When to Ask for App Reviews: The Science of Perfect Timing

Introduction

You've built a great app. Users are engaging with it daily. But your App Store rating sits stubbornly at 3.8 stars while competitors with inferior products enjoy 4.6+ ratings.

The problem isn't your app—it's when you're asking for reviews.

Timing is everything in the review game. Ask at the wrong moment, and you'll catch users mid-frustration, guaranteeing negative feedback. Ask at the right moment, and you'll capture genuine enthusiasm that translates into 5-star reviews.

This guide breaks down the science of review timing: when to ask, when not to ask, and how to implement a system that consistently generates positive ratings.

The Psychology of Review Timing

To understand optimal timing, you need to understand user psychology at different moments in their app journey.

Peak-End Rule

Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman discovered that people judge experiences based on two moments: the peak (most intense point) and the end. This has profound implications for review timing.

If you ask for a review immediately after a user experiences a "peak moment"—completing a goal, achieving something, or experiencing delight—they'll rate based on that emotional high.

Reciprocity Principle

When your app genuinely helps someone, they feel a subconscious urge to reciprocate. A review request at this moment feels like a natural exchange rather than an interruption.

Mood Congruence

People in positive moods recall positive memories and make positive judgments. A user who just experienced success in your app will naturally recall other positive experiences when rating.

The Best Moments to Ask for Reviews

1. After Completing a Core Task Successfully

The most reliable trigger for positive reviews is task completion. When a user accomplishes what they came to do, they're satisfied and attributing that success to your app.

Examples:

• Fitness app: After completing a workout
• Task manager: After checking off all tasks for the day
• Photo editor: After saving/sharing an edited photo
• Language learning: After completing a lesson streak
• Finance app: After successfully categorizing transactions

2. After Achieving a Milestone

Milestones create emotional peaks. Users feel accomplished and are primed to share that positive feeling.

Examples:

• 7-day streak achieved
• 100th task completed
• First month anniversary with the app
• Level up or badge earned
• Personal record broken

3. After Receiving Value

When your app delivers measurable value, users recognize it. Capture that moment.

Examples:

• Budget app: "You saved $240 this month!"
• Meditation app: "You've meditated for 10 hours total"
• Reading app: "You finished your 5th book!"

4. After Positive Customer Support Interaction

If you resolve a user's issue successfully, that's a perfect moment. They've experienced your responsiveness firsthand and want to acknowledge it.

5. After Multiple Successful Sessions

Users who return repeatedly have demonstrated they find value in your app. By session 5-7, they've formed a positive habit and opinion.

The Worst Moments to Ask for Reviews

Knowing when NOT to ask is just as important as knowing when to ask.

1. Immediately After Install

The user hasn't experienced your app yet. They can't honestly rate something they just downloaded. Worse, it signals desperation and annoys users before they've even started.

2. During Onboarding

Users are trying to learn your app. Interrupting this process with a review request creates friction and frustration.

3. After an Error or Crash

This seems obvious, but many apps trigger review prompts on app launch regardless of the previous session. If the last session ended in a crash, the next launch is NOT the time to ask.

4. When the User is Mid-Task

Interrupting a workflow to ask for a review is the fastest way to generate resentment. Let users complete what they're doing first.

5. After a Failed Action

If a user just experienced a failed payment, sync error, or unsuccessful search, their frustration will bleed into the review.

6. During First-Time Feature Discovery

When users are exploring new features, they're in learning mode, not evaluation mode. Let them form an opinion first.

7. Too Frequently

Even at good moments, asking too often creates "prompt fatigue." Users start dismissing requests automatically—or worse, leave negative reviews out of annoyance.

The Technical Implementation

iOS: SKStoreReviewController

Apple provides SKStoreReviewController for native review prompts. Key constraints:

• 3 prompts per 365 days per user—Apple enforces this limit
• Apple controls display—calling the API doesn't guarantee the prompt shows
• No customization—the prompt looks the same for all apps
• Silent failure—you can't detect if the prompt was shown

Because of the 3-prompt limit, every request must count. Don't waste prompts on suboptimal moments.

