iOS: RequestReviewAction and SKStoreReviewController
On iOS the rating prompt is a system dialog. In SwiftUI you call the requestReview environment action:
@Environment(\.requestReview) private var requestReview
// after a moment of success:
requestReview()
UIKit apps use AppStore.requestReview(in:) or the older SKStoreReviewController.requestReview(). The system decides whether the dialog actually appears:
- at most three times in 365 days per user,
- never in TestFlight builds (it always shows during development),
- not at all if the user has turned off In-App Ratings & Reviews in Settings.
Apple’s guidelines require this system prompt for rating requests inside the app; custom review pop-ups aren’t allowed.
Android: the Google Play In-App Review API
Google Play offers the In-App Review API (Play Core). Google applies its own quota and doesn’t tell you whether the card was shown, so the app must continue normally either way. Google also advises against triggering it from a button or call to action, because the card may not appear.
When to show the app rating prompt
| Good moments | Bad moments |
|---|---|
| A finished workout, lesson or level | First launch |
| An order delivered, a booking confirmed | Right after an error or crash |
| The fifth session or first week of use | In the middle of a task |
| After support solved a problem | Right after a paywall or price change |
Rules to follow
- Don’t gate it. Asking “Do you like the app?” first and only prompting happy users is review gating — against Google Play’s guidance and Apple’s intent.
- Don’t reward reviews. No coins, discounts or features in exchange for a rating.
- Don’t call it too often. The quotas limit what users see anyway; spread your requests.
Measure the effect
Track ratings per week and the average per app version before and after you add or move the prompt. The free app rating calculator shows how many new ratings it takes to reach your target average.
Example
A meditation app requests a review after the user’s fifth completed session instead of on day one. Ratings per week double and the average rises — because the people being asked have actually used the app.
The prompt brings in more ratings and app reviews; someone still has to read them. App review monitoring sends each new one to your team. More tactics in how to get more app reviews.