Does replying to app reviews improve your rating? What the data says

Replying to reviews takes time, and when you're one developer with three apps, time is the thing you don't have. So is it worth it? Short answer: yes, for the right reviews. Here's what the data says and where your time pays off most.

What Google says: +0.7 stars

On its Play Console page, Google says that responding to a negative review can increase that rating by an average of +0.7. The same figure was shared at Google I/O 2019. Two things to keep in mind:

• It's an average. Some reviewers change 1★ to 5★, most don't change anything. The average still adds up.
• It's per review, not per app. One reply won't move a 4.2 app to 4.9. Fifty replies to recent low ratings can noticeably move the score, especially on Google Play.

Why especially Google Play? Because Google Play weights recent ratings more heavily, so updated recent reviews count for more than old ones. On the App Store, the reviewer is notified about your reply and can update their review too.

Which reviews to answer first

1. Bugs you've fixed. “Fixed in 2.4, please update” is the reply most likely to change a rating, because the reason for the low rating is gone.
2. Misunderstandings. “You can already do this in Settings → Export” turns a 2★ into a happy user in one line.
3. Recent 1★ and 2★ reviews. The reviewer still remembers the app, and recent ratings weigh more on Google Play.
4. Detailed 4★ reviews. A short thank-you shows future users that a real person reads the reviews.

Skip trolls, reviews about a different app, and old complaints about versions nobody uses anymore.

What makes a reply work

• Name their actual problem in the first sentence.
• Give one next step: update, try a setting, or write to support.
• Reply in their language. A reply they can't read can't change their mind.
• Don't ask them to change their rating. Fix the problem and say it's fixed. Offering anything in return breaks both stores' rules, and even asking reads as pushy.

Need words? Use our 30 reply templates, or answer in the reviewer's language.