In short
An event-based trigger is a rule that starts an action automatically when a specific user event happens in an app. Events can be actions like completing a lesson, making a payment or finishing a ride. The triggered action might award points, update progress, unlock a reward or send a message.
Why it matters for apps
Event-based triggers let an app respond at the moment a user does something. Immediate feedback ties the reward to the action and reinforces the behavior. They also remove manual work, because rewards follow from user behavior without anyone running a campaign by hand.
- Timely feedback: points or progress shown right after an action feel connected to it.
- Scales without manual work: rules run for every user, around the clock.
- Clean event design: clear, consistent event names make it easy to build new rules later.
- Common mistakes: rewarding events that are easy to fake or repeat, and tracking too many low-value events. Trigger on actions that reflect real value.
Industry examples
Waze awards points to drivers for actions such as reporting traffic or hazards on the road.
A payments app grants coins each time a user pays with a new card, and completes a milestone at the fifth payment (hypothetical).
Build it with StriveCloud
In StriveCloud, your app sends events through the API, and they update stats per user. Stat triggers fire each time a stat rises by a set amount, granting currency, XP, a product or a scratchcard. Webhooks send results back, such as a completed challenge or a reached level.
Want to try this? See the Gamification API
Frequently asked questions
What is an event-based trigger?
An event-based trigger is a rule that runs an action, such as awarding points or updating progress, automatically when a specific user event happens.
What is the difference between event-based and time-based triggers?
Event-based triggers fire when a user does something. Time-based triggers fire on a schedule, such as every Monday or at the end of a challenge.
Which events should an app track for gamification?
Track actions that reflect real value for users and the business, such as completed lessons, payments, rides or workouts, rather than every tap or screen view.