How is the Ratings over Time monthly and weekly calculated?

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On the Ratings page you can view the Ratings over Time Weekly or Monthly charts. The app stores do not provide individual or historical ratings, we take a snapshot of the daily cumulative star ratings count each day and use these to calculate the ratings.

Ratings over Time – Weekly

When you select the Ratings over Time – Weekly (1) option it uses the filters selected on the right (2) to update the chart to the weekly ratings data (3).

Hover over the weekly chart to see the weekly star ratings count breakdown, average and the total ratings count, as well as the day and time (UTC) of the ratings snapshots used in the calculations.

The weekly chart data is calculated from the Monday to Sunday. The star ratings counts are calculated by taking the delta (that is the difference) between the counts on the Monday compared with the following Monday.

Ratings over Time – Monthly

When you select the Ratings over Time – Monthly (1) option it uses the filters selected on the right (2) to update the chart to the weekly ratings data (3).

Hover over the month to see the monthly star ratings count breakdown, average and the total ratings count, as well as the day and time (UTC) of the ratings snapshots used in the calculations.

The monthly chart data uses the calendar month and is calculated from the first day of the month to the first day of the following month. The star ratings counts are calculated by taking the delta (that is the difference) between the counts on the first day of the month to the following first day of the month.

Ratings over Time – Daily

As the Ratings is only available as a daily cumulative snapshot and the fluctuations in the data from the app store, we do not recommend analysing ratings for a period of under a week.

If you do need to see the daily ratings data you need to select a 24 hour period in the Ratings filter. If you select the same day in the time filter it will show 0 as it will not be able to calculate the difference.

For example if you select 16 November – 16 November 2024 it will show the Ratings Count and Ratings Average as 0:

If you select the 15 November – 16 November 2024, it will show you the Ratings Count and Ratings Average for the 16 November 2024:

The Ratings Count shown above is calculated is the difference between the Ratings on the 15 November and the 16 November 2024:

Why is it showing 0 ratings for the time period when the individual star rating counts have changed?

Due to the fluctuations in the ratings from changes in the algorithm used by the app store, app store moderation of ratings or customers changing or deleting their ratings the number of ratings for a selected time period can be 0 or even a negative number. If the overall rating count for the period has actually reduced, it will show as 0 ratings for the period however, it will show the average rating for the period:

FAQs

How to see the global app ratings weekly or monthly charts?

You can see the global data by closing the country filter on the right.

Why can’t I see weekly or monthly ratings charts for Google public ratings?

The Google public ratings include an undisclosed weighted average (rumoured to be based on the last 20% of app reviews) so we are unable to share the ratings star breakdown as it is not accurate. We use these star breakdowns to calculate the weekly and monthly stats.

What is the difference between Google public and private ratings?

If you are analyzing Google Play apps please check out this support article that explains the difference between Google private and public ratings.

The data doesn’t match what was expected?

Please check the filters you have selected on the right including the country and time period. Also check the dates that each chart covers by hovering over the chart. If they are correct, please contact our Support team.

Why are the ratings counts fluctuating?

There are many reasons that the ratings count can fluctuate, as explained in this support article.

If you need any further assistance on app ratings, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or check out our FAQ section here.

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About The Author

Tracy Cordwell

Tracy is Head of Customer Experience at Appbot. She has worked in the software industry for over 20 years in many different roles, including as a Product Manager, UX Designer and Project Manager. She has worked on hundreds of digital products from mobile apps, websites, e-commerce and enterprise software. She holds an array of qualifications including a PgC in UX Design, an MBA and a MPM. When Tracy is not helping Appbot customers stay ahead of the curve you can usually find her on a basketball court or buried in a book.