# What is a good App Store rating? (And how to raise yours)

> What counts as a good App Store rating, why the number alone can mislead you, and a step-by-step plan to raise yours.

Source: https://synthiya.ai/guides/good-app-rating · Updated 2026-10-09 · By Synthiya

## Key takeaways

- There is no official "good" rating. A good rating is one that matches or beats the apps you compete with, in your category and country.
- As a rough rule of thumb, treat 4.0 stars and up as healthy and 4.5 and up as strong. It's a guide, not a law.
- The number of ratings matters too. A 4.6 from thousands of people says more than a 5.0 from a dozen.
- To raise your rating, fix the top complaint, reply to reviews, and ask for ratings at happy moments.
- The math is simple. Raising a big rating takes many new 5-star ratings, so start with what drags it down.

"Is my rating good?" sounds like a simple question. The honest answer is: compared to what? A 4.3 can be great in one category and weak in another. This guide helps you judge your rating fairly, and shows you how to raise it.

## What is a good App Store rating?

A good App Store rating is one that matches or beats the apps people compare you with. Apple doesn't set a cutoff. So the best yardstick is your direct rivals in the same category and the same country.

As a rough rule of thumb, here is how we read ratings:

| Rating | How we'd read it |
|---|---|
| 4.5 and up | Strong. Hard for rivals to beat. |
| 4.0 to 4.4 | Healthy, but rivals may look better. |
| 3.5 to 3.9 | Worth a close look. Read your reviews. |
| Below 3.5 | A warning sign. Something is hurting users. |

This table is our rule of thumb, not data from Apple. Use it as a starting point, then look at your rivals.

## Why does your rating matter?

Your rating shows up on your App Store page and in search results, right next to your app. Apple notes that people often look at ratings and reviews before they download an app.

So your rating works like a first impression. A low one can turn people away before they see your screenshots. A high one, from many people, builds trust fast.

## How do you compare your rating fairly?

Compare like with like. A fair comparison looks at four things:

1. **Same category.** Games, finance apps and photo apps all have different norms.
2. **Same country.** Apple shows a separate rating in each country or region. Compare the stores that matter to you.
3. **Similar size.** An app with 50 ratings can swing a lot. One with 50,000 barely moves.
4. **Recent reviews.** The all-time number moves slowly. Recent reviews show how your current version is doing.

A free [App Teardown](https://synthiya.ai/teardowns) shows a rival's recent reviews in one page. Or [compare two apps](https://synthiya.ai/compare) side by side to see where each one wins.

## How many 5-star ratings do you need to raise your rating?

Use this formula to estimate it:

> **New 5-star ratings needed** = current count × (target − current rating) ÷ (5 − target)

Here are a few worked examples:

| Ratings now | Rating now | Target | New 5-star ratings needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 25 |
| 200 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 200 |
| 1,000 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 500 |
| 5,000 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 2,500 |

Two lessons jump out. First, the higher your target, the harder each step gets. Second, big apps can't fix a rating with prompts alone. They must stop the bad reviews at the source.

> **Note:**
> This math assumes a simple average of all ratings. Apple doesn't publish its exact formula, so treat the result as a rough guide. Our free [app rating calculator](https://synthiya.ai/tools/app-rating-calculator) does the math for you.

## Why is your rating dropping?

A falling rating usually has a cause you can find in your reviews. Common causes include:

- **A buggy release.** Crashes, lost data or a broken login.
- **A price change.** A new paywall, a higher price or a feature moved behind a plan.
- **A removed feature.** Loyal users notice right away.
- **A redesign.** Even a good one upsets people who liked the old way.
- **Too many ads**, or ads in the wrong place.
- **Review bombing.** A wave of negative reviews about something outside the app itself. See [review bombing](https://synthiya.ai/glossary/review-bombing).

Read the reviews written since the drop began. Group them by theme. The biggest theme is usually your answer.

## How do you raise your App Store rating?

Fix the cause first, then bring in fresh ratings. Here is a simple plan:

1. **Find the top complaint.** Read your 1- and 2-star reviews from the last month, or run a teardown on your own app.
2. **Fix it, and say so.** Put the fix in your release notes in plain words.
3. **Reply to the reviews about it.** Apple notifies reviewers when you reply, and they can update their review. Use our [reply templates](https://synthiya.ai/guides/respond-to-app-store-reviews#templates).
4. **Ask at happy moments.** Use Apple's review prompt right after a win. See [how to get more App Store reviews](https://synthiya.ai/guides/get-more-app-store-reviews).
5. **Make support easy to find.** Give upset users a way to reach you before they reach the review box.
6. **Think about a reset.** After a big fix, you can reset your rating with the new version. Read [what a reset does](https://synthiya.ai/guides/app-store-ratings-explained) first.

## Is a perfect 5.0 rating a good thing?

A 5.0 is nice, but it's not the whole story. With only a handful of ratings, it says little about the app. Shoppers can also see how many ratings you have.

Aim for a high rating from many people. That is the kind that holds up over time. And it comes from the same place as every good rating: an app that solves a real problem, and a maker who listens.

## Sources

- [Apple: Ratings, reviews, and responses](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/ratings-and-reviews/)
- [Apple: Ratings and reviews overview](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/monitor-ratings-and-reviews/ratings-and-reviews-overview)

## FAQ

### Is 4.0 a good App Store rating?

It's a fair rating, but whether it's good depends on your category. If rivals sit at 4.6, a 4.0 will stand out in a bad way. Compare yourself to apps people choose between.

### Is a 5.0 rating better than a 4.8?

Not always. A 5.0 from a few ratings says little. A 4.8 from many ratings is often more convincing, because more people agree.

### How many 5-star ratings do I need to raise my rating?

Use this formula. New 5-star ratings needed = current count × (target − current) ÷ (5 − target). It assumes a simple average, so treat the result as a rough guide.

### How long does it take to raise an App Store rating?

It depends on how many new ratings you get. An app with few ratings can move fast. An app with many ratings moves slowly, so fixing the cause of bad reviews matters most.

### Why did my rating drop after an update?

Usually because the update broke something, removed a feature people liked, or changed the price. Read the reviews written since the update to find out which.