The App Store and Google Play rank apps on the same ideas, relevance and results, but they read different parts of your listing. Apple reads a private 100-character keyword field and ignores your description. Google reads your description and has no keyword field. Those two facts drive most of the ten differences below.
- Definition
- Storefront: one country's version of a store, with its own search index, language and competitors. Both stores have one per country; your listing can be localised per storefront.
The ten differences, side by side
App Store vs Google Play
- 1. Hidden keywords
- App Store: Yes: 100-character keyword field, commas, no spaces, no repeats
- Google Play: None. Keywords live in visible text only
- 2. Description
- App Store: Not indexed for search. Write it for people who open the page
- Google Play: Indexed. Write naturally; repetition is a policy violation
- 3. Second line
- App Store: Subtitle, 30 characters
- Google Play: Short description, 80 characters
- 4. Screenshots
- App Store: Up to 10 per device size, exact sizes required
- Google Play: 2 to 8 per device type, flexible sizes (320 to 3840 px)
- 5. Video
- App Store: Up to 3 previews, 30 seconds each, uploaded to Apple
- Google Play: One YouTube link; first 30 seconds autoplay
- 6. Extra graphic
- App Store: None
- Google Play: Feature graphic 1024×500, needed to show the video
- 7. Rating reset
- App Store: Can reset the summary rating per territory with a new version
- Google Play: No reset; recent ratings count more over time
- 8. In-app rating prompt
- App Store: SKStoreReviewController, up to 3 times in 365 days
- Google Play: In-App Review API, with its own quota
- 9. Replies to reviews
- App Store: Reply to any review; edit any time
- Google Play: One public reply per review; edit any time
- 10. Listing updates
- App Store: Name and metadata change with an app version
- Google Play: Store listing can be updated without a new app build
| App Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hidden keywords | Yes: 100-character keyword field, commas, no spaces, no repeats | None. Keywords live in visible text only |
| 2. Description | Not indexed for search. Write it for people who open the page | Indexed. Write naturally; repetition is a policy violation |
| 3. Second line | Subtitle, 30 characters | Short description, 80 characters |
| 4. Screenshots | Up to 10 per device size, exact sizes required | 2 to 8 per device type, flexible sizes (320 to 3840 px) |
| 5. Video | Up to 3 previews, 30 seconds each, uploaded to Apple | One YouTube link; first 30 seconds autoplay |
| 6. Extra graphic | None | Feature graphic 1024×500, needed to show the video |
| 7. Rating reset | Can reset the summary rating per territory with a new version | No reset; recent ratings count more over time |
| 8. In-app rating prompt | SKStoreReviewController, up to 3 times in 365 days | In-App Review API, with its own quota |
| 9. Replies to reviews | Reply to any review; edit any time | One public reply per review; edit any time |
| 10. Listing updates | Name and metadata change with an app version | Store listing can be updated without a new app build |
App Store
Name30 charactersCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Subtitle30 charactersCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Keyword field (private)100 charactersCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Description4,000 charactersNOT FOR SEARCH
Promotional text170 charactersNOT FOR SEARCH
Google Play
App name30 charactersCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Short description80 charactersCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Full description4,000 charactersCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Developer nameCOUNTS FOR SEARCH
Screenshots textNOT FOR SEARCH
What to do differently on each
On the App Store
- Spend an hour on the subtitle. Thirty characters, three jobs, no slogan.
- Fill the keyword field to the last character. Single words, commas, no spaces, no words already in the name or subtitle. Apple's rule: "Don't repeat any words included in your app name, subtitle, or category."
- Write the description for humans and for the first two lines that show before "more". It does not rank you.
- Consider resetting the rating only after you have fixed what caused the bad reviews, and only if the rating is well below 4.
On Google Play
- Write the short description as one honest sentence with your top two searches in it.
- Use the full description to cover your long tail: each keyword in a real sentence, a few times, mostly in the first two paragraphs.
- Upload the feature graphic; without it, your video does not show.
- Localise the listing for the languages your users speak. Play shows users the listing that matches their language settings.
What is the same
- The name is 30 characters on both, and it is the strongest ranking text on both.
- The first screenshots and the star rating decide the tap on both.
- Both rank on results: taps, installs, retention, ratings. Both punish manipulation.
- Every country is its own search on both.
If you ship on both stores, build one message and two sets of words. The ASO from zero series starting with what is ASO walks through each field; keyword research covers placement on each store in detail.
Sources
Questions people ask
Should I use the same listing on both stores?
Same message, different words. Keep the brand, promise and screenshots consistent, but write the Google Play description for search and use Apple's keyword field for the terms that do not fit your title.
Which store is easier to rank on?
Neither is easy, but Google Play gives you more text to work with, so a small app can rank for long, specific searches faster. The App Store rewards a sharp title and subtitle.
Do ratings work the same on both stores?
Both show a star rating in search and both let you reply. Apple lets you reset the rating with a new version; Google weights recent ratings more heavily over time.