Updated ASO teardown, US App Store
Scribd: 170M+ documents App Store optimization
A Education 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
- 52K+2.9% vs previous month
- Est. monthly revenue
- $207K+3% vs previous month
- Est. revenue ÷ downloads
- $3.98
- Rating
- 2.8★282 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
Get to the source. The world’s user-generated document library [200M+]
- document librarynot in name
- What it shows
- A plain light screen with the headline, the line “The world’s user-generated document library [200M+]”, the [SCRIBD] wordmark and a cropped strip of a nature photo with large cream lettering.
- Why it converts
- Names the product category in one line, but shows no app screen. A visitor sees what Scribd calls itself, not what they can do with it. The size figure is the app’s own claim.
#2In search results
Specialized knowledge on any topic, and insights you won’t find anywhere else.
- knowledgenot in name
- What it shows
- A phone showing the Home tab: rows of “Documents recommended for you” and “Trending documents” with PDF covers, titles and percentage scores.
- Why it converts
- The first real look at the app. Cover thumbnails show what browsing is like. The caption is long and general, so the topic is not specific.
#3In search results
Make sense of anything with information on just about everything.
- What it shows
- A phone showing a document page: title, uploader, a green “Read now” button, Download, Save and Add to List, and length, format and date details.
- Why it converts
- Shows how a visitor gets from a title to reading it, with one clear green action. The caption is broad and says little about what to do here.
#4
For everything you’re curious about.
- browsenot in name
- What it shows
- Two phones: a category list (Career & Growth, Business, Politics and more) with a search bar, and a reader view of a document page with a chart and a progress bar.
- Why it converts
- Pairs browsing with reading, so the visitor sees the full loop. Two devices with small text mean the UI detail is hard to read at thumbnail size.
Icon and design system
What makes the page read as one brand at a glance.
- One symbol, a letter S in brackets, with no other detail.
- The brackets match the [SCRIBD] wordmark in the screenshots, and the green matches the “Read now” button.
- The mark is a letter, not a picture, so it does not hint at documents or reading before the name is read.
- 01
Same layout on most images
Most images put a dark caption on a light cream background, then a device frame. Swiping feels like one set.
- 02
Real app screens from the second image
Home, a document page and a reader view are all shown with real content, so the visitor sees the product.
- 03
Broad captions
Most lines speak to a general wish: any topic, anything, everything. None names a task such as studying or finding a report.
- 04
Brand mark on the first image
The first image carries the [SCRIBD] wordmark and a library-size claim, and no device. It tells who, not what you can do.
- 05
Green marks the main action
The “Read now” button is green, like the icon.
ASO score breakdown
60 of 100 points. The full rule is under “How the ASO score works” below.
- App name23 / 25
- Uses 23 of 30 characters7.7/10
- Brand + keyword phrase10/10
- Keywords fill half the name or more5/5
- Screenshots23 / 35
- Caption on every screenshot5/5
- Each caption names a feature people search for7.5/10
- First screenshot shows the main use0/5
- One consistent design system5/5
- Readable at search-result size5/5
- Trust signal0/5
- Ratings0 / 25
- 2.8 average (full marks at 4.8)0/15
- 282 ratings (full marks at 100,000)0/10
- Freshness14 / 15
- Last update 37 days ago (full marks within 30)14.3/15
Where the points are
- Ask happy users for a rating+25 pts
2.8 stars from 282 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.
- Use the rest of the app name+2 pts
7 characters are free. Add the next most important search term.
- Ship an update+1 pts
The last update was 37 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
3 caption terms aren't in the app name: document library, knowledge, browse. 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 a real app screen in screenshot 1, not only a tagline.
- Name a specific task or result in each caption, not a broad wish.
- Keep captions to one short line so they read at thumbnail size.
- Use one device per image when the UI text is small.
- Match the main button color to the icon color.
- Put a rating, user count or award on an early image if you have one.
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 “Scribd: 170M+ documents”, which uses 23. 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. Scribd uses them for document library and knowledge.
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. Scribd 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.
- Scribd: 170M+ documents 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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