Over 6 million apps sit in the major app stores today, yet only a tiny fraction ever make real money or gain meaningful traction. That's a sobering reality for anyone thinking about building an app. Most apps get downloaded a handful of times, used once or twice, then forgotten forever—buried in the digital graveyard of abandoned home screens.
The difference between apps that succeed and those that fail isn't luck or timing (though both help). It comes down to understanding the specific factors that drive app store success and knowing how to execute them properly. After working with hundreds of app projects, I've seen the same patterns emerge time and again.
Success in the app store isn't about having the most features or the biggest budget—it's about solving real problems in ways that people actually want to use
This guide breaks down the key app store success factors that separate winning apps from the millions gathering digital dust. We'll explore what makes users download your app, how to get found amongst all that competition, and the metrics that actually matter for long-term success. No fluff, no theory—just practical insight based on what works in the real world of successful mobile apps.
Understanding Your App's Purpose
Before you write a single line of code or sketch your first wireframe, you need to answer one question: why does your app need to exist? I know it sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many people skip this step and jump straight into building something without really knowing what problem they're solving.
Your app's purpose isn't just what it does—it's why people should care about it. Think about the apps you use every day. Instagram isn't just a photo-sharing app; it helps people connect and share moments. Uber isn't just a taxi app; it makes getting around easier when you need it most. Each successful app has a clear reason for being there.
Finding Your App's Core Purpose
Start by writing down the main problem your app solves. Not five problems, not three—just one. The most successful apps focus on doing one thing really well rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
- What specific problem does your app solve?
- Who exactly has this problem?
- How are people currently solving this problem?
- Why is your solution better than what's already available?
Once you can answer these questions clearly, you'll have a solid foundation for everything else—from design decisions to marketing messages. Without this clarity, you're just building features and hoping something sticks.
Building Something People Actually Want
Here's the harsh truth I've learnt after years of building apps—most fail not because they're poorly coded or badly designed, but because nobody actually wants them. I've watched brilliant developers spend months perfecting features that solve problems people don't have. It's heartbreaking and expensive.
The secret to building something people want isn't rocket science, but it does require you to step outside your own head. Start by talking to real people who might use your app. Not your friends or family—they'll lie to spare your feelings—but strangers who have no reason to be polite. Ask them about their daily frustrations, what apps they currently use, and what makes them delete apps from their phones.
Research That Actually Matters
Before writing a single line of code, you need to understand these key areas:
- What problem are you solving that isn't already solved well?
- Who specifically has this problem and how badly do they want it fixed?
- What would make someone choose your solution over existing alternatives?
- How often would people realistically use your app?
Download and use your competitors' apps for a week. Make notes about what frustrates you—that's where your opportunity lies.
Building something people want means being honest about whether your idea solves a real problem or just one you think exists.
Getting Found in the App Store
Building a brilliant app is only half the battle—getting people to actually find it amongst millions of other apps is where the real challenge begins. I've watched countless amazing apps disappear into obscurity simply because their creators thought "if you build it, they will come." Trust me, they won't!
The app stores work a bit like search engines; they want to show users the most relevant and popular apps for what they're looking for. Your app's name, description, and keywords all play a part in helping the store understand what your app does. But here's what many people get wrong—they stuff their descriptions with every possible keyword they can think of. The stores are smarter than that these days.
What Really Matters for App Store Visibility
- A clear, descriptive app name that tells people what it does
- High-quality screenshots that show your app in action
- Regular updates that show you're actively maintaining the app
- Positive reviews and ratings from real users
- A compelling app description that focuses on benefits, not features
The most successful apps I've worked on focus on getting those first few hundred downloads and reviews through friends, family, and early supporters. Once you have that foundation, the app stores start to take notice and may begin showing your app to more people organically.
Creating an App That Works Beautifully
I've seen apps that look stunning but crash every five minutes, and I've seen apps that work perfectly but look like they were designed in someone's garage back in 2008. Neither approach leads to app store success factors that actually matter to users—you need both form and function working together.
The thing about successful mobile apps is they make complex things feel simple. Your users shouldn't need a manual to figure out how to book a taxi or order their morning coffee; they should just tap a few buttons and get what they want. But here's where it gets tricky—making something simple often means doing a lot of complicated work behind the scenes.
