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Google Play Store Ratings Not Displayed? Investigating the 37-Rating Mystery by Country

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Android
Google Play
ASO
Google Play Console
indiedev
idea

Introduction

On the Google Play Store, app rating displays can vary depending on the country and language. As of July 2025, my app (Count Master Takumi) has a total of 37 ratings, but a phenomenon persists where ratings do not appear at all when accessed normally from Japan (&gl=JP). I noticed that some other apps display ratings even with around 10 reviews, which led me to question the specifications. In this article, I analyze the logic behind the Google Play Store's rating display and share my findings. Please note that the content is based on my observations and hypotheses and does not guarantee Google's official specifications.

Google Play Store URL Parameters

To verify the behavior of the Google Play Store, you can test displays in specific countries or languages by adding &gl (country code) or &hl (language code) to the URL. The procedure is explained below.

&gl (Country Code)

&hl (Language Code)

Testing Method

  1. Add &gl=IN or &hl=en to the app URL (e.g., https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.gr.java_conf.tunecode.counter) in your browser.
  2. Observe changes in the summary ratings and the review section.
  3. Example: Check the display in English for India using &gl=IN&hl=en.

Types of Ratings

Summary Rating

Summary ratings are the average ratings officially termed by Google as "App Rating" or "Average Rating," and they appear as star ratings in app listings or the header of the detail page (where the app icon and download count are displayed).

  • Calculation Method: Calculated based on the number of reviews per country. If the criteria (e.g., minimum number of reviews) are not met, a global rating value is applied.
  • Display Location: The same value is referenced in the following two locations:
    • App listings on the Google Play StoreSummary Rating 1
      Summary Rating 1
    • Header section of the app detail pageSummary Rating 2
      Summary Rating 2
  • Visibility: Even if a rating value is calculated, it may not be displayed (described later).

"Ratings and Reviews" Section

The "Ratings and Reviews" section on the app detail page refers to a different dataset than the summary rating, displaying the average rating value, distribution (bar chart), and reviews (comments) appropriate for the display language.

  • Display Location: Bottom of the app pageRatings and Reviews
    Ratings and Reviews
  • Visibility: This section itself may or may not be displayed. It might appear even if the summary rating is hidden.
  • Review Display: The reviews (comments) displayed change based on the page's language setting (\u0026hl parameter).
  • Rating Value and Distribution: The number of reviews and the average rating are displayed, but the calculation basis is unclear.

Verification Results and Speculations

According to my Google Play Console (management screen) data (past 90 days) for my app (Count Master Takumi), the total number of ratings is 37 (the header of the detail page also shows 37). On the other hand, I confirmed that the number of ratings shown in the "Ratings and Reviews" section of the Google Play Store can be 30 or 7. Below is a summary of the verification results and speculations.

1. Display of the Number of Ratings

  • Observation: The summary rating displays the total number of ratings (37) in any country, but the average rating value (number of stars) changes depending on the country. The number of ratings in the "Ratings and Reviews" section is either 30 or 7, suggesting that it might be referencing a different dataset.

  • Example: Vietnam (VN): Summary rating is 37 (average 4.7), while the review section is 30 (average 4.7; Console data shows 7).

  • Speculation: The summary rating calculates a global value for all reviews (37) and remains at 37 even when displaying a country-specific average rating. The "Ratings and Reviews" section uses data filtered by region or language, resulting in a different number of reviews. See "7. The Mystery Regarding the Display Count in the 'Ratings and Reviews' Section" for more details.

2. Behavior in Countries Without Users

  • Observation: In countries with no (or very few) users, both the summary rating and the review section are displayed. The summary rating shows "37 reviews, 4.7 average," and the review section shows "30 reviews, 4.9 average."

  • Example:

  • Speculation: In countries where no users exist, regional data is insufficient, so global ratings are displayed as a fallback. It is possible that global values take precedence in countries that Google Play does not determine as "active."

3. Summary Rating Visibility

  • Observation: In countries where users exist but the number of ratings is below the threshold (e.g., 5), the summary rating is hidden. For countries with 0 ratings, the review section is displayed with "7 reviews, 4.1 average."

  • Example: Countries with 0 ratings at the time of writing:

  • Speculation: Global ratings are disabled in countries where users exist; if regional data does not meet the criteria, the summary rating is hidden.

The fact that global ratings are displayed in countries without users, while they can be hidden in countries where users actually exist, feels like a somewhat counterintuitive specification. Could it be Google's intention to avoid misunderstandings?

