# Best App Store & Google Play Review APIs (2026): Pricing Compared (https://www.socialcrawl.dev/blog/best-app-review-apis-2026)

> Apple's and Google's official APIs only return reviews for apps you own. Here are the APIs that read App Store and Google Play reviews for any public app, compared on price in 2026.

The constraint that shapes this entire category: Apple's App Store Connect API and Google's Play Developer API only return reviews for apps you own. Both are built for developers managing their own listings, not for reading a competitor's reviews or analyzing the wider market. So if you want reviews for any public app, you need a third-party API. This post compares the real options, SocialCrawl first and argued honestly, across both stores, on price and coverage.

Every price below was pulled from each vendor's live pricing page and is stamped "pricing verified July 2026."

<KeyTakeaway>
  Apple's App Store Connect API and Google's Play Developer API read reviews for
  your own apps only, so neither works for competitor or market research. That
  is the wedge for third-party APIs. SocialCrawl reads App Store and Google Play
  reviews, listings, ratings, and charts for any public app in one unified
  schema, priced at 5 credits per reviews call with 100 free credits that never
  expire and empty lookups refunded.
</KeyTakeaway>

## The best app review APIs at a glance

1. **[SocialCrawl](/platforms/app_store)** is best overall for both stores in one unified schema, priced per call
2. **SerpApi** is best if you already use it for other Google and Apple SERP data
3. **Outscraper** is best pay-as-you-go with no monthly fee
4. **Apify** is best marketplace option for custom app scrapers
5. **AppFollow** is best full review-management platform (with an API)
6. **Apptweak** is best ASO platform with review data across both stores

| API | Best for | Free tier | Entry paid price | Both stores? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SocialCrawl | Both stores, unified schema | 100 credits (never expire) | £15 / 2,500 credits | Yes |
| SerpApi | Existing SerpApi users | 250 searches/mo | $25/mo (1,000 searches) | Yes |
| Outscraper | PAYG, no monthly fee | First tier free | ~$4 / 1,000 reviews | Yes |
| Apify | Custom app scrapers | $5 credit/mo | from $0.01 / 1,000 results | Yes |
| AppFollow | Review management | $0 (Free tier) | $179/mo (Essential) | Yes |
| Apptweak | ASO platform | 7-day trial | $79/mo (Essential) | Yes |

## What makes a "best" app review API in 2026?

1. **Reads any public app, not just yours.** The single most important line. The official APIs fail this test by design.
2. **Both stores.** App Store and Google Play in one integration, not two.
3. **Pricing model.** Per credit, per review, per month, and whether it is a raw API or a full SaaS platform.
4. **Unified schema.** Do an App Store review and a Google Play review come back in the same shape?
5. **Beyond reviews.** Listing detail, ratings, charts, and search round out competitor and market analysis.

## What does the response look like? Two real calls

A live SocialCrawl Google Play reviews call, unified schema (trimmed to one review):

```bash
curl "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/google_play/app-reviews?app_id=com.spotify.music" \
  -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALCRAWL_KEY"
```

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "platform": "google_play",
  "endpoint": "/v1/google_play/app-reviews",
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "review": {
          "entity_id": "com.spotify.music",
          "text": "amazing less ads",
          "rating": { "value": 5, "max": 5 },
          "author": { "name": "Freyja Byrd" },
          "published_at": "2026-07-18T21:35:44.000Z"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

