# Sign Up vs Sign In: How Many Steps Does Each Flow Take?

Source: Lazyweb Research
Published: 2026-07-07
Sample size: n=267
Tags: signup, onboarding, ux-patterns, mobile, saas
HTML: https://www.lazyweb.com/research/signup-vs-signin-how-many-steps-2
Markdown: https://www.lazyweb.com/research/signup-vs-signin-how-many-steps-2.md

**Answer.** Across 267 auth flows tracked by Lazyweb Research (149 signup, 118 signin), signup averages 6.2 steps versus 4.7 for signin — signup is about 1.5 steps, or 32%, longer[1]. Median signup is 5 steps (range 2-16) and median signin is 4 steps (range 2-15). Budget for signup being the heavier flow when you design onboarding, and keep return-login as short as possible.

> Signup flows average 6.2 steps vs 4.7 for signin — 32% longer — across 267 auth flows tracked by Lazyweb Research, July 2026.

## The finding

Of 267 name-merged auth flows, the 149 signup flows average **6.2 steps** (median 5) while the 118 signin flows average **4.7 steps** (median 4)[1]. That gap of roughly **1.5 steps (32%)** is the extra cost of account creation over returning-user login. Signup flows span a wider range too (2-16 steps vs 2-15), because they carry profile setup, verification, and consent steps that a returning user skips.

## Breakdown

| Flow | Flows (n) | Avg steps | Median | Range |
|------|-----------|-----------|--------|-------|
| Signup | 149 | 6.2 | 5 | 2-16 |
| Signin | 118 | 4.7 | 4 | 2-15 |

Step counts are positional (counted per flow via row-numbering of captured steps), so they reflect the screens a user actually moves through, not internal states[1].

## How to apply it

Treat 5 steps as the typical signup middle and 4 for signin — if your signup is materially past 6-7 steps you are on the long tail. Because return login is the more frequent event for retained users, shave it toward the 4-step median first: pre-fill known identifiers, persist sessions, and avoid re-collecting profile data at login.

## Caveats

Flows are merged by name regex across 146 signup companies and 112 signin companies[1]; a single company can contribute multiple flows. Step counts describe captured screens and may undercount instant/silent transitions. The family spec sketch cited 6.4 steps for signup; the final data pull gives 6.2, which is the figure used here.

## The numbers

| Stat | Computed from |
| --- | --- |
| signup 6.2 avg / median 5 / range 2-16 (n=149 flows, 146 companies); signin 4.7 avg / median 4 / range 2-15 (n=118 flows, 112 companies); gap ~1.5 steps (32%); 267 total flows | signup_vs_signin_steps stat (row-numbered flow_steps per flow_canonical_id) |

## Methodology

Universe: 267 name-merged auth flows (149 signup, 118 signin) from the Lazyweb mobile-app corpus; steps counted positionally per flow via row-numbering, July 2026. Caveat: captured-screen counts may undercount silent transitions.

## Sources & citations

- [1] Lazyweb Research analysis of 267 auth flows (149 signup + 118 signin flows across ~258 companies), July 2026. Flow length computed from positional step counts per flow_canonical_id, name-regex merged into signup vs signin buckets.

## Related questions

- [When Do Apps Ask for Your Phone Number vs Email During Signup?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/when-apps-ask-phone-vs-email-signup)
- [How Many Auth Options Does the Typical Signup Screen Show?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/auth-options-per-signup-screen-count)