Inconsistency Between Unique Users and Cumulative Users in Insights Reports Explained

Gabe · 2026-01-20T05:47:15.115Z

I'm seeing an inconsistency in unique users vs cumulative users on insights reports. On day 1, there were 91 unique users of group a, day 2 had 88 users. On the cumulative users report, day 1 shows 91, but day 2 shows 143. Neither report has any filters, and the metric and breakdown and time period and time of data query are the same, and users are counted in every segment they appear in for the cumulative users report. How is this possible?

Inconsistency Between Unique Users and Cumulative Users in Insights Reports Explained | Mixpanel Community

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Thanks for your question! Hopefully, your peers in the community can help answer your questions. However, if you need some review from our Support team, leave 🎫 on your question and we should reach out shortly! If you do this, please make sure to not send duplicate tickets through the Support webform. Appreciate it! In the meantime, let us know if this feedback is similar to any previous discussions below:
1.
Discrepancy in Retention Report User Count: Need Help! (1 year ago)
2.
Understanding Discrepancies in MAU Reporting Methods (1 year ago)
3.
Understanding Data Discrepancies in Page Views Across Filters (1 year ago)
4.
Understanding Unique Users vs. Total Events in Analytics (11 months ago)
5.
Confusion in Mixpanel User Data: Seeking Clarification on Discrepancies (1 year ago)
Gabe
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on top of that, every individual day of unique users in group A is higher than group B, yet on the cumulative users report, group B is higher for the entirety of the time period, and growing faster, though it also does not match the supposed cumulative value (i.e. group b day 1 is 90 unique users, group b day 2 is 81 unique users, but in cumulative reports it goes 90 -> 163. Is there a de-depulication of sorts that only counts unique users between the different days? i.e if there were 5 unique users on day 1 and 10 unique users on day 2, 5 of which were the same from day 1 would the cumulative report then show 10 cumulative unique users on day 2, or 15?
Ansh A.
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Gabe cumulative user definition itself is summing up all values of previous days, and showing it for today. So, it does make sense.
Gabe
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That was my understanding, but 90 + 81 is not 163 was my point Ansh A.
Gabe
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Unless it does not count overlapping users from previous days
Ansh A.
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yes, it will not count overlapping users.
Gabe
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Ah thank you for the clarification

Mixpanel Community
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This post is now synced! Check it out here: _Inconsistency Between Unique Users and Cumulative Users in Insights Reports Explained_ ⤵️ Any future comments will be automatically posted to the thread
Mixpanel Community
APP
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Thanks for your question! Hopefully, your peers in the community can help answer your questions. However, if you need some review from our Support team, leave 🎫 on your question and we should reach out shortly! If you do this, please make sure to not send duplicate tickets through the Support webform. Appreciate it! In the meantime, let us know if this feedback is similar to any previous discussions below:
1.
Discrepancy in Retention Report User Count: Need Help! (1 year ago)
2.
Understanding Discrepancies in MAU Reporting Methods (1 year ago)
3.
Understanding Data Discrepancies in Page Views Across Filters (1 year ago)
4.
Understanding Unique Users vs. Total Events in Analytics (11 months ago)
5.
Confusion in Mixpanel User Data: Seeking Clarification on Discrepancies (1 year ago)
Gabe
·
·
on top of that, every individual day of unique users in group A is higher than group B, yet on the cumulative users report, group B is higher for the entirety of the time period, and growing faster, though it also does not match the supposed cumulative value (i.e. group b day 1 is 90 unique users, group b day 2 is 81 unique users, but in cumulative reports it goes 90 -> 163. Is there a de-depulication of sorts that only counts unique users between the different days? i.e if there were 5 unique users on day 1 and 10 unique users on day 2, 5 of which were the same from day 1 would the cumulative report then show 10 cumulative unique users on day 2, or 15?
Ansh A.
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Gabe cumulative user definition itself is summing up all values of previous days, and showing it for today. So, it does make sense.
Gabe
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·
That was my understanding, but 90 + 81 is not 163 was my point Ansh A.
Gabe
·
·
Unless it does not count overlapping users from previous days
Ansh A.
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·
yes, it will not count overlapping users.
Gabe
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Ah thank you for the clarification