The same call shape works on the App Store. Here is Spotify on iOS by its numeric App Store id (trimmed):

```json
{
  "platform": "app_store",
  "endpoint": "/v1/app_store/app-reviews",
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "review": {
          "entity_id": "324684580",
          "title": "What is going on?!!",
          "text": "Spotify worked flawlessly before in the Honda CRV, now it will only play offline. Where is the fix?",
          "rating": { "value": 1, "max": 5 },
          "author": { "name": "BarbIngram" }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

Same `review` object, same `rating` shape, same `author` field, whether the source is Google Play or the App Store. One parser reads both stores, and it matches every other [SocialCrawl platform](/platforms).

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## How the app review APIs compare

| Provider | App Store | Google Play | Reads any public app | Unified schema | Pricing model |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **SocialCrawl** | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Per credit |
| SerpApi | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Per search |
| Outscraper | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Per review (PAYG) |
| Apify | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Per result / actor |
| AppFollow | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Monthly SaaS |
| Apptweak | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Monthly SaaS |
| Apple / Google official | Own apps | Own apps | ✗ | ✗ | Free (own apps) |

## The app review APIs, ranked

### 1. SocialCrawl: both stores in one unified schema

_Best for: developers who need App Store and Google Play data for any public app in a single response shape._

SocialCrawl covers both stores with matching endpoints: [App Store reviews](/platforms/app_store/app-reviews), [Google Play reviews](/platforms/google_play/app-reviews), plus app info, listing search, ratings, and charts. App search, info, reviews, and charts run on the advanced tier at 5 credits each; the full listings database is premium at 10 credits; and categories, locations, and languages are 1 credit. New accounts get 100 free credits, credits never expire, and empty lookups are refunded so a search with no matches costs nothing.

The advantage over every alternative here is the unified schema: a review is the same object on both stores and consistent with your social and commerce data. There is no separate Apple parser and Google parser.

**What we like:**

- Both stores, matching endpoints, one schema
- Reads any public app, not just apps you own
- Reviews, listings, ratings, charts, and search in one place
- Empty lookups refunded; 100 free credits that never expire
- [Visual Explorer](/explorer) to preview before coding

**What to watch:**

- Reviews and listing calls are advanced or premium tier (5 to 10 credits), not 1
- Pricing is in GBP

**Pricing:** Free (100 credits, never expire), then Starter £15 (2,500 credits), Growth £49 (20,000 credits), Pro £299 (150,000 credits), Enterprise.

**Verdict:** The strongest pick for covering both app stores in one integration.

<CTA variant="inline" />

### 2. SerpApi: for existing SerpApi users

_Best for: teams already on SerpApi who want app reviews in the same account._

SerpApi ships dedicated Apple App Store and Google Play Store APIs (reviews and product detail) for any public app, drawing from a shared search pool: 250 free searches per month, then Starter at $25 per month for 1,000, with higher tiers above. Results are real-time and billed on success. If SerpApi already powers your other SERP data, app reviews are a natural addition.

**What we like:** Both stores, real-time, success-only billing, one account across many SERP types.

**What to watch:** Shared search pool across all products, own schema, per-search rather than per-review economics.

**Pricing:** Free 250 searches/mo, Starter $25/mo (1,000 searches), higher tiers above.

**Verdict:** Convenient if SerpApi is already in your stack.

### 3. Outscraper: pay-as-you-go, no monthly fee

_Best for: teams that want to pull reviews occasionally without a subscription._

Outscraper is pay-as-you-go with no monthly commitment and a free first tier. Google Play reviews run around $4 per 1,000 reviews at the 501-plus tier, and it covers both stores. Note that Outscraper's site is bot-protected, so these figures come from its published tier snippets rather than a fully rendered pricing table; treat the Apple rate as directional and confirm at signup.

**What we like:** No monthly fee, first tier free, both stores, simple per-review model.

**What to watch:** Own schema, pricing best confirmed at signup, review-focused rather than a full ASO suite.

**Pricing:** PAYG, first tier free, Google Play reviews from about $4 per 1,000 (per Outscraper's published tiers).

**Verdict:** A good low-commitment option for occasional review pulls.

### 4. Apify: custom app scrapers

_Best for: teams that want a specific app scraper actor and accept per-actor schemas._

Apify's marketplace has actors for both stores, including an app-store scraper that covers reviews and developer replies, and a google-play-scraper that starts around $0.01 per 1,000 results. Some actors bill pay-per-event from about $0.005. The platform gives a $5 monthly credit. As always with Apify, each actor is independently maintained with its own output shape.

