Why the moment of the request matters
An app’s store rating is a direct ranking factor for the App Store and Google Play. Highly rated apps take better positions in search and collect more organic installs. At the same time it takes relatively few poor ratings to drag an average below 4.0 — the level at which many users decline to install at all.
The native APIs give you a limited number of chances to show the dialogue. On iOS that is no more than three times in 365 days. Spending those slots on the right moment has a direct effect on the final rating.
When to show a rating prompt
Good moments come after a positive event:
- Completing a first successful purchase
- Receiving and confirming an order
- A successful return or a problem resolved through support
- After an Nth purchase, for the loyal segment
- After an achievement in gamification, where it exists
Bad moments:
- Immediately after install or on the first launch
- In the middle of checkout
- After an error or a negative event
- On a fixed timer, such as “three days after install”
Implementation on iOS versus Android
| Parameter | iOS (StoreKit review request) | Android (In-App Review API) |
|---|---|---|
| Display limit | 3 times per 365 days | No hard limit |
| Control over display | The system can decline the call | More predictable |
| Dialogue customisation | None (system UI only) | None |
| Redirecting to the store | Prohibited by Apple’s rules | Allowed for extra feedback |
On iOS there is no way to know whether the dialogue was actually shown — Apple hides that behaviour. Log only the moment of the call and do not rely on a callback.
A strategy for an e-commerce app
The optimal mechanic is to show an internal mini-survey first — “Are you enjoying the app?” Users who answer positively are routed to the native rating dialogue; unhappy users are routed to an in-app feedback form.
Implemented correctly this does not break store rules — what is prohibited is gating the store prompt on a positive answer in order to manipulate the rating — but it does channel negative sentiment somewhere constructive.
Important: Apple prohibits any reward in exchange for a rating. Do not offer discounts, bonus points or other incentives for going through the rating dialogue — it breaches the App Store Review Guidelines and risks the app being pulled.