PWA analytics: the events that actually matter

Most PWAs are undermeasured. Teams see install counts and stop — missing the fact that installed users are the highest-LTV segment they have. Here’s the analytics blueprint we run on our own product and recommend to customers.

Install funnel (four events)

1. install_prompt_impression — popup shown.
2. install_prompt_click — user tapped Install.
3. install_prompt_outcome — accepted or dismissed (from userChoice).
4. appinstalled — install completed (from window.addEventListener('appinstalled')).

Display mode on every event

function displayMode() {
  if (window.matchMedia('(display-mode: standalone)').matches) return 'standalone';
  if (window.matchMedia('(display-mode: minimal-ui)').matches) return 'minimal-ui';
  return 'browser';
}
analytics.track(event, { ...props, display_mode: displayMode() });

Report retention, revenue and session length split by display_mode. If you don’t, the installed-user premium disappears in the average.

Push funnel

• push_permission_prompt.
• push_permission_outcome (granted / denied).
• push_delivered (fired inside the service worker push handler).
• push_click (from notificationclick).

Offline usage

Fire an offline_session_start when navigator.onLine flips false and the user keeps interacting. Buffer events to IndexedDB and flush on reconnect.

Vanity metrics to skip

• Raw install count without funnel context — says nothing about product-market fit.
• Notification opt-in rate on cold visitors — always terrible, never actionable.
• Lighthouse PWA score in production — a build-time signal, not a user one.

Tools that work

PostHog, Mixpanel, GA4, Amplitude all accept custom events. InstantPWA ships the install-funnel events out of the box — you attach your destination once and every widget reports.