App Reviews Lab guide

Start with the sample

Open the sample: two made-up fitness apps with generated reviews in both stores. It works offline and fills every view.

Add an app and check it

1. 1

   Add an app

   Paste an App Store or Google Play link, type a name, or both. One app keeps one page in each store.

2. 2

   Confirm the match

   With only a name, Desktop searches both stores and ranks the hits as strong, likely or weak. Pick the right one.

3. 3

   Press Check

   The Lab shows the request count and the time first. Reviews come with the text, stars, date and app version.

4. 4

   Watch it

   Turn on the weekly re-check while Desktop is open.

The six views

• Ratings: star split, average, low rated share and the count per store next to the store's own rating.
• Complaints and requests: top complaint, request and praise themes with counts, share, what is new and example quotes.
• Versions: which app version reviews were written for, with the count and average rating of each, where the store says.
• Reviews: the reviews themselves, with a link to the store. Filter by store, stars, date or keyword.
• Compare: up to 5 apps side by side, with one complaint matrix.
• Changes: new reviews since the last check, lowest rated first, and how each theme moved.

Honest limits

• Counts are of the reviews fetched. They are not every review in the store.
• Themes are counted from the words reviewers used. They show what people say, not why.
• Apple allows about 20 searches a minute, so Desktop spaces requests out.
• Reviews of software sold to businesses are on the Software Reviews Lab, not here.

Pin, watch and ask

Pin a quote or theme to the evidence board. Every action is an MCP tool: see the App Reviews Lab group in the tools reference.