Introduction
Today, mobile applications (apps) have become a part of their everyday routine. Apps are used for communicating with friends or family, managing finances, learning skills, shopping online, playing games, and staying fit. There are thousands of new apps released daily through app stores; however, while some are helpful, others provide no real value and can potentially cause users harm. As such, it is essential to read the reviews for any app before downloading. In addition to helping you avoid downloading a bad app, reviewing an app also protects the users’ personal data and saves time while using their mobile device.
Many individuals will download and install apps without first reading any app reviews; however, many individuals who do so run into challenges such as excessive advertisement, hidden fees or charges, misuse of personal data, and/or poor service. Spending a few minutes reading through an app’s reviews can help users save many hours of frustration caused by not knowing the contents of the app, rather than just what the app page states.
This blog will explain the benefits of reading app reviews, the proper way to read app reviews, things to look for in app reviews that should raise concern (red flags), and protecting your device, privacy, and wallet through proper review reading. By reading this guide, you will gain insight into making informed decisions regarding which apps are best for you.
What Are App Reviews
User-generated feedback for an application is provided via app reviews. Users leave a review after downloading and using it, and many app stores display reviews for each app on their store (i.e., Google Play Store and Apple App Store). Each review contains the user’s thoughts about the application, their issues with it, what they do and do not like about it, and/or any suggestions they may have for the app.
Most app reviews contain a numerical rating (1 to 5) with higher ratings correlating to higher levels of user satisfaction. A written review contains much more information than the rating, including how well the application operates in everyday life (rather than simply how it is marketed through advertisements or screenshots).
While the developer can provide a description of the application’s functionality, the application reviews provide real-life experience and performance history for the application, thus making them one of the most reliable sources of information when researching a given application.
Why App Reviews Are Important Before Downloading
They Save Time
Installing an app can take longer than expected. There can be even longer delays when it comes to configuring the app. After waiting for an app to finish downloading, if you discover that it is a bad app, you have wasted all of the time you put into downloading and configuring it! By reading reviews of an app ahead of time, you will find out from other users how well the app works, whether there are bugs in the app, and whether or not it meets your needs.
You can quickly eliminate any apps from consideration that do not meet your needs by reading reviews. It will save you time and frustration.
They Protect Your Phone
Certain applications can slow down your smartphone’s performance, lead to overheating or frequently crashing your device. The reviews associated with these issues are abundant. Furthermore, if a large quantity of consumers are reporting battery drain issues or relating to lagging on their phone, this should be considered a red flag.
Reviewing applications is a helpful way to improve the performance of your smartphone.
They Help Avoid Scams
There are dishonest applications on the internet. Many applications advertise themselves as a certain amount per month while offering a free trial initially, then require you to pay for their product after the trial ends. Others falsely advertise features in advertisements.
By reading reviews, you can see if the application is misleading or is a scam and will save you money by letting you know what other users think about the application.
They Protect Your Privacy
Multiple applications request excessive rights, including those that monitor user habits or sell data to others. Users frequently express dissatisfaction with this practice by leaving poor reviews regarding their privacy issues.
If you see other users expressing concerns about unusual permission requests or data misuse, you may want to consider not using the application.
Understanding Star Ratings Properly
Star ratings are one of the first things people see, but you should not let them be the only measure you use.
A 5 star rating is great, but you should find out how many people rated the app. An app may have 5 stars, but you can’t rely on that if only 50 people rated the app, compared to an app with 4.2 stars that has 50,000 ratings.
You should also consider that some apps can improve over time, meaning that old bad reviews will not give you an accurate picture of the app’s current performance. Always check for recent reviews.
Star ratings can be used as an instant visual representation of the likelihood that an app is good, but written reviews will provide you with a comprehensive overview.
How to Read App Reviews the Smart Way
Focus on Recent Reviews
Application Updates Provide Bug Fixes And Create New Problems.
Read Reviews In Reverse Order, Starting With The Most Recent Reviews First.
Negative Reviews Indicate There Are Issues With The App Now, Even Though Prior Reviews Were Positive.
Look for Repeated Complaints
It might seem trivial when there is only a single negative review to consider, but if numerous individuals have reported the same issue, it becomes more serious.
Examples of frequently reported issues include an excessive amount of advertisements, applications crashing, problems logging in, poor application performance, and undisclosed fees associated with using the app. By examining these recurring patterns, you will know what can be expected from the app.
Read Both Positive and Negative Reviews
To have a comprehensive view of an application, you must check both positive and negative feedbacks/reviews.
