App Store Optimization in 2026 Is a Different Game Than It Was

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

App Store Optimization was, in its early form, a relatively straightforward keyword game. Include the right terms in your app title and description, achieve a certain volume of downloads and ratings, and the app store algorithm would surface your app to relevant searches. The practitioners who figured this out first made significant money. The techniques spread, the competition intensified, and the algorithm changed — as algorithms always do when they are being gamed at scale.

The App Store's 30 Percent Problem Is Not Going Away Quietly

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Apple’s App Store commission structure has been the subject of regulatory scrutiny, antitrust litigation, developer revolt, and congressional testimony for five years. The outcome of all this attention is a commission structure that has changed at the margins while remaining fundamentally intact at its core. The 30 percent standard rate — reduced to 15 percent for developers earning under a million dollars annually and for certain subscription renewals — continues to apply to the overwhelming majority of App Store revenue.

Google Play on App Coding

App Store Optimization in 2026 Is a Different Game Than It Was

The App Store's 30 Percent Problem Is Not Going Away Quietly