22 January, 2025

How to improve app ratings?

Daniil Belsky

CEO of Acquisition.mobi

Every app publisher wonders how to improve app ratings, attract more additional users, boost store rankings, and not spend all the marketing budget on this. In this blog, we highlight the main aspects of an app rating system and share some tips on how to handle it.

As a regular user, you’ve probably rated some of your apps at least once. So you likely have a general idea of what it looks like. However, different stores have their unique systems and policies for rating apps. So let’s take a closer look at this.

How does App Rating work in general?

Okay, so here we have a simple scale from 1 to 5 stars, where 1 means “poor experience” and 5 means “excellent experience”. There are two main ways to leave your mark on the app: on the app’s page in the market or within the app itself with the help of App Rating Prompts.

App Rating Prompts are those small annoying things, you definitely know as user, which pop up in the app to help developers collect user ratings.

The example of a standard pop-up window in the App Store and Google Play
The example of a standard pop-up window in the App Store and Google Play

To get more likely positive feedback, they recommend displaying App Rating Prompts right after a user completes some satisfying action like making a purchase, for instance.

Why your app must have a good rating?

As we were taught in school, grades aren’t the most important thing. But that’s not the case for mobile applications. Ratings and positive reviews are crucial for making an app stand out among its competitors. And they are the first step toward achieving top positions in the rankings (it’s also a part of ASO). In fact, the list of benefits is even wider:

  1. Better organic visibility. App Store and Google Play offer high-scoring apps first in searches and tend to hide low-scoring apps.
  2. A positive perception. Positive ratings stimulate a positive reaction from users and reinforce the app’s image.
  3. Increases Conversion Rate. Users are more likely to install a mobile app with a high rating. We all did it, right?
  4. More opportunities for profitability. Even for free apps, incorporating in-app ads can significantly boost revenue potential. A higher app rating enhances its appeal to advertisers, increasing the likelihood of being chosen as a preferred advertising platform.
  5. Direct connection with a user. Reviews provide worthwhile insights into user dissatisfaction, enabling developers to identify and manage tech issues.

How does the App Store calculate app rating?

Here’s a place for a joke: on the calculator. But let’s take it seriously from now on. The average rating of an iOS app is based on all user ratings received. Suppose your app received 10 ratings: 5 ratings of 5 stars, 2 ratings of 4 stars and 3 ratings of 3 stars.

To calculate the average, you multiply each star rating by the number of users who gave it, add those up, and then divide by the total number of ratings:

To find the average rating:
(5×5)+(2×4)+(3×3) ÷ 10 = 4.1 stars

Which rating is considered good in the App Store?

According to statistics, more than 90% of apps have a rating of 4 stars and higher in the App Store. Consequently, we can assume, that a rating of at least 4 stars is considered a good one. But the sky has no limit, and neither does the App Store!

Can I increase the App Store rating?

Of course, you can. But the process isn’t that fast. To put your mind at ease, if you’ve done a great job in the past, it will definitely be appreciated by your app’s users. However, none of us are perfect, and sometimes your app may receive negative reviews. But the mobile app rating system holds the key to unlocking its potential. To improve your App Store ratings, you can take the following steps:

  1. Ensure the app’s quality. Address all technical mistakes and check that the app is functioning properly. Remember, it’s the number #1 task.
  2. Remind users to rate your application. Apple recommends requesting ratings up to three times a year so as not to annoy users. And don’t forget about your loyal audience: your development team, colleagues, and even your mom.
  3. Provide feedback to all reviews. It is essential, even when addressing negative comments. Offer thoughtful and constructive replies that showcase your commitment to resolving users’ concerns. People want to be heard.
  4. Report the wrong reviews. If a review contains the wrong information that violates Apple’s Terms and Conditions, you can use the “Report a Problem” feature. The review may then be removed and the rating adjusted.
  5. Reset the rating on the App Store. Apple provides this option for all iOS apps, but keep in mind it can lead to new risks: if your rating decreases after the update, downloads may decrease significantly.

Can I reset the App Store rating?

Surprise from Apple: yes. The App Store offers a unique opportunity to reset your app’s rating. When you upload a new version, you can reset the current rating. Ratings from previous versions will no longer contribute to the average. However, old negative reviews won’t disappear—they’ll remain visible to users. Not good news, but fair enough, agree?

How is the Google Play Rating calculated?

Google Play has a different mobile app rating system, which prioritises reviews and ratings for the newest version of the app. Okay, in some cases this may be really good, considering the fact that apps are constantly modernized and updated.

At the same time, Android Market displays the total number of reviews received over the entire lifetime of the app. So if the rating of your newest version is low, people may think that all your ratings were low too and can hardly make the choice in favour of your product.

Can I reset Google Play store ratings?

In short, no, you can’t. Google Play doesn’t have a reset rating option, which means it’s important to always keep high ratings. So, just do your job well—easier said than done! 🙂

How can I increase my app rating in the Play Market?

But there are some tricks and tips to slightly improve the situation. To increase the rating of an Android app, we recommend trying the following steps:

  1. Solve the technical problems. This will help to avoid a lot of negative feedback connected to those issues in future.
  2. Ask users to rate your app. This can be either a custom or standard pop-up window, which allows users to leave a review or rate the app. You can also ask for help from your developing team and loyal audience.
  3. Respond to feedback received. Not an obvious point, but Google Play reports that responding directly to negative reviews improves the score by an average of 0.7 points.
  4. Consider incentivized traffic (but wisely). Some users can provide the app with 5-star ratings and a positive review for some awards. However, this practice should be used sparingly to avoid violating Google Play’s policies.

Do app updates have an impact on Google Play Rating?

If you regularly update an Android app, it will have a positive impact on its Google Play rating. So, maintaining a fresh and well-functioning version can lead to higher ratings.

Good luck with your rating efforts! If you need any advice on promoting your app through advertising and driving more high-quality traffic to it, just let us know at info@acquisition.mobi.

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