If an application is recommended, there may also be some serious negative feedback from users. Before making a purchase, read and think about these reviews carefully.
Fake Reviews and How to Spot Them
Many reviews are dishonest, as numerous developers will create or purchase fake reviews to increase their ratings. It is essential that you learn how to identify fraudulent review.The majority of fraudulent reviews are general statements made using simple words and short sentences such as ‘great app’ or ‘very useful’ or ‘best application ever,’ and have no details.If a large number of reviews are posted at the same time using the same or extremely similar wording, take caution. Genuine users generally write in a variety of ways.If you see multiple negative reviews citing significant problems and multiple five-star reviews with no mention of these issues at all, be wary of the five-star reviews.
In summary, always prefer detailed reviews over short emotional reviews.
App Reviews and App Performance
User reviews will let you know how an app acts when it is used in the real world. Users talk about loading speed, crashes, bugs, and compatibility problems with the app. For example, some apps will work great on new phones and not work at all on older phones, and users will write about that in their reviews.
The frustration of performance issues is a common problem, and reviews can help you find applications (apps) that are going to work properly.
App Reviews and User Experience
Having great user experience is also very helpful when designing a well-functioning application that your end users will enjoy using.Reviews generally have information on the layout, navigation, design, and usability of the application being reviewed, as well as how easy the buttons are to understand and how some features may be difficult to find.If there are several users who mention that the application is difficult to understand and/or use, you should probably wait before downloading and using it again, if at all.
App Reviews and Ads
A lot of free apps have ad-breaks (which can be fine). However, some apps have too many annoying ads that just ruin the experience. Several user reviews will often mention issues with the application’s advertisements with users complaining that the ads disrupt them or display too frequently. If user reviews state that there are now “too many” advertisements in an application, it is most likely a waste of your time to use.
App Reviews and In App Purchases
There are many applications that you can download for free but end up paying for later; there are also many apps that require a subscription or a fee once installed. This practice is becoming more common, and it is often not clearly represented as part of the download process.
User reviews provide valuable insight into the cost of using applications. Many users will indicate that certain features can only be used for payment or that a subscription is required to access a specific feature.
When users post complaints about charges being added unexpectedly, there is a high chance that the application has other hidden costs that have not been disclosed prior to your purchase/installation.
App Reviews and Security Risks
It is necessary to have security. Apps may have malware or code that isn’t safe.
Some users report seeing security warnings, odd behavior, or that an app requested permissions that seem suspicious.
If people report security issues with an app, you should uninstall it or do not install it.
Reviews for Different Types of Apps
App Reviews vs App Descriptions
Developers create descriptions for apps that emphasize what works, while minimizing what does not work.
Users will talk about what happened to them when using the product. Their comments show how they feel about it.
You need first-hand accounts to see the real picture. Descriptions do not capture enough of the details by themselves.
How Many Reviews Are Enough
An application that has limited reviews may be a little bit more risky as they may not have been out for too long or are not very popular.The greater number of users that an application has, the better the feedback about that application and the more trustworthy it becomes.Even applications that are well-known and have lots of users sometimes have issues; so always check out current reviews.
How Reviews Influence App Rankings
App Store algorithms use ratings and reviews to rank apps. Higher-rated apps get more visibility.
That’s why app creators are so concerned with their reviews. Making sure that their app is a great experience through real customer feedback can significantly impact quality.
Your reviews can make a much larger difference than you may realize.
Should You Trust Influencer App Reviews
Apps and their use by users are highly regarded and often published on social media by Influencers, with many receiving payment for their reviews; therefore, it is important to verify an Influencer’s opinion by checking with user reviews in app stores for reliability prior to purchasing an app.
Why Skipping Reviews Is a Bad Habit
People uninstall applications right away when they don’t read reviews. Making a decision without first checking the review can lead to making a poor decision.People wasting time and storage because they do not read reviews.People who read reviews are doing due diligence; they get the best app possible and make the most of their digital lives.
Final Thoughts
Reviews play a significant role in deciding which applications will be beneficial to use. You can learn from previous users if they have encountered issues with an app, been charged incorrectly, shared too much personal information, downloaded a scam app, etc.
Reviews help reduce the chance of downloading an app that could cause problems; therefore, developing a habit of reading reviews before downloading is essential for increasing the enjoyment you get from using apps.
So whenever you go to download an app, take the time to read its reviews completely to determine whether it has had positive or negative responses by looking at how users have rated it and what specific issues they encountered (for example, a particular feature does not function as intended).
