# MAU and signups (vanity metrics) versus retention and depth of engagement.

**Practitioner:** Brian Balfour
**Source:** Lenny's Podcast — Brian Balfour episode
**Timestamp:** 57:51
**Move:** 6 of 8

## The tension

MAU and signups (vanity metrics) versus retention and depth of engagement.

## Where they landed

Extreme depth-metrics — MAU is a vanity metric.

## What they accepted to lose

Harder to measure. Slower to act on. Goes against industry default reporting.

## Verbatim

> the better signal is retention and depth of engagement of the users on this platform than it is pure user level like MAU.

— Brian Balfour, Lenny's Podcast, 57:51

## Load-bearing phrase

*retention and depth of engagement*

## What it pushes back against

The industry-standard practice of evaluating platforms by topline MAU.

---

**Source attribution:** This call is drawn from Lenny Rachitsky's public podcast archive at [LennysData.com](https://lennysdata.com), released April 2026 with an explicit invitation to builders.

**Verify on votu.app:** [https://votu.app/move/balfour-6](https://votu.app/move/balfour-6)

**License:** Verbatim quotes are © the original speaker; attribution and timestamp guaranteed accurate to the source transcript.