users, the denominator the two shares are drawn from. |
amp_dau | Daily active users, to see whether a mix shift is sustained day to day. |
amp_top_cohorts_by_conversion | Shows which segments convert, adding value to the raw new-or-returning split. |
Reconciling against Amplitude
Where to look in Amplitude’s own dashboard: Build the split in Event Segmentation or with a new-user behavioural cohort, grouping active users by whether their first-seen date falls inside the window. Cohorts is where you define and inspect new-user and returning-user segments directly, and Dashboards is where saved versions of this view typically live. Confirm the period boundaries and any segment filters match the Vortex IQ profile to reconcile cleanly. Why the Vortex IQ value may legitimately differ:| Reason | Direction | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Period boundary. Vortex IQ uses a rolling 30-day window by default; Amplitude views may use calendar months, which changes who counts as new. | Variable | Match the period range. |
| Time zone. Amplitude uses the project time zone; Vortex IQ aligns to the merchant reporting time zone, shifting first-seen dates near the boundary. | Marginal | Confirm time zone match. |
| Filter or segment scope. Profile-level filters (platform, test users, internal traffic) may narrow the Vortex IQ view versus an unfiltered Amplitude chart. | Variable | Match filter settings. |