How to get more app reviews without breaking the store rules
Apple and Google both give you a native prompt that lets people rate your app without leaving it, and both ban almost every shortcut around it. So getting more reviews comes down to three things: asking through the official prompt at the right moment, answering the reviews you already have, and never paying or rewarding anyone for a rating. This guide quotes each store’s rules as their pages read on 27 September 2026.
Review rules side by side
From Apple’s ratings and reviews page and App Review Guidelines, and from Android developers’ in-app review guide and Play Console help.
| App Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Native prompt | SKStoreReviewController, rating and review without leaving the app | In-App Review API, needs Play Core library 1.8.0 or higher |
| How often it shows | up to three times in a 365-day period | a time-bound quota Google does not publish and can change |
| Custom review prompts | disallowed, use the provided API | no questions before or while showing the card, and no button that calls the API |
| Rewards for reviews | not allowed; manipulation can mean removal from the Developer Program | prohibited, including discounts or other incentives for a rating |
| Replying | in App Store Connect; the reviewer is notified and can update the review | in Play Console; the user gets a push and an email notification |
| Starting over | you can reset the summary rating with a new version; written reviews stay | ratings do not start over with a new version |
Use the native prompt, and only the native prompt
On iOS, the SKStoreReviewController API shows Apple’s standard prompt: people submit a rating and can write a review without leaving your app. Apple lets you prompt up to three times in a 365-day period, and guideline 5.6.1 says it will disallow custom review prompts, so a home-made “rate us” screen is not an option. On Android, the In-App Review API shows Google Play’s rating card inside your app; it needs version 1.8.0 or higher of the Play Core library. Google enforces a quota on how often one user can see the dialog, keeps the exact value private and says it can change without notice, so calling the flow twice within a short period, for example less than a month, may show nothing the second time.
Ask at the right moment
Because the prompt is rationed, the moment you choose matters more than how often you call it. Apple recommends asking when people are most likely to feel satisfied with your app, such as right after they complete an action, a level or a task, and not interrupting what they are doing. Google’s guidance is the same in spirit: trigger the flow once a user has used the app enough to give useful feedback, and do not prompt excessively. Google adds two concrete bans. Do not ask anything before or while showing the card, neither “Do you like the app?” nor “Would you rate this app 5 stars?”. And do not put the review flow behind a button, since the user may already have hit the quota and would tap a button that does nothing; if you want a permanent “rate this app” link, send people to your Play Store page instead.
Reply to reviews, especially the low ones
Replies are the one lever that works on reviews you already have. In App Store Connect you can respond to any review, however old; the reviewer is notified and can update their review, and only the latest version of your reply is shown. Apple suggests prioritising the lowest ratings and reviews about bugs in the current version, and when an update fixes something people complained about, saying so in the release notes and replying to those reviews. On Google Play, you reply in Play Console, the user gets a push and an email notification, and Play Console shows how many users updated their rating after a reply. Apple asks you to keep replies respectful, with no personal information, marketing language or spam.
What gets an app removed
Apple’s guideline 5.6.3 says manipulating any element of the App Store, including charts, search and reviews, is not permitted, and guideline 3.2.2 adds that apps must not force users to rate or review the app in order to use it. Apple states that if it finds you tried to manipulate reviews or inflate chart rankings with paid, incentivized, filtered or fake feedback, or used a third-party service to do it, it may expel you from the Apple Developer Program. Google Play’s policy prohibits any manipulation of ratings, reviews or install counts, including incentivized feedback, forced pop-ups and paid fake reviews, and names a discount offered in exchange for a high rating as a typical violation.
Resetting your rating, and using reviews in marketing
The App Store summary rating is kept per territory, and you can reset it when you release a new version. Apple advises using this sparingly: a fresh rating can reflect an update that fixed old complaints, but having few ratings may put people off, and your written reviews stay on the page either way. Google Play has no reset, and ratings do not start over when you publish a new version. If you want to quote reviews on your website, Apple allows using your rating in marketing as long as it is accurate and current, and quoting a customer review only with the reviewer’s permission.
Where Censuus fits
Reviews live in the stores; Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw and by sponsorship. Adding your app is free on the List my app form, and it can rise on the visits it earns. Sponsorship raises placement and adds a followed link to your website; details are on the sponsor page. For the rest of the store page, see the ASO checklist, and to get your first users before you have reviews, how to find beta testers. We do not promise ratings, reviews or store rankings.
Frequently asked questions
How many times can I ask for a review on iOS?
With SKStoreReviewController you can prompt for ratings up to three times in a 365-day period. Apple disallows custom review prompts, so the native one is the only option inside the app.
Why does the Google Play in-app review card not show?
Google Play enforces a quota on how often a user can see the dialog and does not publish its value. Calling the flow again within a short period, such as less than a month, may show nothing, so pick one good moment instead of calling it often.
Can I offer a reward for a review?
No. Google Play prohibits incentivized ratings and reviews, such as a discount for a high rating, and Apple can expel developers who inflate reviews with paid, incentivized, filtered or fake feedback.
Should I reply to negative reviews?
Yes. On both stores the reviewer is notified of your reply and can update their review. Apple suggests prioritising the lowest ratings and reviews about technical issues, and telling people when an update fixes what they reported.
Guides for app developers
- How to get the first users for your app
- How to get your app featured on the App Store and Google Play
- How to market a mobile game: the store rules that shape it
- How to find beta testers for your app
- How to market a finance app: the store rules to know first
- App store optimization checklist: what Apple and Google actually say
Put your app in the ranking
Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw and by sponsorship, no bots. Listing is free; sponsorship raises placement.