Is Google Play ASO different from App Store ASO?

Yes. On Google Play the description carries much more weight for ranking and leaves room for long-tail keywords. Google Play is also more open and less complicated in terms of rules, but there is more competition and, in my experience, its users tend to spend less.

What are the Google Play listing character limits?

According to Google, the app name has a 30-character limit, the short description 80 and the full description 4,000.

Do crashes and ANRs affect Google Play rankings?

Yes. Google says that if your app exceeds an Android vitals bad behaviour threshold, Play may reduce its visibility and show users a warning on your listing. Neither Google nor Apple is going to promote an app full of bugs for free.

Can I A/B test on Google Play?

Yes, with Play Console store listing experiments: you can test up to 2 variants against your current listing, on graphics such as the icon, feature graphic and screenshots, or on localised descriptions.

How long does Google Play ASO take to show results?

Three months at the very least. It is slower than the App Store, so I measure every month and decide the next changes on data.

How much does Google Play ASO cost?

I do not publish prices: it depends on the app, the languages and whether we also work on the App Store. After the free mini audit I send you a proposal with a fixed-price foundation and optional monthly management.

Services

Google Play ASO consultant: rank your app on Google Play

Google Play doesn't work like the App Store. It has its own ranking rules, and the description and your app's stability carry far more weight than most people think.

Updated 17 October 2026Aitor Fernández

Start with a free mini audit of your store listing: no strings attached, no cost.

Book 20 minutes or send me an email

Who it's for

Indie developers with an Android app that doesn't show up in Google Play search.
Game studios that get a large share of their downloads from Google Play and want more out of organic.
Companies with an app on both stores that have worked on the App Store and left Google Play half done.

The problem I solve: a lot of Google Play listings are a copy of the App Store one, with a short description that ignores how much weight Google gives that text, and with stability problems nobody looks at that hold rankings back.

What's included

Google Play keywords and metadata: app name, short description and, above all, a full description built around long-tail keywords.
Creatives: icon, feature graphic, screenshots and video.
Store listing experiments to test icon, graphics and descriptions.
Custom store listings by country or by search where it makes sense.
Promotional content to give visibility to events, offers and major updates.
An Android vitals review: crashes and ANRs, so the team knows what's holding rankings back.
Monthly tracking of impressions, downloads, conversion and rankings.

What Google Play says (and why it matters)

Listing limits: 30 characters for the app name, 80 for the short description and 4,000 for the full description (Play Console Help). Those 4,000 characters are room for long-tail keywords that you don't get on iOS.
Store listing experiments: up to 2 variants against your current listing, on the main listing or on custom store listings (Play Console Help).
Custom store listings: up to 50, targeted by country, ads traffic, pre-registration or the search terms users find your app with, among other options (Play Console Help).
Promotional content: events, offers and major updates shown across Google Play, for example on your listing and in search results (Play Console Help).
Android vitals: the overall bad behaviour threshold is a 1.09% user-perceived crash rate and a 0.47% ANR rate. Go above them and Google Play may reduce your app's visibility and show a warning on your listing (Android Developers).

That's why Google Play ASO often starts with stability: neither Google nor Apple is going to promote an app that's full of bugs for free.

The experience behind it

Redvel Games titles on Google Play. As ASO Consultant I worked on and launched, among others, Soccer Star Hero, Idle Clicker Hero and Soccer Star Football Cards, with everything localised down to the last country.
Atalana Games: over 1M organic downloads. With Idle Island Tycoon and Idle Vikings Tycoon we passed a million organic downloads in the middle of the idle games boom, built on long-tail keywords and a lot of localisation.
Around 7 years in ASO across both stores, including App Radar's largest accounts and the CoinMarketCap app.

How we work, in 4 steps

Free mini audit. If your app is already live, I review your Google Play listing and tell you what I'd change first. No commitment.
Proposal. A fixed-price foundation that gets your Google Play listing in shape, plus optional monthly management.
Paid upfront, no lock-in. You pay before each phase starts and can stop whenever you want.
Work and measurement. I make the changes, run experiments and measure every month. On Google Play, results take at least three months to show.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Play ASO different from App Store ASO?: Yes. On Google Play the description carries much more weight for ranking and leaves room for long-tail keywords. Google Play is also more open and less complicated in terms of rules, but there is more competition and, in my experience, its users tend to spend less.
What are the Google Play listing character limits?: According to Google, the app name has a 30-character limit, the short description 80 and the full description 4,000.
Do crashes and ANRs affect Google Play rankings?: Yes. Google says that if your app exceeds an Android vitals bad behaviour threshold, Play may reduce its visibility and show users a warning on your listing. Neither Google nor Apple is going to promote an app full of bugs for free.
Can I A/B test on Google Play?: Yes, with Play Console store listing experiments: you can test up to 2 variants against your current listing, on graphics such as the icon, feature graphic and screenshots, or on localised descriptions.
How long does Google Play ASO take to show results?: Three months at the very least. It is slower than the App Store, so I measure every month and decide the next changes on data.
How much does Google Play ASO cost?: I do not publish prices: it depends on the app, the languages and whether we also work on the App Store. After the free mini audit I send you a proposal with a fixed-price foundation and optional monthly management.

Related service

Free mini audit

Could your store listing be winning more downloads?

If your app is already live, I will review your listing for free and tell you what I would change first. No strings attached, no cost.

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