How This App Got 2.8K Organic 5-Star Reviews

Hi app founders, designers, and marketers,

Grug is a small app that gives you one piece of wisdom every morning and lets you draw how it makes you feel.

That simple experience has earned it a 4.9 rating across 2.8K reviews.

The tiny detail that sets the tone

Grug replaces the standard iOS status bar with a hand-drawn version showing the time and battery.

It matches the rest of the interface and makes the app feel consistent from the moment you open it.

The review prompt

After reading the day's wisdom, Grug tells you to come back at sunrise. Underneath, there's a small drawing of stars.

Tap the stars, and you get the review prompt.

The timing works because stars are already part of the experience. The user has just finished the day's content, and the prompt fits naturally into what comes next.

What not to do

Compare that with Sunlitt, a sun-tracking app that prompts users for a review while they're checking the sun's position.

The user is in the middle of the app's main task when the review request appears, so it gets in the way of the experience.

Grug waits until the core interaction is finished, giving users a natural point to leave a review.

Make the prompt part of the product

Grug's review strategy comes down to three things: good timing, familiar visuals, and a clear endpoint.

Tip #7: Ask for the review when the core experience ends, then make the prompt feel native to that experience.

Would you test it on your app?

Watch the full Grug breakdown:

See you next week,

The App Store Tracker Team