How to research your App Store competitors
Your competitors have already run thousands of experiments. Reading them carefully tells you what users want, which searches are winnable and where the gaps are.
1. Find who you really compete with
Your real competitors are the apps that show up for the searches your users type, not just the biggest names in your category. Search the App Store for your main keywords and note the apps in the top results, then do the same in your most important countries.
- Direct: same job, same audience.
- Adjacent: different approach to the same problem.
- Aspirational: bigger apps in your space whose moves set expectations.
2. See what they rank for
The searches a competitor ranks for tell you which words bring them installs. Compare them with yours: keywords with real volume where they rank well and you don't are your shortlist. Pay most attention to searches where several mid-sized apps rank, since that usually means the search is winnable.
3. Estimate how they earn
Download and revenue figures for other people's apps are always estimates, built from rankings and market data, so treat them as direction rather than truth. They're still useful: an app that keeps climbing in estimated revenue is doing something right, and a sudden jump often points to a new feature, price or marketing push you can look into.
Look at their pricing too: weekly versus yearly plans, trial length and what's behind the paywall. Pricing is one of the easiest things to learn from.
4. Read their reviews like a product manager
One- and two-star reviews are a free list of unmet needs. Group the complaints: missing features, bugs, pricing frustration, confusing setup. Repeated complaints that nobody fixes are your opportunity, and the exact words people use are often keywords too.
5. Track changes over time
A single snapshot goes stale fast. What matters is what changes: a new version and its release notes, a price change, a new subtitle, a rating drop. Tracking a handful of key competitors every day turns their experiments into your roadmap.
- New versions and release notes
- Price and plan changes
- Listing changes (name, subtitle, screenshots)
- Rating moves and waves of complaints
Questions
How many competitors should I track?
Start with three to five direct competitors in your main market. Add more as you expand to new countries or features.
Are competitor revenue numbers accurate?
They're estimates based on rankings and market data. Use them to compare apps and spot trends, not as exact figures.