App Store

Every issue, all time, most people first

1. Search makes finding apps by name hardUnreviewed

   114 people since 2010, in 17 different years · 9 this year

   20082026
   • Horrible search made it hard for users to find apps2026-07-14
   • Searching for an app name returns unrelated apps and sponsored results above it2026-04-27
   • Searching the exact app name doesn't surface it near the top of results2026-04-26
   Something wrong here?

2. Ads appear in search results and are never the wanted appReviewed

   56 people since 2017, in 9 different years · 26 this year

   20082026

   Read the reviewed issue →

   Something wrong here?

3. Hard to find how to cancel in-app subscriptions without searchingUnreviewed

   45 people since 2016, in 10 different years · 3 this year

   20082026
   • People can't figure out how to cancel subscriptions in printing apps2026-08-07
   • Too many scammy apps with dark patterns in the store2026-02-18
   • Hard to find a suitable app among dozens of near-identical subscription options2026-01-19
   Something wrong here?

4. Apps look free but hide a purchase flow until lateUnreviewed

   16 people since 2011, in 10 different years · 2 this year

   20082026
   • Apps look free but hide a purchase wizard, so users only learn they must pay late2026-07-06
   • App Store page shows many price points without saying subscription or one-time payment2026-05-03
   • Signing up for App Store requires payment method unless you start from a free app2025-04-18
   Something wrong here?

5. Hard to find apps without in-app purchases or adsUnreviewed

   13 people since 2012, in 10 different years · 2 this year

   20082026
   • Can't filter search to paid apps or set a minimum price2026-09-22
   • No filters for price or payment model, so single-payment apps are impossible to find2026-09-01
   • Can't find ad-free, purchase-free Tetris apps because search has no filter for it2025-07-08
   Something wrong here?

6. No way to get an older compatible app versionUnreviewed

   12 people since 2014, in 10 different years · 1 this year

   20082026
   • Can't download the latest compatible app version; free apps can't be bought without a prior account link2026-03-16
   • Users confused about which app version they bought and reinstalling, searching for old versions2025-09-23
   • Can't download a compatible older app version unless previously downloaded, with no explanation2025-09-15
   Something wrong here?

7. Must log out and back into another country store to downloadUnreviewed

   11 people since 2012, in 8 different years · none this year

   20082026
   • Switching to another country's store to update apps is cumbersome compared to logging in2025-02-12
   • Changing country to reach an app dropped subscriptions and then apps stopped updating2024-01-17
   • Switching country stores to get updates silently cancels all subscriptions2021-09-11
   Something wrong here?

8. Refund process isn't obvious, requiring web searchUnreviewed

   9 people since 2011, in 7 different years · none this year

   20082026
   • Refund UX is antiquated, making it hard to request refunds or check their status2025-05-02
   • Refunds require creating a support ticket, with no refund button, and may be refused2023-12-08
   • Can't figure out where to request a refund for an app2021-10-04
   Something wrong here?

9. Updates show no download progress and unexpectedly ask for passwordUnreviewed

   8 people since 2012, in 7 different years · none this year

   20082026
   • Must retype a 50+ character password every time the App Store is used2025-06-12
   • Updates sit with a download spinner for 20-30 minutes before actually starting2023-01-28
   • Updating through the store is slow, asks for Apple ID often, and leads to endless postponing2017-02-14
   Something wrong here?

10. Constant delay when clicking anythingUnreviewed

    8 people since 2015, in 4 different years · 3 this year

    20082026
    • Simple tasks take hours of clicking through a cumbersome interface2026-01-29
    • Clicking into a different category has a noticeable 1-2 second delay before loading2025-11-06
    • Constant delay when clicking on anything2025-11-06
    Something wrong here?

11. Apps split across accounts, requiring separate login and logoutUnreviewed

    7 people since 2012, in 6 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Users needing country-specific apps must juggle separate Apple accounts, unlike Android's easy account switching2024-08-13
    • Must log out and switch regions repeatedly to update apps2020-12-24
    • Having many separate app stores on one device would be cluttered and annoying to manage2020-08-07
    Something wrong here?

12. Rating popups force dismissing or leaving the appUnreviewed

    7 people since 2017, in 3 different years · 3 this year

    20082026
    • Users must repeatedly dismiss unwanted Apple service promotions and notifications2026-08-19
    • Review popups appear at bad times and must be dismissed before using the app2026-07-29
    • Rating popups get in the way and force dismissing or leaving the app2026-07-29
    Something wrong here?

13. Can't see rating history, only ratings for newest versionUnreviewed

    6 people since 2010, in 5 different years · 1 this year

    20082026
    • App keeps nagging users to rate it, which is annoying2026-07-29
    • Can't tell an app's rating history since ratings only reflect the newest version2017-06-05
    • Yes sends users to the app store rating page while No does nothing2016-12-06
    Something wrong here?

14. Finding the update list takes minutes, with no update-all buttonUnreviewed

    6 people since 2015, in 4 different years · 2 this year

    20082026
    • Must navigate past ads to reach the app update interface2025-12-19
    • Updates are buried under account menu, hard to find among ads2025-11-07
    • Took many minutes to find the list of apps to update, and no update-all button2025-09-26
    Something wrong here?

15. Developers can't easily link customers to their websiteUnreviewed

    6 people since 2011, in 4 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Apps can't tell customers where to sign up, so users must guess the web signup route2024-01-17
    • Developers cannot easily link customers to their own website from the app page2020-11-18
    • Apps cannot refer customers to a website to buy subscriptions, making purchase opaque and awkward2020-08-26
    Something wrong here?

