Net Promoter Score (NPS) — what it is and why app developers should care

NPS measures how likely users are to recommend your app. Learn what it is, how to calculate it, and whether you should use it instead of star ratings for app feedback.

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What is NPS?

NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a simple metric that measures how likely your users are to recommend your app to others. It's based on a single question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this app to a friend?"

Users are grouped into three categories based on their score: Promoters (9–10) actively recommend your app, Passives (7–8) are satisfied but neutral, and Detractors (0–6) had a bad experience and might tell others to avoid it.

Your NPS score is calculated as: % of Promoters − % of Detractors. A score of 50 is excellent, 70+ is world-class. Negative scores mean you have more detractors than promoters.

NPS Score Interpretation

9–10 (Promoters)

Loyal enthusiasts who will recommend you. Your advocates.

7–8 (Passives)

Satisfied, but could be swayed by competitors.

0–6 (Detractors)

Unhappy users who might leave negative reviews or switch apps.

How to calculate NPS

The formula is simple, but counting responses takes work:

NPS = (Promoters ÷ Total) × 100
     − (Detractors ÷ Total) × 100

Example:

You ask 100 users. Results:
• 60 score 9–10 (Promoters)
• 25 score 7–8 (Passives)
• 15 score 0–6 (Detractors)

NPS = (60÷100)×100 − (15÷100)×100 = 60 − 15 = 45

Why NPS matters

  • Measures loyalty, not just satisfaction: A user can be satisfied but not recommend you. NPS catches this distinction.
  • Predicts growth: High NPS correlates with organic word-of-mouth growth and user retention.
  • Benchmarkable: You can compare your NPS against competitors or industry averages over time.
  • Actionable follow-up: You can ask Promoters why they'd recommend you and ask Detractors what went wrong.

NPS vs Star Ratings vs CSAT

Which feedback metric is right for your app?

Metric Scale Measures Best For
NPS 0–10 Loyalty & willingness to recommend Large teams, SaaS, tracking growth drivers. Requires separate survey.
Star Rating 1–5 ⭐ Overall satisfaction with the app App Store & Google Play (already built-in). Simple, immediate. Indie developers.
CSAT 1–5 or 1–10 Satisfaction with a specific interaction Support tickets, feature feedback, post-purchase. More immediate than NPS.

For indie app developers

Start with star ratings (already in the app stores) and text feedback from users. These are simpler, more actionable, and align with how app store algorithms work. As your team and product maturity grow, consider NPS for deeper insights into what drives organic growth.

When NPS makes sense

NPS is most valuable when:

  • You have a team (not solo indie dev) to follow up on feedback
  • You're tracking product-market fit and loyalty over time
  • You want to identify which features drive recommendations
  • You're comparing your app to competitors by NPS
  • Your app is B2B or enterprise-focused (not consumer mobile)

When to skip NPS and use star ratings instead

  • You're a solo or small-team indie developer
  • Your users are already rating you in the App Store (where algorithms matter)
  • You need quick, actionable feedback (text reviews are more specific than NPS)
  • You want to understand what specific feature or bug drove the rating

Star ratings as lightweight NPS

You don't need formal NPS surveys to measure loyalty. App Store ratings and feedback form star ratings give you similar signal with less overhead:

AppTriage approach

  • ✓ Include star rating field in your feedback form
  • ✓ Collect text feedback alongside the rating
  • ✓ Track trends over time — is average rating up or down?
  • ✓ Understand why — read the text feedback to see what drove 5⭐ vs 1⭐

This gives you the insights of NPS without the complexity.

NPS questions

Everything you need to know about Net Promoter Score and app feedback.

Get in touch
What is a good NPS score?
An NPS score above 0 is good, above 50 is excellent, and above 70 is world-class. For apps, most companies see NPS scores between 20–60 depending on category. Mobile apps tend to score higher (40–70) than enterprise software.
How do I calculate NPS?
NPS = (% Promoters − % Detractors) × 100. Ask users: "How likely are you to recommend this app on a scale of 0–10?" Promoters score 9–10, Passives 7–8, Detractors 0–6. Calculate the percentage of each group, then subtract detractors from promoters.
Is NPS better than star ratings for apps?
For most indie developers, star ratings are simpler and more actionable than NPS. Star ratings (1–5) are already built into the App Store and Google Play, so users understand them. NPS requires extra setup and a separate survey. For enterprises or SaaS apps, NPS provides better insights into loyalty.
Can AppTriage measure NPS?
AppTriage feedback forms include optional star rating fields, which measure satisfaction similarly to NPS without the complexity. You can also add a custom NPS question to any feedback form. The main benefit of AppTriage is centralized feedback collection and AI-powered categorization of what users actually want.
What's the difference between NPS and CSAT?
NPS measures loyalty and willingness to recommend (0–10 scale). CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction (usually 1–5 or 1–10 scale). CSAT is more immediate, NPS is more strategic. App Store ratings are closer to CSAT than NPS.
Should indie developers use NPS?
For most indie developers, star ratings + feedback forms are simpler and more actionable than NPS. NPS works better for larger teams tracking loyalty over time. Start with star ratings and text feedback to understand what users want, then graduate to NPS if you're tracking product-market fit at scale.

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the right way

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