How to read a Google Play listing

Installs bands, ratings, content ratings, data safety and the dates that tell you whether an app is maintained.

Installs

Google rounds installs down to a band (100K+, 1M+, 10M+). An app with 1M+ may have 1.01 million or 4.9 million. The entries here add an estimate inside the band.

Rating

The average from one to five stars, weighted toward recent ratings. Check the number of ratings next to it: a 4.9 from 40 ratings says little.

Dates

The last update is the best maintenance signal. An app not updated for two years may stop working on new Android versions, and Google limits the visibility of apps that target very old Android releases.

Content rating

An age rating issued through the IARC questionnaire: Everyone, Teen, Mature 17+ and so on. It describes content, not quality.

Monetisation flags

"Contains ads" and "In-app purchases" are declared by the developer. The price range of purchases is shown when available.