How to get your first reviews and rating in the App Store 

Rating decides half an app's success. We show how to gather your first honest reviews and when to ask, without annoying users.

People don't download an app with no reviews just as they don't buy a product with no ratings. Rating and review count are among the most important factors both for the store algorithm and for the user's decision. But from zero, reviews won't appear on their own.

First reviews — from real people

At launch, ask your first users, clients and team to leave an honest rating. Not fake reviews — Apple catches and bans that — but genuine reviews from people who really used it. 10–20 reviews at 4–5★ in the first week change the app's perception dramatically.

When to ask for a rating

The key rule is timing. Ask for a rating after a successful action, when the person just got value: finished a booking, placed an order, completed a task. Never ask at launch or after an error. iOS has a built-in, gentle prompt for this that doesn't throw the person out to the store.

What to do with negatives

Respond to negative reviews calmly and to the point — others see it, and a good reply often matters more than the review itself. Negatives are also a free list of what to fix. At RADOBO we build the rating prompt into the app correctly at the development stage, so the rating grows on its own.