June 30, 2026·7 min read

Android Onboarding Analytics: Track Onboarding Drop-off in Kotlin

Android apps face unique onboarding challenges: device diversity, Google Play install flows, and permission models that differ by Android version. Here's how to instrument your onboarding flow and measure where users leave.

Android-specific onboarding challenges

Device fragmentation. Android runs on thousands of device configurations. A layout that works on a Pixel 7 may break on a budget Samsung running Android 10. If you see unusually high drop-off at a specific step, check whether it correlates with device manufacturer or Android version.

Google Play install flow. Define the first funnel entry consistently. For an in-app onboarding funnel, a first app open is usually a more direct entry event than a store install because it represents a user who reached the product.

Permission model. Android's runtime permissions differ from iOS. On Android 13+, push notifications require explicit permission (similar to iOS). On older versions, push was granted by default. If your user base spans Android versions, track permission grant/deny separately.

Back button behavior. Android's back button can disrupt onboarding if tapping back exits a step the user was supposed to complete. Make sure back navigation within onboarding steps is handled intentionally.

Install the SDK

Add to your build.gradle (app module):

kotlin

dependencies {
    implementation("dev.getonramp:android-sdk:1.0.0")
}

Sync your project.

Initialise in Application class

kotlin

// MyApplication.kt
import android.app.Application
import dev.getonramp.OnRamp

class MyApplication : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        OnRamp.initialize(
            context = this,
            apiKey = BuildConfig.ONRAMP_API_KEY
        )
    }
}

Add your Application class to AndroidManifest.xml:

xml

<application
    android:name=".MyApplication"
    ...>

✓ Tip

Store your API key in local.properties and reference it in build.gradle via BuildConfig. This keeps it out of source control.

Track onboarding steps

kotlin

import dev.getonramp.OnRamp

class SignupFragment : Fragment() {
    private fun handleSignup(email: String, password: String) {
        lifecycleScope.launch {
            try {
                authRepository.createAccount(email, password)
                // Fire after the action succeeds
                OnRamp.step("account_created")
                navigateToNextStep()
            } catch (e: Exception) {
                OnRamp.step("account_creation_failed", mapOf(
                    "error_type" to e.javaClass.simpleName
                ))
                showError(e.message)
            }
        }
    }
}

With Compose:

kotlin

import dev.getonramp.OnRamp

@Composable
fun SignupScreen(onSuccess: () -> Unit) {
    val scope = rememberCoroutineScope()

    Button(onClick = {
        scope.launch {
            try {
                createAccount(email, password)
                OnRamp.step("account_created")
                onSuccess()
            } catch (e: Exception) {
                OnRamp.step("account_creation_failed")
            }
        }
    }) {
        Text("Create account")
    }
}

Track permission outcomes

kotlin

// Push notifications (Android 13+)
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.TIRAMISU) {
    requestPermissions(
        arrayOf(Manifest.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS),
        NOTIFICATION_PERMISSION_CODE
    )
}

// In onRequestPermissionsResult:
override fun onRequestPermissionsResult(
    requestCode: Int,
    permissions: Array<String>,
    grantResults: IntArray
) {
    if (requestCode == NOTIFICATION_PERMISSION_CODE) {
        if (grantResults.isNotEmpty() && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            OnRamp.step("push_permission_granted")
        } else {
            OnRamp.step("push_permission_denied")
        }
    }
}

Recommended step map for Android onboarding

Step	Event name	When to fire
App first opened	`app_first_open`	In Application.onCreate, gated by SharedPreferences flag
Signup started	`signup_started`	On first tap of signup button
Account created	`account_created`	After successful account creation
Email verified	`email_verified`	When deep link intent returns to activity
Permission granted	`push_permission_granted`	In permission callback
First action	`first_action`	After user completes first core task

Build the funnel

Open the OnRamp dashboard → Funnel → New funnel

Name it and add your Android app.

Add each step in order

Enter step names exactly as passed to OnRamp.step(). The funnel uses exact string matching.

Segment by Android version if needed

If you're seeing unexpected drop-off, add "android_version" as a property and split the funnel view to see whether specific Android versions are the cause.

Android-specific funnel signals to watch

Drop-off at email_verified higher than iOS? On Android, the back stack behavior when returning from the email client via deep link is less predictable. Check that your intent-filter for the deep link correctly returns to the right activity and fires the step event.

High drop-off on Android 10–11 at permission steps? These Android versions have different permission behavior for location and storage. Confirm your permission request code handles API level differences correctly.

Different completion rates by manufacturer? Samsung One UI, Xiaomi MIUI, and other heavily modified Android builds sometimes restrict background processes and battery optimization in ways that affect SDK event delivery. If you see a manufacturer-specific gap, check whether events are being batched and delivered correctly on those devices.

Android version breakdown

Funnel completion by version = filter funnel by android_version property

Example: completion 52% on Android 13+, 31% on Android 10–11 - likely a layout or permission issue on older OS

Android onboarding analytics

See where Android users drop off

The OnRamp Android SDK works with Activities, Fragments, and Compose. Per-step funnel, session timelines, and retention cohorts - no backend setup required.

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