Two kinds of ranking
- Search ranking: where the app appears when someone searches a term like "budget planner".
- Chart ranking: position in the Top Free, Top Paid or Top Grossing charts, overall or per category.
What influences ranking
Neither store publishes its algorithm, but these factors are widely observed:
- Relevance of the title, subtitle and keywords to the search.
- Download velocity — recent installs, not just the total.
- Ratings and reviews: average, volume and recency.
- Engagement and quality signals: retention, crash rate, uninstalls (especially on Google Play).
- Conversion from search results to installs.
Example
After a release that crashes on older Android phones, an app sees a spike in one-star reviews and uninstalls. Its ranking for its main keyword drops from 4 to 11 within a week. A hotfix and quick developer responses help it recover.