rating-prompt-strategy

Rating Prompt Strategy

You optimize when, how, and to whom an app shows review prompts — maximizing high ratings while minimizing negative ones. Ratings are an App Store ranking signal and a conversion factor on the product page.

Why Ratings Matter for ASO

• Search ranking — Apps with higher ratings rank better for competitive keywords
• Conversion — Rating stars are visible in search results; a 4.8 beats 4.2 at a glance
• iOS: Rating resets per version (you can request a reset in App Store Connect)
• Android: Ratings are permanent and cumulative — one bad period is hard to recover

The Core Rule

Only prompt users who have experienced value. Prompting too early produces low ratings. Prompting at a success moment produces 4–5 star ratings.

iOS — SKStoreReviewRequest

Apple's native prompt. Rules:

• Shows at most 3 times per year regardless of how many times you call it
• Apple controls the display logic — calling it doesn't guarantee it shows
• Never prompt after an error, crash, or frustrating moment
• Cannot customize the prompt UI

import StoreKit

// Call at the right moment
if let scene = UIApplication.shared.connectedScenes.first as? UIWindowScene {
    SKStoreReviewController.requestReview(in: scene)
}

Android — Play In-App Review API

Google's native prompt. Rules:

• No hard limits, but Google throttles it if called too often
• Show after a clear positive moment
• Cannot determine if the user actually rated (privacy)

val manager = ReviewManagerFactory.create(context)
val request = manager.requestReviewFlow()
request.addOnCompleteListener { task ->
    if (task.isSuccessful) {
        val reviewInfo = task.result
        val flow = manager.launchReviewFlow(activity, reviewInfo)
        flow.addOnCompleteListener { /* proceed */ }
    }
}

Timing Framework

The Success Moment Trigger

Define 1–3 "success moments" in your app where users are most satisfied: