How to estimate how many downloads an app has
No store publishes exact downloads for other people's apps. A few public signals get you to the right order of magnitude.
Start with Google Play's install band ("1M+"), which Google publishes for every app. For the App Store, use the number of ratings: apps typically collect a rating from a small share of installs, so multiply the count by a range rather than one number. Top-chart rank and review pace tell you whether it's growing now.
Which public signals show downloads?
Four of them, each with a different accuracy.
| Signal | Where | What it tells you | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install band | Google Play listing | Lifetime installs, in bands (100K+, 1M+, 10M+) | Exact band, wide range |
| Ratings count | App Store and Google Play listings | Roughly scales with installs | Order of magnitude |
| Top-chart rank | Store charts by category | How many installs a day right now | Good for momentum |
| Review pace | Recent reviews per week | Whether it's growing or flat | Direction only |
| Estimate tools | Sensor Tower, Appfigures, data.ai | Modelled downloads and revenue | Best, paid |
How do I turn a ratings count into downloads?
Multiply by a range, not a single ratio: apps that ask for ratings often collect one per few dozen installs, others one per few hundred.
Compare with an app in the same category whose downloads are known (a public company's, or one with a Google Play band) to pick your ratio.
What do our reports read from a listing?
The rating, the ratings count, the title keywords, reviews that say where people heard of the app, and Google Play's downloads band.
Questions
Can I see how many downloads an app has?
On Google Play, yes, as a band like 1M+. The App Store doesn't publish downloads; estimate from the ratings count and chart rank.
How accurate are app download estimates?
Paid tools are usually within a range that's good for comparing apps; ratings-based estimates are an order of magnitude.
Is there a free app downloads checker?
Google Play's listing is the free one. Paid tools like Sensor Tower and Appfigures estimate App Store downloads.
Sources
- Google Play listings (install bands), read 2026-10-29
- Our stored growth reports (teaser data: channels, importance and counts), read 2026-10-29