Separate the different kinds of rating
A public App Store or Google Play rating belongs to the experience submitted through that store. A RateMyApp community rating is an optional opinion published on RateMyApp after a testing report. A self-assessment scorecard is your own record of selected quality checks. These measures use different inputs and should not be merged into one advertised average. Name the source, sample and version whenever you share a score with your team.
Give participants something concrete to evaluate
Choose a working build, supported device and core outcome. Ask someone to attempt a task, report where they hesitated and describe the expected and actual result. Do not request a minimum score or provide a ready-made favorable review. If the task fails, keep the evidence: a reproducible blocker may be more useful to the release decision than an unexplained five-star opinion. Check distribution-specific rules before offering any participation incentive.
Use the result to improve a release decision
Group observations by the journey and reproduce significant failures. Keep suggestions distinct from blockers and record which findings remain uncertain. After a fix, identify the new build and repeat the same condition; ask fresh participants when prior knowledge could affect the result. A high private grade cannot guarantee store approval or a favorable public review. Real release users must remain free to express their own views without rewards conditioned on public posting or sentiment.
Working example
Illustrative result: two participants attempt first-use note creation. One finishes but cannot explain how to find the saved note; the other encounters a permission blocker. The next test focuses on saved-item discovery and permission refusal, rather than asking for more stars. These fictional observations show how to form a brief. They are not customer testimonials, platform activity or evidence that a particular app will convert better after a change.
Create a grading scorecardYour next steps
- Label community, self-assessment and store scores separately.
- Ask for the task and observations behind the opinion.
- Preserve criticism and blocked-task evidence.
- Retest a recorded change instead of promising a rating lift.
Official sources
Sources checked October 2, 2026. Review the current provider documentation before acting on requirements.
Turn the next test into something useful.
Publish a focused brief on RateMyApp. Credits fund approved private reports; public store reviews are voluntary and unrewarded.
List your app for feedback