Updated ASO teardown, US App Store
MATE VPN - Secure Your Network App Store optimization
A Utilities app's App Store page, taken apart: the screenshots and why each one helps people decide to download, the icon and design system, and an ASO score out of 100.
- Est. monthly downloads
- 23K+30.5% vs previous month
- Est. monthly revenue
- $31K+30.5% vs previous month
- Est. revenue ÷ downloads
- $1.35
- Rating
- 4.4★8.7K ratings
Downloads and revenue are third-party est. for the US App Store, latest month vs the month before. Revenue includes renewals, so revenue ÷ downloads is a rough ratio, not what a new user pays. Estimates as of ; rating and dates from the App Store, .
Screenshots and why they convert
4 screenshots of up to 10. The first 3 show in search results when there's no preview video.
#1In search results
Secure & Private Connection
- securein name
- privatenot in name
- What it shows
- The home screen with a large power-style CONNECT button and a Servers row, a green padlock graphic, and three short lines about Wi-Fi, encrypted traffic and speed.
- Why it converts
- Shows the main action, one tap to connect, on the first frame. The headline names the benefit, but it is a general promise.
#2In search results
Fast Streaming & Gaming
- streamingnot in name
- gamingnot in name
- What it shows
- A CONNECTED screen with a server name, surrounded by YouTube, Netflix, HBO and Hulu icons at the top left and Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Twitter icons at the bottom right.
- Why it converts
- Names concrete uses people already have in mind, so the visitor can picture the result. The app icons are large and easy to read. Streaming and gaming are words people look for.
#3In search results
Global Servers Limitless Access
- global serversnot in name
- What it shows
- A tilted phone with a list of countries and flags, a small “Pro Feature” tag at the bottom right, a person on a lounge chair, and a small “XY VPN” logo at the bottom left.
- Why it converts
- A long country list is a quick way to show range. The “Pro Feature” tag tells the visitor that this part is paid.
#4
No Ads No Trackers
- no adsnot in name
- no trackersnot in name
- What it shows
- A CONNECTING screen with a Servers row, a person holding a phone, and a circle showing a hooded figure with a skull mark crossed out in red.
- Why it converts
- States two specific promises in short words. The crossed-out figure makes the idea visible at a glance. It is the app's own claim.
Icon and design system
What makes the page read as one brand at a glance.
- One shape, an M with a lightning bolt, so the idea is single and simple.
- The only text is the letter M, and it is the brand mark rather than extra copy.
- Green on dark navy matches the green used across the screenshots, so icon and gallery look like one brand.
- The bolt hints at speed, but nothing in the icon says VPN or security. The name has to carry that.
- 01
Benefit headline on top
Each image opens with a short white or dark headline of a few words. Streaming and gaming, global servers and no ads are named as uses and benefits, not as settings.
- 02
Same phone, different state
The connect screen appears in three images as CONNECT, CONNECTED and CONNECTING. The visitor sees the core action again and again.
- 03
Green system with background shifts
Most images use the same green palette, bold headline type and a phone frame. The background goes from solid green to a pale tint, which adds variety inside one system.
- 04
Familiar app icons as proof of use
The streaming image places well-known app icons around the phone. They show what the visitor could use the app for, without extra text.
- 05
Paid features are labeled
The server list carries a “Pro Feature” tag. A visitor learns which part needs a paid plan.
ASO score breakdown
81 of 100 points. The full rule is under “How the ASO score works” below.
- App name25 / 25
- Uses 30 of 30 characters10/10
- Brand + keyword phrase10/10
- Keywords fill half the name or more5/5
- Screenshots30 / 35
- Caption on every screenshot5/5
- Each caption names a feature people search for10/10
- First screenshot shows the main use5/5
- One consistent design system5/5
- Readable at search-result size5/5
- Trust signal0/5
- Ratings12 / 25
- 4.4 average (full marks at 4.8)7.5/15
- 8,654 ratings (full marks at 100,000)4.7/10
- Freshness14 / 15
- Last update 41 days ago (full marks within 30)13.9/15
Where the points are
- Ask happy users for a rating+13 pts
4.4 stars from 8,654 ratings. Apple's in-app rating prompt can be shown up to 3 times a year; show it right after a user finishes something in the app.
- Ship an update+1 pts
The last update was 41 days ago. A new version also refreshes the "What's New" notes people read before they download.
- Check caption terms against your subtitle and keywords
6 caption terms aren't in the app name: private, streaming, gaming, global servers, no ads, no trackers. Captions don't count for search; the subtitle and the 100-character keyword field do.
Apply it to your app
A checklist for your next product page update.
- Show the main action on the phone in the first screenshot.
- Name the real situations your app is used in, like streaming or gaming.
- Keep each headline to a few words and one idea.
- Make the key text large, and keep small lines out of the first three images.
- Show a ready state, a loading state and a done state of one core screen to explain how it works.
- Add a rating, award, press mention or user count if you have a real one. This set has none.
How the ASO score works
- 01
App name, 25 points
Up to 10 for how much of Apple's 30 characters it uses, 10 for a brand + keyword structure, 5 when keywords fill half the name or more.
- 02
Screenshots, 35 points
Captions on every image, captions that name searched features, a first screenshot that shows the main use, one design system, readability at search size, and a trust signal.
- 03
Ratings, 25 points
Up to 15 for the average (from 4.0, full marks at 4.8) and 10 for the count (from 1,000, full marks at 100,000 ratings).
- 04
Freshness, 15 points
Full marks for an update in the last 30 days, falling to zero at 180 days. 85+ is excellent, 70+ strong, 50+ fair.
Common questions
What is an ASO score?
A 100-point check of the parts of an App Store page you control: the app name, screenshots, ratings and how recently the app was updated. It's our own scoring rule, shown in full on this page, not a number from Apple. Use it to compare your page with apps that already sell well in your category.
How long can an app name be on the App Store?
30 characters. A common pattern is a short brand followed by the main thing people search for, like “MATE VPN - Secure Your Network”, which uses 30. Apple also gives you a 30-character subtitle and a 100-character keyword field for more terms.
Which screenshots show up in App Store search results?
The first one to three, when the app has no preview video. That's why the first three should cover the main reasons people download. MATE VPN uses them for secure, streaming and global servers.
How many screenshots can an iPhone app have?
Up to 10 per device size. Apple recommends focusing each screenshot after the first on one main benefit or feature. MATE VPN uses 4.
Where do the download and revenue numbers come from?
They're third-party estimates for the US App Store, not figures reported by the developer. Treat them as a sense of scale. Growth compares the latest month with the month before.
Do screenshot captions help an app rank in search?
Apple says search results use text matches in the app name, subtitle, keywords and primary category, plus user behavior such as downloads, ratings and reviews. Captions aren't on that list: they help people who already see the app decide to download. When a caption names something people search for, put that term in the keyword field too.
Where the numbers come from
- Apple: Creating your product page
- App name limit (30 characters), up to 10 screenshots, the first one to three shown in search results, keyword field.
- Apple: App Store search
- Search results use text relevance (name, subtitle, keywords, primary category) and user behavior (downloads, ratings, reviews).
- Apple: Ratings, reviews and responses
- The in-app rating prompt can be shown up to three times in a 365-day period.
- MATE VPN - Secure Your Network on the App Store
- Name, developer, category, icon, screenshots, rating, release and update dates (US storefront), checked Nov 4, 2026.
- Downloads and revenue
- Third-party est. for the US App Store, latest month, pulled Oct 29, 2026. Not reported by the developer.
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