Apple App Store ratings are used for the primary reasons:
- As an indication of how users perceive and respond to the quality of your app
- As a contributing factor to your app’s overall ranking and discoverability
- As a way to promote your app if rated positively
The Apple App Store differs from the Google Play Store in a few key aspects.
Firstly, an app rating in the app store is the average of all cumulative user ratings given since the app’s initial release.
However, Apple gives the option for app owners and developers to reset their app ratings upon the release of a new version of the app. This suggests that apps that begin with a highly favorable rating will benefit from the app store’s policy.
In addition, app developers and owners with a weak initial rating but demonstrating continuous improvements and bug fixes will be able to see an improved app rating by resetting their app rating upon a new app version release and counting only ratings for the latest, improved version of the app.
It should also be noted that an app’s summary rating is specific to each territory on the app store, so it is highly recommended that app owners and developers identify which ratings are lacking in specific territories.
In comparison to the Google Play Store, there are many more app store ratings on the Apple App Store.
According to Apptentive, the volume of star ratings in the Apple App Store grew by 158% in the 2018-2019 period compared to Google Play Store’s 44%.
This difference is a result of the different user base and consumer expectations that are associated with each app store.
Research depicts Android users as generally younger than Apple users, and more likely to feel involved in the reviewing process, investing in fewer ratings and more reviews.
Apple users are more casual and more likely to complete a short app rating and feel “done”.
Therefore, it is more important to place an emphasis on ratings in the iOS app store as there will be more casual browsers focusing on ratings over in-depth reviews.