**What we like:** Flexible marketplace, low per-result cost on some actors, both stores available.

**What to watch:** No unified schema, per-actor variance, monthly credit reset.

**Pricing:** Free $5 credit/mo, google-play-scraper from about $0.01 per 1,000 results, per-actor pricing varies.

**Verdict:** Best when a specific app scraper fits a niche a managed API does not.

### 5. AppFollow: full review-management platform

_Best for: teams that want to manage and respond to reviews, not just read them._

AppFollow is an ASO and review-management SaaS with an API. It has a Free tier at $0, then Essential at $179 per month ($129 annual), Advanced at $599 per month ($425 annual), and Enterprise by contact, with a 10-day trial. It covers both stores and adds reply workflows, alerts, and analytics, so it is a platform first and an API second.

**What we like:** Full review-management workflows, both stores, alerts and analytics, real free tier.

**What to watch:** Platform pricing rather than pure per-call, most value is in the SaaS UI, API is one part of a larger product.

**Pricing:** Free $0, Essential $179/mo ($129 annual), Advanced $599/mo ($425 annual), Enterprise by contact.

**Verdict:** The right choice if you want to manage reviews, not just extract them.

### 6. Apptweak: ASO platform with review data

_Best for: ASO teams that want review data alongside keyword and market intelligence._

Apptweak is an app store optimization platform covering both stores, with review data as part of a broader suite. Pricing starts at Essential $79 per month ($949 per year) and Grow $299 per month ($3,590 per year), with a 7-day trial. Like AppFollow, it is a platform with an API rather than a raw data API.

**What we like:** Both stores, review data within a full ASO toolkit, keyword and market intelligence included.

**What to watch:** Platform pricing, review data bundled with features you may not need, own schema.

**Pricing:** Essential $79/mo ($949/yr), Grow $299/mo ($3,590/yr), 7-day trial.

**Verdict:** Sensible if you want ASO intelligence and reviews together.

A note on the enterprise names: Sensor Tower and data.ai (formerly App Annie) both offer deep app market data, but their pricing is sales-gated and not published, so they sit outside this per-call comparison. Expect enterprise contracts rather than a self-serve rate.

## Which app review API fits which workflow?

- **Both stores in one schema, any public app** points to SocialCrawl
- **Already using SerpApi** points to its App Store and Google Play APIs
- **Occasional pulls with no subscription** point to Outscraper
- **A specific custom scraper** points to Apify
- **Managing and replying to reviews** points to AppFollow
- **ASO intelligence plus reviews** points to Apptweak

If your consumer is analysis or an AI pipeline that already touches other data, the unified-schema row keeps you to one parser across both stores. Paste an app id into the [Explorer](/explorer) to see the response first.

## Why the official app store APIs do not cover this

Apple's App Store Connect API and Google's Play Developer API are developer tools for your own listings. App Store Connect uses JWT auth tied to a paid Apple Developer account ($99 per year) and returns your app's ratings and reviews; Google's Reply-to-Reviews API lets you read and respond to reviews on apps you publish. Neither reads a competitor's reviews or the wider market, because that is not what they are for. For competitor tracking, sentiment analysis, or market research across apps you do not own, a third-party API is the only path.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there an official App Store or Google Play reviews API?

Yes, but only for your own apps. Apple's App Store Connect API returns ratings and reviews for apps in your developer account, and Google's Play Developer API lets you read and reply to reviews on apps you publish. Neither reads reviews for apps you do not own. For any public app, you need a third-party API such as SocialCrawl.

### What is the best app review API in 2026?

SocialCrawl leads for reading both App Store and Google Play reviews for any public app in one unified schema, at 5 credits per reviews call. SerpApi suits teams already using it, Outscraper is the pay-as-you-go pick, Apify offers custom scrapers, and AppFollow and Apptweak are full ASO and review-management platforms with APIs.

### How much does an app reviews API cost?

Pricing verified July 2026: SocialCrawl from £15 for 2,500 never-expire credits (5 credits per reviews call), SerpApi from $25 per month for 1,000 searches, Outscraper about $4 per 1,000 Google Play reviews pay-as-you-go, Apify from about $0.01 per 1,000 results, AppFollow from $179 per month, Apptweak from $79 per month.

### Can I get reviews for an app I do not own?

Not through the official Apple or Google APIs, which are scoped to your own apps. Third-party APIs are built for exactly this: SocialCrawl reads reviews, ratings, and listing detail for any public app on both stores from one x-api-key, so competitor tracking and market research work without owning the app.

### Which API covers both the App Store and Google Play?

SocialCrawl, SerpApi, Outscraper, Apify, AppFollow, and Apptweak all cover both stores. The difference is schema: SocialCrawl returns an identical review object on both stores, while the others use store-specific or platform-specific shapes you normalize yourself. If you want one parser for both, the unified schema matters.

