How to get more App Store reviews (without breaking Apple's rules)

More ratings help in two ways. They make your star score more stable, and they tell shoppers that real people use your app. The good news is that you don't need tricks. You need the right prompt, at the right moment, in an app worth rating.

This guide covers how Apple's review prompt works, when to ask, and what Apple does not allow.

How do you ask for App Store reviews in your app?

Use Apple's built-in review request. It shows a small system pop-up where people can tap a star rating and write a review without leaving your app. Apple's guidelines say you must use this API, and that custom review prompts are not allowed.

In SwiftUI, read the requestReview value from the environment and call it:

import StoreKit
import SwiftUI

struct WorkoutSavedView: View {
    @Environment(\.requestReview) private var requestReview
    let workoutsLogged: Int

    var body: some View {
        Text("Workout saved!")
            .task {
                // Ask after a real win, and only once the person is a regular.
                if workoutsLogged >= 5 {
                    try? await Task.sleep(for: .seconds(1))
                    requestReview()
                }
            }
    }
}

In UIKit, older code calls SKStoreReviewController.requestReview(in:). Apple has deprecated that call in favor of newer StoreKit APIs such as AppStore.requestReview(in:). Check Apple's docs for the version you target.

How often can you ask for a review?

The system shows the prompt at most three times in 365 days for each person. Apple's rules work like this:

• If the person hasn't rated your app on this device, the prompt can show up to three times in a 365-day period.
• If they have rated it, it can show again only for a new app version, and only if more than 365 days have passed since their last review.

You can call the API more often than that. The system simply decides whether to show it. That means each prompt is precious. Don't waste it on a bad moment.

When testing, keep two things in mind. In a development build, the prompt always shows. In a TestFlight build, it never shows.

When is the best time to ask for a rating?

Ask right after the person gets value from your app. Apple's advice is to ask when people are likely to feel happy, such as after they finish a task or a level. Don't interrupt them.

Good moments look like this:

Bad moments are just as clear:

• On first launch, or during onboarding. They haven't seen any value yet.
• In the middle of a task. You break their flow.
• Right after an error, a crash or a failed payment.
• Right after a paywall or a price screen.

You can also add a simple rule of your own. For example, only ask after the person has used the app on a few different days and just finished a key action. That way, you ask people who already like the app.

Should you ask "Do you like the app?" first?

Be careful here. Some apps show their own "Enjoying the app? Yes / No" screen first. Then they send only the happy people to the real prompt. Apple bans custom review prompts. Its rules also warn against "filtered" feedback. A screen that sends only happy users to the prompt can look like filtering.

The safe path is simple:

• Use the system prompt on its own, at a good moment.
• Give everyone an easy way to send you feedback in the app, such as a "Send feedback" item in settings.

Apple also suggests making your support contact easy to find. It says this gives you a chance to fix bad experiences that might otherwise turn into poor reviews.

How do you make it easy to leave a review any time?

Add a "Write a review" link in your app's settings screen. Apple says you can add action=write-review to your App Store link. It opens the screen where people write a review.

https://apps.apple.com/app/id1234567890?action=write-review

Swap in your own app ID. You can use the same link in your release notes, your newsletter or your help docs. Just never offer anything in return for a review.

What does Apple not allow?

Apple is strict about reviews. Breaking these rules can get your app removed, or even get you removed from the Apple Developer Program.

In plain words, don't do any of these:

• Pay for reviews, or buy them from a service.
• Reward reviews with coins, extra lives, discounts or premium days.
• Force a review. Apps must not make people rate or review to use a feature.
• Write fake reviews, or ask friends to post reviews that aren't honest.
• Build your own rating pop-up that looks like Apple's.

What else brings in more good reviews?

The best way to get good reviews is to fix what people complain about. Then tell them.

1. Find the top complaints. Read your 1- and 2-star reviews, or run a free App Teardown on your app to see the main themes.
2. Fix the biggest one. One fixed bug can stop a stream of bad reviews.
3. Reply to old reviews about it. Apple tells the reviewer when you reply, and they can update their review. Our reply templates make this quick.
4. Ship often. A new version gives past raters a fresh chance to see the prompt once a year has passed.

How do you know if it's working?

Watch your rating count and your recent average, not just your all-time stars. Check them each week, and after each release. If you change when you ask, compare the weeks before and after.

To see how many 5-star ratings you need to reach a goal, try our free app rating calculator. To see how your app stacks up against a rival, compare two apps side by side.