Answer the complaint the reviewer made, in their words: say what broke, what you changed or will change and in which version, and give a private way to reach you. Keep it short, keep personal details and marketing out, and never argue. Pick the reply by the complaint, because a crash, a refund and a redesign each need a different answer.
Named as a OneStar report names its complaint themes. Change the parts in brackets to what the reviewer said, and cut what does not apply; Apple recommends personal replies over generic ones, and Google discourages automated replies.
The reviewer names what broke. Say which version fixes it, or when.
Thanks for telling us, and sorry [the app closed when you opened a lesson]. We found the cause and the fix is in version [x.y], out [this week]. If it still happens after you update, email [support address] with your phone model and we will look at it directly.
A locked out user cannot fix it from the review. Move them to a private channel without asking for details in public.
Sorry you are locked out. Please email [support address] from the address on your account (never post it here) and we will get you back in, usually within [a day]. If the code never arrives, check spam and that you are on version [x.y].
Lost work is the most serious complaint. Stop them doing something that makes it worse.
Sorry, losing [your notes] is serious. Please do not reinstall yet, because that can remove the copy on your phone. Email [support address] with the date it happened and we will check whether it can be restored on our side.
Ask for the one detail you need to reproduce it.
Thanks for the detail. Battery drain on [device] is something we can test. Could you email [support address] with your phone and [iOS or Android] version? [Version x.y stops a background sync that kept running.]
You will not change the price in a reply. Say what is free, what the plan pays for, and that you heard it.
Thanks for being straight with us about the price. [The free plan still includes X.] [The paid plan] pays for [what it pays for]. We read reviews like this one when we look at pricing, and yours is on the list.
Purchases through the store are refunded by the store. Apple asks you to send billing problems to Apple Support.
Sorry about the charge. Purchases made through [the App Store or Google Play] are refunded by [Apple or Google], at [Apple's Report a Problem page or your Google Play order history]. If a charge looks wrong on our side, email [support address] with the date and we will look into it.
Name the change if there is one. If there is a paid way out, say what it costs, once.
Fair point on the ads, and thanks for saying exactly where they get in the way. [In version x.y we removed the ad after each lesson.] [The ad free plan is X a month if you want none at all.]
Be honest about whether it is coming. Edit the reply when it ships.
Thanks, [offline mode] is one of our most asked for features, and this helps us weigh it. It is [planned for the spring or not planned yet, because ...]. We will update this reply when it ships.
People rarely want the old version back whole. Find the one thing they lost.
Sorry the update made [finding your playlists] harder. You are not the only one who said so. In version [x.y] we are [bringing back the tab bar]. Until then, [the old view is under Settings, Layout].
The review is about you not answering. Answer, and give a time.
Sorry you did not hear back. That is on us. Please email [support address] with [the date of your message] and a person on the team will reply within [a day].
Sources: Apple on ratings, reviews and responses, read October 25, 2026, Play Console Help on ratings and reviews, Google Play Developer API on replying to reviews
From public OneStar reports, refreshed with each run. Apps that do the same job reply at very different rates, and a reader comparing them on the store page sees the difference.
| App | Reviews with a reply | 1 and 2 star reviews with a reply |
|---|---|---|
| Cronometer: Calorie Counter | over 99% of 1,640 | 100% of 323 |
| MyFitnessPal: Calorie Counter | 97% of 1,426 | 96% of 887 |
| Lose It! – Calorie Counter | 9% of 1,525 | 14% of 612 |
| App | Reviews with a reply | 1 and 2 star reviews with a reply |
|---|---|---|
| Bumble Dating App: Meet & Date | 22% of 1,419 | 22% of 1,162 |
| Hinge Dating App: Match & Date | 3% of 1,499 | 3% of 1,052 |
| Tinder Dating App: Date & Chat | 1% of 1,214 | 1% of 877 |
| App | Reviews with a reply | 1 and 2 star reviews with a reply |
|---|---|---|
| Cash App | 88% of 1,262 | 85% of 375 |
| PayPal - Pay, Send, Save | 1% of 1,339 | 1% of 720 |
| Venmo | under 1% of 1,363 | under 1% of 712 |
On Pro and Max, OneStar's reply inbox lists your App Store and Google Play reviews in one place, with the complaint theme Jev found in each. Save templates like these by stars and theme, and the inbox suggests the one that fits each review for you to edit and send. OneStar never writes or sends a reply on its own. The reply inbox page has the details, and the rating drop checklist covers what to fix first.
Cite this page: link https://onestar.sh/guides/reply-to-negative-app-reviews and name OneStar and the date you read it. Reply rates load from public OneStar reports and the store rules link to Apple and Google. Shares in OneStar reports are of all judged reviewers unless the report says otherwise.
No. Apple suggests putting the lowest ratings and reviews about technical problems in the current version first. Reply where a reply can help: a bug you fixed, a question you can answer, a person who needs support. Report abusive or spam reviews instead of replying.
It can. Both stores notify the reviewer, who can then update the review. Play Console's Updated ratings section shows how many users changed their rating after a reply, and in which direction. Reviews with a reply are often edited upward, though developers also reply most to low ratings, so read it as association.
350 characters, set by Google's reply API. Apple's guidance sets no length and asks for concise responses. Every template on this page fits under 350 before the brackets are filled in.
Apple recommends personalizing responses rather than reusing a generic one for similar reviews, and Google discourages automated replies. A template is a start: change the bracketed parts to what this reviewer said, and cut what does not apply.
Do not ask in the reply. Google says replies should not solicit or promote, and both stores already tell the reviewer you replied. Say what you fixed; the reviewer decides whether to update.
Six steps, a spreadsheet version and a worked example on a live report.
What App Store Connect and Play Console measure, why they say not enough data, and where reviews fit.
Five checks in order, the store rules for asking for ratings, and live rating drops.
Five steps, weak spots against category gaps, and a worked example on three note apps.
The bands behind each label, which reviews count, language scores, and what live games need to move.
Three tells, the rule OneStar uses, and seven games with Steam's own counts.
Steam reviews carry no version, so a patch is read through the weeks before and after it.
Search your app and OneStar sorts its reviews by complaint, with the reviews behind every number. Run a report free: 3 report runs a month of up to 500 reviews each and 1,500 reviews a month in all. No card needed.