Insights

Unlock the Mystery behind Apple’s App Store Charting and Ranking

Tim Cryer

Director, Research Lead

Unlock the Mystery behind Apple’s App Store Charting and Ranking

🌟 Apple’s App Store Charting
vs. App Store Ranking
🌟

App Store Charting – Also known (confusingly) as app store ranking, this refers to the process of organising apps into categories and charts to help users discover new ones.

App Store Ranking – This describes an app’s position in search results or its rank in the App Store’s top charts (again, confusingly!).

The overlapping terms and interchangeable definitions create a challenge for comprehension.

💡 Fact: Apps in the App Store are divided into two main categories: free and paid. Each app can achieve either a Free & Grossing rank or a Paid & Grossing rank. The Grossing rank is determined by the app’s total revenue.

🚀 Opportunity: The free app chart is dominated by familiar, mainstream brands (see attached). The paid app chart, however, is less so! This might be an opportunity for a big brand to claim the top spot without too much effort.

Apple’s App Store algorithm isn’t public and can change over time. However, an app’s ranking is influenced by several factors:

🔍 Relevance: How well the app’s title, keywords, and category match the user’s search.

📈 User behaviour: The number of downloads, as well as the quality and quantity of ratings and reviews.

🔧 App quality & performance: Regular updates that fix bugs and enhance features.

💡 User retention rate: How well the app encourages engagement and long-term interaction.

Download velocity: How quickly the app gains new users.

🌍 App localisation: How well the app is adapted to different languages, cultures, and regions.

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