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App store competitor analysis
Updated
What is app competitor research?
App competitor analysis compares rival mobile apps on installs, review count and rating, category rank, the keywords they target, monthly and daily active users, retention and conversion. The Play Store and App Store give installs, ratings and rank for free; usage and retention need an app intelligence tool such as data.ai (formerly App Annie).
Why it matters
For app-first products the store listing is the storefront. Ratings and review themes show what users love and hate, and rank and installs show momentum.
What to capture
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Installs | Install range on the Play Store, estimates for iOS |
| Reviews and ratings | Count, average rating and how often new reviews arrive |
| Category and rank | Category and position over time |
| Keywords and description | Title, keywords and description length |
| Active users | Monthly and daily active users |
| Retention and conversion | How many users stay and how many pay |
Where to find it
- Google Play Store: Install ranges, ratings and reviews
- Apple App Store: Ratings, reviews and category rank
- data.ai (formerly App Annie): Downloads, active users and retention estimates
How to do it, step by step
- Record each competitor's title, category, rating, review count and install range.
- Note their category rank and check it again each month.
- Read the latest 50 reviews and tag the common praise and complaints.
- Compare keywords in titles and descriptions.
- Add active users and retention from an app intelligence tool if you have access.
Questions this answers
- Which competitor app is gaining rank fastest?
- What do reviewers complain about most?
- Which keywords do the top apps target?
Do this research in CompetitionOS
Add each competitor app to CompetitionOS with its store link, keep review findings in project notes, and save store snapshots as dated evidence.
- Find competitors with AI discovery or from the Google results for your keywords
- Keep one shared competitor library across projects, split by direct, indirect and search competitors
- Save evidence with its source: search results, website snapshots and SEMrush data
- Check whether ChatGPT and Claude mention your brand, and which competitors they name instead
- Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor so an assistant can do the research for you
- Export every project to CSV or Excel
Are AI assistants recommending you, or your competitors?
Buyers now ask ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity which tool to use. CompetitionOS runs the questions your buyers ask, records which brands each answer names, and shows where competitors are mentioned and you are not. That is answer engine optimisation (AEO), alongside your SEO.
Frequently asked questions
How can I see a competitor app's downloads?
The Play Store shows an install range such as 1M+. For more precise numbers and iOS estimates, use an app intelligence tool.
What is a good app retention rate?
It varies by category. Compare competitors in the same category rather than using a single benchmark.