In short
The endowed progress effect is the finding that people are more likely to finish a goal when they feel they have already made progress. Researchers Joseph Nunes and Xavier Dreze described it in 2006, using car-wash loyalty cards that came with some stamps already filled in.
Why it matters for apps
An empty progress bar feels like a long road. A bar that already shows some progress feels like a task that has started, and started tasks are easier to finish.
- Activation: Giving new users visible credit on day one makes the first goal feel within reach.
- Loyalty: In the Nunes and Dreze car-wash study, cards with a head start of stamps were completed more often than plain cards.
- Common mistake: Fake progress that users see through. Tie the head start to a real action, such as signing up or finishing a profile.
- Design choice: Combine it with the goal gradient effect: start users partway, then make the final steps short and visible.
Industry examples
A language app marks a profile as partly complete after sign-up and shows the remaining steps as a short checklist (hypothetical).
A banking app starts new customers at step 2 of 5 on its onboarding checklist, since opening the account counts as step 1 (hypothetical).
Build it with StriveCloud
In StriveCloud, you can grant starting XP or currency at sign-up through the Gamification API, so the first level bar is not empty. Count the sign-up itself as the first step of an onboarding milestone and set it to auto-claim. Users then see a goal that has already started.
Want to try this? Explore the Gamification API
Frequently asked questions
What is the endowed progress effect?
It is the finding that people are more likely to finish a goal when they feel they have already made some progress. Nunes and Dreze described it in 2006.
What was the car wash loyalty card study?
Joseph Nunes and Xavier Dreze gave car-wash customers loyalty cards, some with stamps already filled in. The cards with a head start were completed more often.
How can apps use the endowed progress effect?
Apps can count sign-up as the first completed step, or give starting points to new users. The first goal then feels already underway.