Reviews and Ratings
Learn how reviews, star ratings, helpful votes, and moderation work on OpenLib app pages.
Reviews help users understand how an app performs in real use. Ratings provide a quick signal, while review text explains the context behind that score.
How reviews work #
Signed-in users can write reviews on app pages. A review can include a star rating, optional title, and written feedback.
A useful review explains:
- What the reviewer used the app for.
- Which platform they tested.
- What worked well.
- What was confusing, broken, or missing.
- Whether they would recommend it for a specific workflow.
Rating guidance #
Use ratings to reflect practical experience, not personal dislike of a category.
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 stars | Excellent for its stated purpose |
| 4 stars | Good, with minor gaps |
| 3 stars | Usable, but mixed |
| 2 stars | Serious issues or limited usefulness |
| 1 star | Not recommended based on real use |
Helpful votes #
Users can mark reviews as helpful or not helpful. This helps surface reviews that explain real tradeoffs.
Helpful reviews usually include:
- Specific workflows.
- Version or platform context.
- Clear pros and cons.
- No personal attacks.
Review moderation #
Maintainers may remove reviews that are spam, abusive, misleading, or unrelated to the app. Moderation should focus on safety and relevance, not disagreement.
Writing strong reviews #
Good review:
I used this on Linux for Markdown notes and sync. Setup was simple, but mobile sync required extra configuration.
Weak review:
Bad app.
The first review gives future users context. The second does not help anyone decide.
Related docs #
Contributors
- OpenLib Team