Battery questions that show what users think your app costs them
Ask users about battery drain, background use, mobile data and what they would switch off to save power. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What battery and data survey questions tell you
Battery and data survey questions ask users how much power and mobile data your app uses compared with what they expect, when it drains most and what they would switch off to save it. A user who thinks an app drains the phone can delete it without a word, and these answers find the complaint first.
Ask a week or two after a release, and after any change to background work, location or video. Usertick doesn't run inside phone apps, so send the survey's link by email or open it from the app's settings, with the version as a tag on the link. Pick four to six questions.
Each written answer gets a type, a theme and a sentiment, so complaints about drain after an update group together. Results compares each card with the period before, and the inbox gives each response an owner and a status.
- Questions
- 15
- Best asked
- After a release or a change to background work
- Industry
- Mobile apps
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 15 battery and data use questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
Battery use as users see it
Start with how drain compares with expectations, then when it happens and how long the phone lasts.
- 01Multiple choice
How much battery does the app use compared with what you expect?
How the app's battery use compares with what the user expects, from far less to far more. Results shows each share, and a growing share at the high end after a release points to that build.
- 03Multiple choice
When does the app seem to use the most power?
Lets users tick when the app seems to drain power, from screen on to video. Results shows a bar with the share for each, which tells the engineers where to look first.
- 04Stars
How well does the app behave in the background?
Rates how the app behaves in the background, on five stars. Read it beside the drain question, since a low rating with background use ticked points to background work.
- 02Yes / No
Have you checked your phone settings to see what this app uses?
Whether the user has looked at the phone's battery or data settings for this app. Choose Yes in Results, since those users can answer the other questions from real numbers.
- 15Number
How many hours does your phone last on a normal day?
How many hours the phone lasts on a normal day, from 0 to 48. Results shows the median and the middle half, context for every other battery answer.
Mobile data and limited plans
These questions show how much data users will give the app and when large downloads are welcome.
- 05Yes / No
Are you often on a limited data plan?
A yes or no on limited data plans. Select Yes in Results to read the data questions for those users, who feel heavy data use the most.
- 06Multiple choice
How much mobile data does the app use for you?
How much mobile data the app uses, compared with expectations. Expect a share who don't know, and read the answers from users who checked their settings first.
- 07Slider
How much of your monthly data would you give this app?
How much of the monthly data allowance users would give this app, on a slider from 0 to 100. Say in the label that the number is a percent. Results shows the median and the middle half.
- 12Ruler
How many megabytes a day is reasonable for this app?
A reasonable daily data figure in megabytes, on a ruler from 0 to 500. Results shows the median and the middle half, a target to test your app against.
- 13Dropdown
When do you let the app download large files?
When the app may download large files, from any time to never. Results shows each share, a default for your download setting.
What users would trade to save power
Ask what users would switch off or give up, the list behind a battery saver or low data setting.
- 10Multiple choice
Which of these would you turn off to save power?
Lets users tick what they would switch off to save power. Results shows a bar with the share for each, a ready list for a battery saver setting.
- 08Text
What would you give up to save battery?
What the user would give up to save battery, in their own words. The answers show which features users value least, a guide for a battery saver mode.
- 09Yes / No
Would a low data mode be useful?
A yes or no on a low data mode. A high share of Yes among users on limited plans makes a clear case for building one.
How much battery and data matter
Two questions that tell you how much weight battery carries when users choose and drop apps.
- 11Big scale
How much do you think about battery when you pick an app?
How much battery weighs when users pick an app, from 1 to 10. A high average tells you battery belongs in your release notes and your store listing.
- 14Text
Which app did you delete because of battery or data use?
The app a user deleted over battery or data, in their own words. Read these for the behavior users won't accept, whichever app it came from.
Tips for asking about battery and data use
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Ask after background changes
Send the survey a week or two after any change to location, sync or video, once users have seen the effect on their battery.
- 02
Name the units
Say in the label that the data slider is a percent and the ruler is megabytes, so every answer means the same amount.
- 03
Trust users who checked
Choose Yes on the settings question in Results to read the answers from users who looked at real numbers.
- 04
Turn trades into a setting
Use what users would switch off to build a battery saver option, then ask the same questions again once it ships.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about battery and data use
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
A week or two after a release or a change to background work. Send the survey by email to a contact list now or on a scheduled date, or open its link from the app.
Four to six. Start with battery use compared with expectations, add when the app drains most and one data question, and end with what users would give up.
Yes. Ask the data plan question first and add logic to skip the data questions for users who answer No. Select Yes in Results to read that group's answers on their own.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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