### How many reviews can I pull per app?

That depends on the provider's pagination and your plan, not a hard universal cap. SocialCrawl paginates reviews per app and charges 5 credits per reviews call on the advanced tier, with empty lookups refunded. Per-review providers like Outscraper bill by the volume you pull. Check each provider's pagination limits before planning a large backfill.

### Is scraping app store reviews legal?

Reading public app reviews has meaningful precedent in its favor, but it depends on jurisdiction, how you access the data, and each store's terms. App reviews are public content, which helps, but redistribution and personal data handling carry their own rules. Always check the relevant terms and consult qualified counsel for commercial use. This is a technical overview, not legal advice.

### What is the cheapest way to get app reviews?

For zero cost, SocialCrawl's 100 free never-expire credits and Outscraper's free first tier are the least restrictive starts. At volume, per-result marketplace actors on Apify (from about $0.01 per 1,000 results) and Outscraper's per-review pricing are low per unit. Match the model (per credit, per review, or per month) to your access pattern before comparing headline numbers.

---

The official Apple and Google APIs stop at your own apps, so for any public app the real choice is which third-party API to use. If you want both stores in one schema, paste an app id into the [Explorer](/explorer), or read the [App Store](/platforms/app_store) and [Google Play](/platforms/google_play) platform overviews.

<CTA variant="hard" />

<RelatedPosts
  currentSlug="best-app-review-apis-2026"
  tags={["development", "learning"]}
  locale="en"
/>

<ArticleJsonLd />

<BreadcrumbJsonLd />

<FaqJsonLd
  questions={[
    {
      question: "Is there an official App Store or Google Play reviews API?",
      answer:
        "Yes, but only for your own apps. Apple's App Store Connect API returns ratings and reviews for apps in your developer account, and Google's Play Developer API lets you read and reply to reviews on apps you publish. Neither reads reviews for apps you do not own. For any public app, you need a third-party API such as SocialCrawl.",
    },
    {
      question: "What is the best app review API in 2026?",
      answer:
        "SocialCrawl leads for reading both App Store and Google Play reviews for any public app in one unified schema, at 5 credits per reviews call. SerpApi suits teams already using it, Outscraper is the pay-as-you-go pick, Apify offers custom scrapers, and AppFollow and Apptweak are full ASO and review-management platforms with APIs.",
    },
    {
      question: "How much does an app reviews API cost?",
      answer:
        "Pricing verified July 2026: SocialCrawl from £15 for 2,500 never-expire credits (5 credits per reviews call), SerpApi from $25 per month for 1,000 searches, Outscraper about $4 per 1,000 Google Play reviews pay-as-you-go, Apify from about $0.01 per 1,000 results, AppFollow from $179 per month, Apptweak from $79 per month.",
    },
    {
      question: "Can I get reviews for an app I do not own?",
      answer:
        "Not through the official Apple or Google APIs, which are scoped to your own apps. Third-party APIs are built for exactly this: SocialCrawl reads reviews, ratings, and listing detail for any public app on both stores from one x-api-key, so competitor tracking and market research work without owning the app.",
    },
    {
      question: "Which API covers both the App Store and Google Play?",
      answer:
        "SocialCrawl, SerpApi, Outscraper, Apify, AppFollow, and Apptweak all cover both stores. The difference is schema: SocialCrawl returns an identical review object on both stores, while the others use store-specific or platform-specific shapes you normalize yourself. If you want one parser for both, the unified schema matters.",
    },
    {
      question: "How many reviews can I pull per app?",
      answer:
        "That depends on the provider's pagination and your plan, not a hard universal cap. SocialCrawl paginates reviews per app and charges 5 credits per reviews call on the advanced tier, with empty lookups refunded. Per-review providers like Outscraper bill by the volume you pull. Check each provider's pagination limits before planning a large backfill.",
    },
    {
      question: "Is scraping app store reviews legal?",
      answer:
        "Reading public app reviews has meaningful precedent in its favor, but it depends on jurisdiction, how you access the data, and each store's terms. App reviews are public content, which helps, but redistribution and personal data handling carry their own rules. Always check the relevant terms and consult qualified counsel for commercial use. This is a technical overview, not legal advice.",
    },
    {
      question: "What is the cheapest way to get app reviews?",
      answer:
        "For zero cost, SocialCrawl's 100 free never-expire credits and Outscraper's free first tier are the least restrictive starts. At volume, per-result marketplace actors on Apify (from about $0.01 per 1,000 results) and Outscraper's per-review pricing are low per unit. Match the model to your access pattern before comparing headline numbers.",
    },
  ]}
/>