App Store vs Google Play: Key ASO Differences for Developers
Don't copy-paste your strategy between platforms. Here are the 5 critical differences between ranking algorithms on iOS and Android.
1. Keyword Field
iOS has a dedicated 100-character keyword field. Google Play doesn't—it indexes your full description instead.
2. Description Indexing
On Google Play, every word in your description can be indexed. On iOS, the description is NOT indexed for search—only title, subtitle, and keyword field matter.
Important: This means your iOS description should focus on conversion, while Google Play description should balance SEO and conversion.
3. Rating Weight
Both platforms consider ratings, but Google Play seems to weight recent ratings more heavily than lifetime average.
4. Update Frequency
Google Play rewards apps that update frequently. iOS is less affected by update cadence for ranking purposes.
5. Backlinks (Google Play Only)
Google can use external backlinks as a ranking signal for Play Store apps. This doesn't apply to iOS at all.
Share this article: