Different retention metrics reveal unique patterns in user engagement:

• N-day retention measures if users return on a specific day (like day 7 or day 30).
• Weekly retention tracks returns within each week, showing usage patterns tied to business cycles.
• Monthly retention helps understand longer-term engagement, especially useful for products that don't need daily use.
• Custom retention metrics match your product's natural usage patterns. A meal planning app might care about Sunday planning sessions, while a project management tool focuses on weekday activities.

This alignment helps set realistic retention goals and identify true engagement issues. Also remember, raw numbers tell only part of the story — comparing retention across different user groups usually reveals deeper insights. For example, new users might show different patterns than long-term users, paid users might retain better than free users. These comparisons help identify which user segments find lasting value in your product.