The App Store provides anyone with an Apple device the opportunity to discover and download apps. On the App Store, you can buy, get, license, rent or subscribe to content, apps and other in-app services (collectively referred to as “content”). If you are in the European Economic Area, the merchant of record is Apple Distribution International Ltd., which means that you acquire the app license from Apple Distribution International Ltd., but the app is licensed by the app provider. Any app that you acquire is governed by the Licensed Application End User License Agreement (standard EULA), unless Apple or the app provider provides an overriding custom license agreement (custom EULA).

Customers can discover apps available on the App Store through five tabs: Today, Games, Apps, Arcade and Search. The apps that are displayed on these tabs appear organically in all tabs except Search as “recommendations” in the form of algorithmically selected recommendations or editorially curated recommendations on all tabs; as a search result on the Search tab; or as an Apple Search Ad on the Today or Search tabs. App recommendations may also be personalised based on a customer’s demographic, as well as App Store purchase and download history.

The Today tab is the first page you will see when you tap the App Store icon on your device. Apple considers this a daily destination with original stories from App Store editors, featuring exclusive premieres, new releases, Apple’s all-time favourite apps, an App of the Day, a Game of the Day and more. It offers tips and how-to guides to help you use apps in innovative ways, and showcases interviews with inspiring developers. Stories are selected based on curation by App Store editors, and they share Apple’s unique perspective on apps and games and their impact on users’ lives, using artwork, videos and developer quotes to bring apps to life. App Store editors curate a catalogue of apps for each category on the Today tab, and categories can be personalised for you based on your prior engagement on the App Store.

The Games, Apps and Arcade tabs on the App Store provide dedicated experiences for games and apps that inform and engage customers through recommendations on new releases and updates, videos, top charts and hand-picked collections and categories. All apps featured on these tabs are selected based on algorithmic relevance, App Store editorial curation and top charts.

When considering apps to feature on these tabs, App Store editors look for high-quality apps across all categories, with a particular focus on new apps and apps with significant updates. Factors that App Store editors consider include UI design (the usability, appeal and overall quality of the app), user experience (the efficiency and functionality of the app), innovation (apps that solve a unique problem for customers), localisation (high quality and relevant), accessibility (well-integrated features), App Store product page (compelling screenshots, app previews and descriptions) and uniqueness. For games, App Store editors also consider gameplay, level of engagement, graphics and performance, audio, narrative and story depth, ability to replay and gameplay controls.

The Search tab on the App Store allows you to find apps, games, stories, categories, in-app purchases and developers. Before you enter a search, the Search tab shows popular or trending queries in the Discover section, as well as a list of apps that you may want to search for in the Suggested section. These apps are selected based on aggregate search behaviour from a pool curated by App Store editors. In some cases, suggested queries may be personalised for you in the Discover section and apps may be personalised for you in the Suggested section based on your prior engagement on the App Store. Overall, apps on the Search tab are selected based on algorithmic relevance, App Store editorial curation and top charts.

Searches use metadata from developer product pages to deliver the most relevant results. The parameters used for app ranking and discoverability are customer engagement on the App Store, such as the number and quality of ratings and reviews, application downloads and date of launch on the App Store, the relevance of text and titles, keywords and descriptive categories provided in the app metadata.

Apple offers developers the opportunity to promote their apps on the App Store through Apple Search Ads. Through Search Ads, apps may be displayed on the Today tab, the Search tab and Search Results, and on product pages while browsing. Search Ads placements are clearly distinguished from organic App Store placements and search results with a prominent “Ad” mark (language localised), and typically have a border and unique background shading.

Ratings and reviews are submitted by App Store customers who have downloaded the app. Reviews can be sorted by helpfulness, rating or recency. When ordering reviews by helpfulness, Apple considers the review’s source, quality, thoroughness and timeliness, as well as how other customers have engaged with the review. Apple does not pay customers for ratings or reviews, and we prohibit developers from paying customers for ratings or reviews.

You can provide ratings and reviews on the App Store to give feedback on your experience with an app and help others decide which apps they’d like to try. When you have downloaded an app, you’ll have the option to rate it on a scale from 1 to 5 stars and leave a review. To do this, go to the app product page, scroll to Ratings & Reviews, tap your rating and tap Write a Review to create a review. Once published, your rating or review will remain on the product page for as long as you have an account with us or as long as the app is available on the App Store, but you can edit both if you wish to do so. When you edit your rating or review, only the most recent change will display on the product page.

When submitting ratings and reviews, you must comply with the Submissions Guidelines. Apple does not monitor or verify whether you have used an app before submitting a comment, rating or review about that app. Apple may, however, monitor and decide to remove or edit any submitted material, including via automated improper content filters and/or human review. For example, if Apple becomes aware of materials that violate our Submission Guidelines, including any fake or fraudulent reviews, multiple duplicate or similar entries, or offensive, abusive or illegal content, Apple will remove them. If you want to share that a review is particularly helpful or not helpful, you can press and hold on the review to do so. If you see materials that do not comply with the Submissions Guidelines, you can press and hold on the review and use the option to report a concern, let us know at reportaproblem.apple.com or contact AppleCare. Except in cases where we reasonably believe doing so would undermine Apple’s security, we will notify you via email of our decision to remove or block your submission.

You can acquire content on our services for free or for a charge, either of which is referred to as a transaction. When you make your first transaction, Apple will ask you to choose how frequently we should ask for your password for future transactions.

Apple will charge your selected payment method for any paid transactions, including any applicable taxes. This includes Apple Pay, most credit and debit cards, PayPal, your Apple Account balance (from redeeming an Apple Gift Card or adding funds) and applicable mobile phone billing. If your primary payment method cannot be charged for any reason (such as expiration or insufficient funds), you authorise Apple to attempt to charge your other eligible payment methods in order from top to bottom as they appear under Manage Payments in your Account Settings. If we cannot charge you, you remain responsible for any uncollected amounts, and we may attempt to charge you again or request that you provide another payment method. If you pre-order content, you will be charged when the content is delivered to you (unless you cancel prior to the content’s availability). In accordance with local law, Apple may automatically update your payment information regarding your payment methods if provided such information by the payment networks or your financial institutions.

If you have questions about our services, including, for example, about billings and subscriptions or your Apple ID, please visit getsupport.apple.com, where you can connect with us by phone, email or chat after selecting the issue most relevant to you. We will provide general support for all services except for the App Store, for which the following applies: Apple will provide support for any matters related to the transaction, including but not limited to payment, delivery and refunds; for any matters related to the content and functionality of an app, please contact the app provider (as displayed on the app product page on the App Store).

In the event of any unresolved dispute, if you are a consumer domiciled in any European Union country or the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland, you have the option of bringing the dispute before the courts of your usual place of residence or the courts of the place where Apple Distribution International Ltd. is domiciled.