Performance That People Can Feel
Speed matters more than you might think. When your app takes more than three seconds to load, people start getting impatient. When it takes five seconds, they're already looking for alternatives. This isn't just about app store optimisation—it's about basic user expectations.
A beautifully designed app that doesn't work properly is like a sports car with a broken engine—it might look good, but it won't get you anywhere
Design That Makes Sense
Good design isn't about following the latest trends or making everything look minimal and white. It's about understanding how people actually use their phones and designing around those behaviours. People scroll with their thumbs, they multitask, and they're often distracted when using apps. Your design needs to work with these realities, not against them, if you want to see positive app success metrics that keep users engaged long-term.
Keeping Users Coming Back
Getting people to download your app is one thing—keeping them engaged is something else entirely. I've watched countless apps launch with a bang only to see their user numbers drop off a cliff within weeks. The harsh reality is that most people will delete your app if they don't see immediate value or if it becomes a hassle to use.
Make Every Interaction Count
The secret to retention lies in those first few moments after someone opens your app. If they can't figure out what to do or why they should care, you've lost them. Your onboarding needs to be smooth and show value quickly—not through lengthy tutorials, but by letting people experience what makes your app special right away.
Build Habits, Not Dependencies
The apps that stick around become part of people's daily routines. Think about the apps you use every day; they solve a problem you have regularly or make something easier. Push notifications can help remind users you exist, but they need to be useful, not annoying. Send too many and people will either turn them off or delete your app entirely. The goal is to become genuinely helpful in someone's life, not just another icon taking up space on their phone.
Measuring What Actually Matters
Right, let's talk about numbers—but not the vanity ones that make you feel good at dinner parties. I've worked with clients who get obsessed with download counts, showing off their 100,000 downloads like it's some kind of trophy. But here's the thing: those downloads mean absolutely nothing if nobody's actually using your app.
The app success metrics that actually matter are the ones that tell you whether people find your app valuable. Daily active users, retention rates after seven days, and how long people spend in your app—these paint the real picture. If someone downloads your app and deletes it within 24 hours, that's not success, that's a problem.
Focus on Behaviour, Not Vanity
Monthly active users and session length are goldmines of information. They tell you if people are coming back and if they're staying long enough to get value from what you've built. Revenue per user matters too, obviously, but only if you've got users who stick around first.
Track your app's retention rate at day 1, day 7, and day 30. If less than 25% of users return after day 1, you've got serious work to do on your onboarding experience.
App store optimisation becomes meaningless if your core metrics are rubbish. Fix the fundamentals first, then worry about getting more people through the door.
Learning from Real Success Stories
I've watched countless apps launch over the years—some soar to the top of the charts whilst others disappear without a trace. The ones that make it aren't always the most technically brilliant or beautifully designed. They're the ones that solve real problems for real people.
Take Instagram, for example. When it launched, photo-sharing apps weren't new. But Instagram made sharing photos simple and fun with those iconic filters. They understood that people wanted to make their everyday photos look special without needing professional skills. The app did one thing brilliantly rather than trying to do everything.
What successful apps have in common
Looking at the apps that have made it big, there are clear patterns. They all focus on solving one problem really well. They make complex tasks feel simple. Most importantly, they understand their users completely—not just what they want, but how they behave and when they use the app.
- They solve a genuine problem that lots of people have
- The solution feels obvious once you use it
- They work perfectly on the first try
- Users can achieve their goal quickly
- The app becomes part of people's daily routine
The apps that fail often try to be everything to everyone. Success comes from being something specific to the right people.
Conclusion
After eight years of building apps that succeed—and watching plenty that don't—I can tell you that app store success factors aren't really mysterious. They're just harder to execute than most people think. You need an app that solves a real problem, gets discovered by the right people, works beautifully, and keeps users engaged long enough to matter.
The successful mobile apps I've worked on all share these same traits. They didn't happen by accident. Every decision from the initial concept through to ongoing updates was made with users in mind. App store optimisation helped them get found, but it was the user experience that made them stay. The app success metrics we tracked told us what was working and what wasn't—but only because we knew which numbers actually mattered.
Building a successful app isn't about following a secret formula or copying what worked for someone else. It's about understanding your users, solving their problems better than anyone else, and then making sure they can find you when they need you. The rest is just good execution and patience. Most overnight successes took years to get there, and the app store is no different.