16. Pages take seconds, buttons need repeated clicks, downloads stickUnreviewed

    5 people since 2010, in 5 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Downloads randomly stall, fail, or do nothing when tapped, and pause whenever the phone sleeps2019-10-23
    • Pages take seconds to load and buttons need repeated clicks, downloads get stuck2018-02-11
    • Downloads require extra popup, waiting for app to load, re-entering credentials, and pressing download again2012-09-23
    Something wrong here?

17. Subscription buttons placed so people sign up by misclickingUnreviewed

    4 people since 2016, in 4 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Cancelling subscriptions is hidden behind a tiny, unlabeled profile icon and a non-button name header2025-05-01
    • Subscription buttons are deliberately placed so people misclick and sign up accidentally2022-04-12
    • Arcade tab and other subscription promos keep nagging users to subscribe, feeling like clutter2019-03-25
    Something wrong here?

18. Keeps prompting for updates instead of updating automaticallyUnreviewed

    4 people since 2010, in 4 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Updates refuse to install until the user manually quits the running app2019-09-25
    • User could not find the option to turn off auto updates2018-02-11
    • No way to stop one app updating; must disable all auto-updates and risk tapping Update2017-06-13
    Something wrong here?

19. Often fails to launch, needing many tries to openUnreviewed

    4 people since 2010, in 4 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • App Store goes blank with no error message when a sign-in page fails to load2020-12-26
    • App Store often fails to launch, needing many tries to open2016-11-17
    • App Store interface often fails to load at all2013-07-28
    Something wrong here?

20. Hard to find valuable apps or check they work before payingUnreviewed

    4 people since 2011, in 4 different years · 1 this year

    20082026
    • Lookalike apps surround official app, confusing users into paying for free one2026-01-19
    • Hard to find valuable apps and can't tell if they work before paying2016-03-05
    • Searching for a popular app returns only its paid plug-ins, not the app itself2015-08-13
    Something wrong here?

21. Purchase popups appear randomly and Touch ID confirms them on home pressUnreviewed

    4 people since 2011, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Closing a popup silently triggers paid purchases, so a child racks up charges unknowingly2020-12-14
    • EU accounts must confirm an extra popup dialog for every in-app purchase2020-07-29
    • Purchase popups appear randomly and Touch ID confirms them when the user presses home2019-10-21
    Something wrong here?

22. Purchases must be completed on the vendor's website outside the appUnreviewed

    4 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Users without the app must go to the App Store and find their own way back to the web activity2023-07-31
    • Users must leave the app and go to the vendor's website to complete purchases2020-08-28
    • Users must guess to leave the app and buy content on a website instead2020-08-18
    Something wrong here?

23. Developers can't offer upgrade discounts to existing customersUnreviewed

    3 people since 2015, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • App Store doesn't handle upgrading organizations versus individual developer accounts2024-01-28
    • Apps can't link users to web sign-up, so free users never learn premium upgrades exist2018-08-22
    • Developers can't offer upgrade discounts to existing customers2015-02-18
    Something wrong here?

24. Update button often does nothing, needing repeated clicksUnreviewed

    3 people since 2010, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Uploading each update requires clicking through a six-step wizard every time2020-05-06
    • Clicking update often does nothing, requiring repeated clicks; state inaccurate during downloads2016-05-03
    • Updating apps takes many repeated clicks and shows a spurious outdated-page error dialog2010-09-16
    Something wrong here?

25. Paid apps auto-update to unusable versions with no recoveryUnreviewed

    3 people since 2020, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Apps get abandoned or upgrades are a pain, numbered versions and paywalled updates2025-09-15
    • Can't exclude an app from auto-updates or roll back after accidentally upgrading2021-06-03
    • Paid apps auto-update to unusable versions with no way to recover2020-08-23
    Something wrong here?

26. No way to return from app page to search resultsUnreviewed

    3 people since 2012, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • App listing shows in search but clicking through never renders the page2021-04-15
    • Couldn't find a way to return from app page to search results2016-10-06
    • Going back from an app page resets search results to the top2012-09-20
    Something wrong here?

27. Easy to accidentally update apps by mis-tappingUnreviewed

    3 people since 2011, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Easy to accidentally update apps by mis-tapping close to the Update button2017-06-13
    • Apple rejected an app update over an OK button that quit the app, with confusing demands2013-06-10
    • Accidentally clicking update all charged for an app with no confirmation prompt2011-07-28
    Something wrong here?

28. Misleading app descriptions make finding apps hardUnreviewed

    3 people since 2008, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • App descriptions are misleading and finding apps is hard2022-03-31
    • Short description leads with what the app can't do, hiding its features2010-02-19
    • Navigating into an app description and back is annoying2008-09-04
    Something wrong here?

29. Results load slowly and categories are isolatedUnreviewed

    3 people since 2013, in 3 different years · none this year

    20082026
    • Browsing categories is buried as a search suggestion, so it is hard to find2022-06-05
    • Can't start a search from a category; filters and categories are too broad to narrow results2020-09-25
    • Results load too slowly and each category is isolated, making browsing room to room tedious2013-06-18
    Something wrong here?

30. ChatGPT search shows lookalike apps above the real oneUnreviewed

    3 people since 2023, in 3 different years · 1 this year

    20082026
    • Searching for ChatGPT shows lookalike and unrelated apps above the real one2026-04-09
    • Top WhatsApp search result was a lookalike third-party app, hard to tell apart2025-04-24
    • Official ChatGPT app is buried beyond the first 20 search results2023-05-18
    Something wrong here?

This list counts all time; the period switch above only changes the ranking. Each issue is a group of similar complaints raised by at least 3 people in 3 different months and threads. Each line under an issue is Claude Haiku's summary of one of its latest comments, not a quote; follow it to read the comment on Hacker News.