AppleakApp Market Research From Real Data
Before you build or reposition an app, you want to know four things: who already wins the category, what their users still complain about, what the leaders pay to say in ads, and whether people are asking for something better. All four can be read from public data.
In short
- 01The charts say who leads and who is climbing; the reviews say what users of those apps still want.
- 02Ads and creator videos show what the leaders believe sells, and where they spend to say it.
- 03Appleak reads the reviews, charts, ads, creators and social posts of a category from one question, with a source behind every claim.
By Appleak · 9 Nov 2026
The questions app market research answers
- Is there demand?
- Apps in the category on the top charts, new ones climbing, and people asking for recommendations in public.
- Who leads, and how firmly?
- Who holds the top of the grossing chart, and whether new apps still break in.
- What do users still want?
- The complaints and wishes that repeat across the leaders’ reviews.
- What does it cost to compete?
- Who advertises, on which networks, and with what promise.
- How do apps here make money?
- Free trials, subscriptions or one-off purchases, and at what prices.
Where the answers are
| Source | What it tells you | In Appleak |
|---|---|---|
| Top charts | Who leads, who is new and who is climbing, by category and country | Releases & charts |
| Reviews | Why users stay, pay or leave, in their own words | Category reports, Review Search |
| Ads | What the leaders pay to say, where and for how long | Ad Search |
| Creator videos | What people show and watch about the category | UGC videos, Influencer Search |
| Social posts | People asking for an app, and what they complain about | Market Signals |
| Store listings | Prices, plans, screenshots and the promise each app leads with | App teardowns |
Start with the reviews
Reviews are the most direct market research there is: thousands of users saying what they wanted and did not get. Read across the leaders of a category, not one app, and the complaints that repeat are the openings.
One question across a whole category
Asked “why did people cancel subscription on fitness apps” on 5 Sep 2026, Appleak read 3,105 reviews of 17 apps on both stores and found 88 about cancelling. Its answer: people cancel mainly because they feel tricked into paying, by free trials that charge early, surprise fees and cancellation made deliberately hard.
why do people leave gym appswhich meditation apps are worth it
Read the charts for who leads and who is rising
The top grossing chart shows who earns in a category; the top free chart, who is downloaded. Apps launched in the last weeks that already chart show the category is still open to newcomers.
- Look at a category’s chart, not only the overall one: a niche can be led by apps you have never heard of.
- Check several countries. A category crowded in the US may be open elsewhere.
- Watch what moved this week, not only who is on top.
Listen for people asking
The strongest sign of demand is a person asking, in public, for an app that does what yours will. Those posts also tell you the words buyers use, which belong in your listing and your ads.
A buyer asking in public
Listening for “calorie tracker” on 3 Oct 2026, Market Signals caught a Reddit post in r/Bulk asking: “Whats the best nutrtion calorie tracker app which is free and has ai scan and barcode scanner.”
Step by step: research a category in Appleak
- Ask about the category. From the dashboard, ask a question about it, such as why people leave gym apps. A category report reads the apps and their reviews and answers it.
- Check the charts. Open Releases & charts for the category to see who leads, who is new and who moved.
- Look at the ads. Ad Search shows which apps in the category advertise and what they say.
- Listen. Market Signals follows a keyword on seven social platforms and sorts the posts into people looking, complaints, bugs and ideas.
- Open the leaders. A teardown of each leading app shows its estimated revenue, its plans and what its users say.
Questions
How do I do market research for an app?
Read four things for your category: the top charts for who leads, the leaders’ reviews for what users still want, their ads for what they believe sells, and social posts for people asking for an app. Appleak reads all four from one question.
What is the best data for app market research?
Reviews and charts first. Reviews say why users stay or leave in their own words; charts say who earns and who is downloaded. Ads and social posts add what the leaders pay to say and what buyers ask for.
How do I know if an app idea has demand?
Look for apps in the category on the top charts, new apps still breaking into them, and people asking in public for something better. Repeated complaints in the leaders’ reviews show what the demand is for.
Can I research a market on Google Play too?
Yes. Appleak reads apps and reviews on both the App Store and Google Play. Revenue estimates cover App Store apps; a Play app is read from its App Store version when it has one.
How long does app market research take in Appleak?
A category report reads the apps and thousands of their reviews in one run, and shows its price in credits before it starts. The charts and Releases are free to browse.
Read next
Research your category from one question.
Ask why people leave, what they pay for or what is missing. Appleak reads the apps and their reviews and answers with sources.
why do people leave gym apps