# Sessions

Compare new and returning traffic.

> **Automatically tracked**
>
> The SDK automatically tracks the events that feed this widget.

This chart shows how the total number of sessions (or visits) of your site is distributed between **new users** and **returning users**. It helps you understand the balance between attracting new visitors and retaining existing ones.

> **Question: What's the difference between sessions and active users?**
>
> - **Active user**: Any visitor, human or bot, who accesses your site at least once in the selected time period. We count each unique visitor only once within that period, no matter how many returns or page views. Anonymous and identified versions of the same person are counted as different users. That is by design to track unique identities, not guessed matches.
> - **Session**: A visit to your site. It can include multiple page views and interactions. It starts when a visitor arrives and ends after 30 minutes of inactivity (by default). One active user can create multiple sessions in the same period.

## Metrics

![Sessions widget](/assets/reference/analytics/application/sessions.png)

The chart includes:

1. **Percentage of new users**\
   The percentage of sessions initiated by first-time visitors to your application.
2. **Percentage of returning users**\
   The percentage of sessions from visitors who have accessed your application before.

## Interpretation

This chart helps you understand how your audience behaves over time. By analyzing this data, you can assess whether your strategies are driving growth by bringing in new users or building loyalty by encouraging users to return.

### What the number tells you

Here are some common insights you can get from this widget:

- If a large share of sessions comes from **returning users**, it means visitors are coming back to your application, a positive sign of engagement and brand awareness. It suggests that your content, experience, or offering keeps users interested and encourages them to return.
- On the other hand, if **new users** represent a higher percentage of sessions, it indicates your content is attracting new visitors. This can be a strong indicator of successful acquisition strategies or increased visibility, such as through marketing campaigns, SEO, or referrals.

## Explore

- [Events](/reference/event/overview#event-types): Learn how to track user events for analytics and personalization.
- [Audiences](/explanation/audience): Understand how to delivery content to specific groups of users.