Android: In-App Review API

Google's In-App Review API has different characteristics:

• Quota system—Google limits frequency but doesn't specify exact numbers
• Google controls display—similar to Apple, no guarantee of showing
• Review submitted in-app—users don't leave to the Play Store

Implementation Best Practices

Track user state:

• Session count
• Tasks completed
• Days since install
• Last review prompt date
• Recent errors or crashes
• Feature engagement level

Create trigger conditions:

shouldShowReviewPrompt =
    sessionCount >= 5 AND
    tasksCompletedThisSession >= 1 AND
    daysSinceInstall >= 7 AND
    daysSinceLastPrompt >= 90 AND
    recentCrashes == 0 AND
    userJustCompletedPositiveAction

The Pre-Prompt Strategy

Many successful apps use a two-step approach to filter out potentially negative reviews:

Step 1: Sentiment Check

Before triggering the native review prompt, show a custom dialog:

"Are you enjoying [App Name]?"
[Yes, I love it!] [Not really]

Step 2: Route Based on Response

If "Yes": Trigger the native review prompt (SKStoreReviewController or In-App Review API)

If "Not really": Show a feedback form instead:

"We're sorry to hear that. Would you mind telling us what we could improve?"
[Open Feedback Form]

Why This Works

• Happy users get channeled to public reviews
• Unhappy users get a private channel to vent
• You capture valuable feedback either way
• Your public rating improves

Ethical Considerations

This approach is sometimes called "review gating" and has been criticized. Apple and Google officially discourage it but don't explicitly prohibit reasonable implementations.

The key is using it ethically:

• Do use it to route users to appropriate channels
• Don't use it to suppress all negative feedback
• Do actually read and act on the feedback you collect
• Don't ask users who said "Not really" for a review anyway

Timing by App Category

Different app types have different optimal moments:

Productivity Apps

• Best moment: After completing a significant task or clearing inbox/to-do list
• Trigger: Task completion + streak maintenance
• Avoid: During work sessions, after failed syncs

Gaming Apps

• Best moment: After level completion, achievement unlock, or winning
• Trigger: Positive outcome + emotional high
• Avoid: After losing, during gameplay, after in-app purchase prompts

Health & Fitness Apps

• Best moment: After workout completion, streak milestone, or goal achievement
• Trigger: Accomplishment + visible progress
• Avoid: Before workout starts, during rest periods

E-Commerce Apps

• Best moment: After successful delivery confirmation (not purchase)
• Trigger: Positive experience completion
• Avoid: During checkout, after cart abandonment

Social/Communication Apps

• Best moment: After meaningful interactions or connection milestones
• Trigger: Social validation moments
• Avoid: During message composition, after failed sends

Measuring and Optimizing

Review timing should be data-driven. Track these metrics:

Key Metrics

• Prompt-to-review conversion rate: What percentage of prompted users leave reviews?
• Average rating by trigger: Which moments generate the highest ratings?
• Dismissal rate: How often do users dismiss the prompt without action?
• Rating distribution shift: Is your overall rating improving?

A/B Testing Opportunities

• Test different trigger moments
• Test minimum session counts before prompting
• Test pre-prompt copy variations
• Test different milestone thresholds

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Treating All Users the Same

Power users and casual users have different relationships with your app. Segment your approach.

2. Ignoring Negative Signals

If a user has reported bugs or contacted support with complaints, don't prompt them for reviews until after resolution.

3. Relying Only on Time-Based Triggers

"Ask after 7 days" ignores actual user experience. Behavior-based triggers outperform time-based triggers.

4. Not Tracking Prompt History

Without tracking, you might prompt users who already left reviews or were recently dismissed.

5. Forgetting About Re-engagement

Users who return after a long absence are showing renewed interest. This can be a good moment if they complete a successful session.

Key Takeaways

1. Timing trumps frequency—one well-timed prompt beats ten random ones
2. Capture emotional peaks—ask after achievements, completions, and milestones
3. Avoid frustration moments—never ask after errors, crashes, or failures
4. Use behavioral triggers—session count + actions completed > days since install
5. Consider the pre-prompt—filter sentiment before triggering native prompts
6. Respect platform limits—iOS gives you only 3 chances per year
7. Test and iterate—measure which moments generate the best ratings