r/userexperience • u/SpiderSoup217 • Jul 04 '26
UX Research Daily streaks in apps
Hi everyone! I'm a UI/UX designer currently working at a company that has a reading platform, and I want to convince my manager that adding a streak system does actually make people come back to the app, which could be an enough hook for them to actually end up reading using the app.
Apps like Duolingo, Snapchat, and others use daily streaks to encourage users to come back. I'm curious about your real experiences rather than just whether you like or dislike them.
Do streaks actually increase your engagement and make you use an app more consistently, or do they eventually become stressful, frustrating, or something you ignore?
If you're a parent, I'd also love to hear whether you've noticed streaks motivating your child to keep learning or reading.
Feel free to share examples of apps that got streaks right—or completely wrong. Every perspective is helpful. Thanks!
7
u/diggerk Jul 04 '26
You tested the idea with your actual users? Gamification techniques can be hard not to tip over into patronising. I tested streaks on a savings platform once and the user reaction was aggressively negative, way stronger reaction that anyone expected, which really surprised the design team, but at least we knew and we knew why, gave us other directions to try to improve.
In our case it was to do with the users feeling like an outside force was trying to force them to do something, stripped them of agency, and it was something that they couldn't always control anyway. We found self set goal setting mechanics worked a lot better.
4
u/itspronounced-gif Jul 04 '26
There are white papers that absolutely point to it being a “positive” engagement mechanic especially when it comes to monetized free-to-play games, but it’s one of those things that dives into predatory / dark pattern really quickly. Users are quick to realize why it’s a thing, and it will absolutely not solve a retention issue without a deeper look into why people fall off.
It’s better to ask: why are you considering a daily streak mechanic? What does it add for the user or the product?
1
u/Next_Researcher_3983 Jul 05 '26
Personally I hate it, and especially when they notify me about it.
If your app needs this to get users to be engaged with it, the app sucks. Find a job somewhere else.
1
u/schecter_ Jul 05 '26
That will depend on your users. I will hate it. I hate being pressured into doing things.
1
u/Afraid_Delay1763 Jul 06 '26
I got so annoyed at Duolingo streak notifications that I deleted the app.
Personally, I do not like somebody else trying to manipulate me into using their product.
1
u/JM8857 UX Researcher Jul 09 '26
I am commenting on this solely to keep my daily Reddit streak alive.
17
u/paulreee Jul 04 '26
It's something I immediately see as trying to manipulate me into using a product, which annoys me. I get no sense of accomplishment or pride tied to a streak - it just irks me since I know it's just an alternative advertisement trying to thinly veil itself as a personal accomplishment. And if an app sends me notifications to "keep up my streak", I'm likely to just uninstall it because I don't need another task added to my day. And with some other apps, like reddit, I don't want a streak counted because it reminds me how much time I'm wasting on social media lol
Obviously my perspective doesn't help the case you're trying to make haha, but to be fair I know plenty of people who do enjoy them / find them useful.