In this guide
You can reuse your positioning on both stores, but not your text. The fields differ in number, length and role. Verified against the official help pages on 2026-10-23; limits change, so re-check before you publish.
Side by side
| Field | Google Play | App Store |
|---|---|---|
| Name | 30 characters (verified) | 30 characters, at least 2 (verified) |
| Short line | Short description, 80 characters (verified) | Subtitle, 30 characters (verified) |
| Long text | Full description, 4,000 characters (verified) | Description, 4,000 characters, plain text, no HTML (verified) |
| Keyword field | Not listed on the page I checked | Keywords, up to 100 bytes (verified) |
| Short promo text | Not listed on the page I checked | Promotional text, up to 170 characters, shown above the description (verified) |
| Update notes | Release notes; the page gives no limit | What's New, up to 4,000 characters, required after the first version (verified) |
Play counts full-width and half-width characters equally, according to its help page. Apple's keyword limit is in bytes, not characters, which matters for non-Latin scripts.
What this means for your text
Play: the short and long description do the work. Google's page warns that repetitive or irrelevant keywords in the name, description or promotional description can lead to suspension. So write natural sentences and use your main phrase where it fits. Details: short description and long description structure.
App Store: the keyword field is separate. Words there are not shown to users, so use them for terms that do not belong in visible text, and do not repeat words you already placed in name or subtitle. Neither help page says whether the description is used for search, so do not assume it is. See first lines of the description and promotional text.
Which fields are searched differs per store and can change without notice. Treat any claim of "this field is not ranked" as unproven until you test it.
Adapting, step by step
- Write the positioning once: who, what, result.
- Draft the Play short description and the App Store subtitle separately; they have different length limits and neighbors.
- Write the long Play description for readers, in sections.
- On Apple, use the first lines of the description and the promotional text for the pitch, and the keyword field for extra terms.
- Keep the screenshots' message consistent across stores, but match each store's current size rules (screenshot guide).
- Re-check limits whenever you edit; both consoles show them.
Where they work differently in practice
- Assets: sizes and extra graphics (such as a feature graphic on Play) differ; see the console.
- Experiments: both stores offer them in different forms. See A/B testing a listing.
- Keyword research: the same method works on both. See keyword research.
Back to the ASO and launch hub. Related: Google Play short description, Google Play long description.
Want a second pair of eyes on both versions? Get private, structured feedback from other developers. Get started with AppReviewX.