Ali Demirbaş - Lab
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Mobile App

When to Ask for Push Permission: Mobile App A/B Test

An opt-in prompt at launch reaches users before they have experienced the value of notifications.

  • Mobile app
  • Permission grant rate

Option A vs Option B

The moment is the variable, not what appears.

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Timing
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Mobile app
Difference
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Hypothesis

Waiting for a defined first-value event may make the request more relevant, though fewer users may reach that point. Report permission grants both among everyone assigned and among users actually shown the prompt.

How to run this test

Primary metric

Permission grant rate

Count permissions granted per eligible assigned user within a fixed period; also report acceptance among users asked.

Other metrics

  • Seven-day retentionCompare all assigned users, not only those who grant permission.
  • Notification click-through rateWith messaging policy fixed, report responses to delivered notifications as a diagnostic.
  • First-session completionMake sure the permission request does not interrupt the flow.
  • Notification opt-out rateTrack later permission withdrawals over the same follow-up period.

What to check before and during the test

  • TimingCompare the prompt at launch with the prompt after one predefined value event.
  • ExplanationKeep any pre-permission explanation and its wording the same in both arms.
  • Notification valueDescribe the same genuine notification use in both arms.
  • DeclineApply the same decline and re-prompt policy within each platform's supported behavior.
  • PlatformRandomize eligible users within each platform and review results separately.

Setup mistakes to avoid

  1. 1Give the same accurate context before asking in both arms.
  2. 2Respect declines and each platform's supported permission behavior.
  3. 3Do not inflate claims in the pre-prompt explanation.
  4. 4Change timing without changing the explanation copy.
  5. 5Do not deny app access to visitors who decline permission.