App Store featuring
App Store featuring is when the store’s editorial team highlights an app on a curated surface — most visibly Apple’s Today tab — rather than the app appearing through search or charts. It is editorial: human editors select apps for quality, design, and story, and it cannot be bought (it is not advertising). Featuring can drive a large, if temporary, spike in installs and visibility, which is why developers actively pursue it through Apple’s Featuring Nominations process. It is distinct from both keyword ranking and paid placement.
- Featuring is editorial promotion chosen by the store’s human editors — it is separate from keyword search ranking and from paid ads.
- Apple lets you request consideration via Featuring Nominations in App Store Connect (new content, app enhancements, or an app launch).
- Give Apple lead time: a minimum of two weeks, and up to three months in advance for wider consideration.
- Featured content can appear on the Today tab (iPhone/iPad), the Discover tab (Mac), and the Apps & Games tab on Apple Vision Pro.
- There’s no checklist, but Apple weighs user experience (cohesive, valuable functionality) and UI design quality — so polish and a clear story matter.
How App Store featuring works
On the App Store, featuring runs through Apple’s editorial team and you can actively put yourself forward using Featuring Nominations in App Store Connect. You submit a nomination describing new content, an app enhancement, or an app launch, individually or via a CSV upload, ideally well ahead of time — Apple asks for a minimum of two weeks’ notice and recommends up to three months in advance for the widest consideration. If you’re selected for the Today tab, Apple notifies you through the App Store Connect app and provides assets to share. Google Play runs its own editorial program (Editors’ Choice and curated collections) on a comparable, human-curated basis.
The key property is that this is editorial, not algorithmic and not paid — you can request consideration and make your app worth featuring, but you cannot buy a feature or guarantee one.
- Submit Featuring Nominations in App Store Connect (new content / enhancement / launch).
- Lead time: minimum two weeks; up to three months for wider consideration.
- Surfaces: Today tab (iPhone/iPad), Discover (Mac), Apps & Games (Vision Pro).
Featuring vs ranking — and how to improve your odds
Featuring and ranking are different discovery channels. Ranking is the algorithmic position of your app in search and charts, driven by relevance, ratings, and conversion. Featuring is an editorial decision by Apple’s or Google’s team. The two interact — a featured app gets an install spike whose ratings and downloads can help ranking afterward — but featuring itself is not a ranking signal you optimize with keywords.
To improve your odds, Apple’s guidance points at quality rather than a checklist: a polished, cohesive user experience and strong UI design, a clear story (a meaningful launch, update, or event), good use of platform features, and timely nominations submitted with enough lead time. In short, build something genuinely worth featuring, then nominate it well.
- Ranking is algorithmic; featuring is an editorial human decision — different channels.
- Improve odds with polish, a clear story, platform-feature use, and timely nominations.
- A feature drives a spike; the resulting installs and ratings can help ranking afterward.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to get featured on the App Store?
It means Apple’s editorial team highlights your app on a curated surface like the Today tab, chosen for quality, design, and story. It’s editorial promotion — separate from keyword search ranking and from paid ads — and can drive a large, temporary spike in installs.
How do I get my app featured on the App Store?
Submit a Featuring Nomination in App Store Connect for new content, an app enhancement, or an app launch — individually or by CSV — with lead time (Apple asks for at least two weeks, and recommends up to three months). There’s no checklist, but Apple weighs user experience and UI design quality.
Can I pay to get featured?
No. Featuring is editorial and cannot be bought — it’s distinct from Apple Search Ads, which is paid placement. You can request consideration through Featuring Nominations and make your app worth featuring, but you cannot purchase or guarantee a feature.
Is featuring the same as ranking high in search?
No. Ranking is your algorithmic position in search and charts (driven by relevance, ratings, and conversion); featuring is a human editorial decision. They interact — a feature’s install and rating spike can help ranking afterward — but featuring is not a keyword-optimizable ranking signal.
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