4. Visibility of the "Ratings and Reviews" Section

  • Observation: In countries with 1 to 3 ratings, both the summary rating and the review section are hidden.
  • Example: Countries with fewer than 5 ratings at the time of writing:
  • Speculation: If the number of ratings is below a threshold (e.g., 5), the review section is hidden. In active countries, global values are not applied until the threshold is reached.

Just like with the summary display, it feels like a somewhat counterintuitive specification that ratings likely from a global pool are displayed in countries without users, but nothing is shown in countries that have ratings but in small numbers.

5. Conditions for Displaying Summary Ratings

  • Observation: In countries with 5 or more ratings, the summary rating is displayed using country-specific values, but the review section remains hidden.

  • Example: Countries with 5 or more ratings:

    • Brazil (BR): 5 ratings, summary rating displays "37 reviews, average rating 5.0", review section hiddenCountry-specific average rating for Brazil is displayedCountry-specific average rating for Brazil is displayed
    • フィリピン（PH）: 5 ratings, summary rating displays "37 reviews, average rating 4.0", review section hiddenCountry-specific average rating for the Philippines is displayedCountry-specific average rating for the Philippines is displayed
      Neither country displays the review section!Neither country displays the review section!

  • Speculation: It is possible that summary ratings show country-specific values starting from 5 or more ratings. In active countries, ratings may not be displayed until they reach a certain threshold.

6. Display Conditions for the "Ratings and Reviews" Section

  • Observation: In a country with 7 ratings (Vietnam), both the summary rating and the review section are displayed. While the number of reviews differs between the Console data (7 ratings, average 4.67) and the review section (30 ratings, average 4.7), the average ratings are similar.
  • Example:
    • Vietnam (VN): 7 ratings (Console, average 4.67), summary rating "37 reviews, average rating 4.7", review section "30 reviews, average rating 4.7"
  • Speculation: The display of the review section may require stricter conditions than the summary rating (e.g., 7 or more ratings, presence of comments). Vietnam's average rating of 4.7 is close to the 4.67 seen in the Console, suggesting it likely reflects country-specific values. On the other hand, how should we interpret the display of 30 reviews?

7. The Mystery Regarding the Display Count in the "Ratings and Reviews" Section

  • Observation:
    • Countries with no (or very few) users: "30 reviews, average 4.9"
    • Countries with users but 0 ratings: "7 reviews, average 4.1"
    • Countries with 1–3 ratings: Review section hidden
    • Country with 7 ratings (Vietnam): "30 reviews, average 4.7"
  • Example:
  • Discussion: One could interpret the review count in the review section as referring to a global value (30 reviews) or another dataset (7 reviews). However, the 30 reviews for Vietnam is difficult to interpret since it differs from the 7 ratings data obtained in Vietnam as confirmed in the Console. The dataset of 7 reviews might depend on specific regional or language filters (e.g., English reviews). Factors such as the presence of comments or the expiration of ratings might influence this, but the details remain unclear.

Conclusion

Rating displays on the Google Play Store are intricately controlled by region, language, and the number of ratings. For my app (Count Master Takumi), I observed patterns where the summary rating or the review section is hidden in countries with few ratings—such as Japan (&gl=JP), where ratings do not appear despite having a total of 37 ratings. It is interesting to note that the review section is displayed in countries with 0 ratings. On the other hand, it is also worth noting that both the summary rating (37) and the review section (30) are displayed in countries where no users exist. Conditions for displaying summary ratings may include having 5 or more ratings, while the review section might require additional factors like a higher number of ratings or the presence of comments.

How to Get Ratings Displayed in Japan

I speculate that for ratings to be displayed in Japan (&gl=JP), at least 5 ratings from Japanese users are required. Stricter conditions (e.g., 7 or more ratings, presence of comments) may be necessary for the review section to appear.

Final Thoughts

The fact that ratings are displayed in countries without users while being hidden in countries where users do exist feels somewhat counterintuitive. It would seem more logical if global ratings were displayed as a fallback until the threshold for regional ratings is met. I hope this specification will be clarified or improved in the future.

Disclaimer: This article is an analysis based on public interfaces (&gl/&hl parameters) and aggregated data from the Google Play Console (37 total ratings, country-specific counts, etc.). The conclusions drawn are based on my personal observations and do not guarantee Google's official specifications.

Questions for Readers

  • Have you observed similar rating display patterns in other apps?
  • If you have any additional data or hypotheses regarding these thresholds or groupings, please share them in the comments! 🙇‍♂️

References

Discussion