Features Are Chosen by Editors, Not an Algorithm
The most useful thing to understand about App Store features is that a team of human editors decides them. The Today, Games, and Apps tabs are curated the way a magazine's front pages are, not generated automatically from a leaderboard. That is good news for an indie developer, because it means raw download volume is not the entry ticket. A small, beautifully made app can be featured over a bigger, sloppier one if it gives the editors something worth showcasing.
It also means the whole game is about giving editors a reason. They are looking for apps that make the platform look good - strong design, a clear purpose, and ideally something that shows off what the hardware or the latest OS can do. Everything below is about becoming that kind of app and then making sure the right people see it.
Nail the Design and Craft - It Is the First Filter
Editors look at a lot of apps, and design quality is the fastest signal they use to separate the ones worth a closer look. This does not mean expensive or flashy. It means considered: a coherent visual style, native-feeling navigation, thoughtful empty states, smooth animations, and a clear point of view about what the app is for. An app that feels like it belongs on the platform is far more featurable than one that looks like a web page in a wrapper.
Adopt New Apple Technology Early
One of the most reliable ways an indie app gets noticed is by being an early, tasteful adopter of whatever Apple is currently promoting - a new framework, a new OS capability, a new device feature. When Apple ships something new, its editors actively look for well-made apps that use it well, because featuring those apps helps Apple sell the feature. Being early and doing it well puts you in a small, visible pool.
- Watch what Apple announces at its developer events each year and ask which new capability your app could genuinely use - not as a gimmick, but in a way that improves the experience.
- Ship support for new OS features close to their public release, while the editorial interest in showcasing them is highest.
- Support new device form factors and system features (widgets, Live Activities, new interaction models) where they fit your app's purpose.
Time Your Launch to Apple's Calendar
Editorial attention is not evenly spread across the year. Around major OS releases, seasonal moments, and category-relevant events, editors are assembling collections and actively hunting for apps that fit a theme. A fitness app has a better shot in early January; an app built around a new OS feature has its best shot right as that OS ships. Aligning your launch or a major update with a moment the editors are already curating around raises your odds meaningfully.
| Moment | Why editors care | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Major OS release | They showcase apps using new capabilities | Ship support for a new feature in time for the release |
| Seasonal theme (New Year, back-to-school) | They build themed collections | Time a launch or update to fit the theme honestly |
| Category event or awareness moment | They curate relevant apps together | Position your app clearly for that category |
Actually Submit Your App to the Editorial Team
Many indie developers never do the one concrete thing that most directly helps: telling Apple about their app. Apple provides an official form in App Store Connect to pitch your app for editorial consideration, and it is meant to be used well ahead of a launch or major update. Editors cannot feature what they have not seen, and a clear, well-written submission is how a small app gets on their radar in the first place.
- Submit through the App Store promotion request form in App Store Connect, ideally several weeks before your launch or update.
- Lead with the story: what the app does, who it is for, and what makes it worth showcasing - not a list of every feature.
- Call out anything that helps their angle: new Apple technology you use, an accessibility strength, a strong design point, or a timely theme.
Treat a Feature as a Spike, Not a Strategy
A feature can send a large wave of downloads in a short window, but that wave recedes. If your onboarding leaks users and your app has no other way of reaching people, a feature becomes a spike on a chart and little more. The developers who benefit most from a feature are the ones whose apps were already retaining users and already had other channels working, so the feature compounds instead of just flattering the numbers for a week.
Build the app that deserves a feature, put it in front of the editors properly, and keep your other distribution working regardless. Join the App Store Launch Club at applaunchclub.co for $9/month for the exact editorial submission template members use and the launch-timing checklist for lining an update up with Apple's calendar.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you pay to get featured on the App Store?
No. Editorial features are curated by Apple's editorial team and cannot be bought. Apple Search Ads buy placement in search results, which is a separate paid product and not the same as an editorial feature. You earn a feature through craft, relevance, and a clear pitch, not payment.
Do you need a lot of downloads to get featured?
Not necessarily. Because human editors curate features, a small but well-designed app that showcases the platform can be featured over a larger, lower-quality one. Download volume helps in some contexts but is not the entry requirement it is often assumed to be.
How do I actually submit my app to Apple for a feature?
Use the app promotion or feature request form inside App Store Connect, ideally several weeks before a launch or major update. Write it like a pitch: what the app does, who it is for, and why it is worth showcasing, calling out any new Apple technology you use or timely angle.
When is the best time to try for a feature?
Align with a moment Apple's editors are already curating around: a major OS release, a seasonal theme, or a category-relevant event. Shipping support for a new OS capability right as that OS launches, or timing a themed update, tends to raise your odds the most.
Is getting featured enough to make an app successful?
No. A feature is a short-term spike in downloads, not a durable growth strategy. It compounds only if your app already retains the users it sends and you have other distribution channels working. Build for retention first, then treat a feature as one channel among several.
Last reviewed by David on August 9, 2026
