What the App Store Metadata Length Checker does
This checker measures your App Store and Google Play listing text against each store's limits - app name, subtitle, keyword field, promotional text, descriptions and release notes - and points out wasted space in Apple's 100-byte keyword field, duplicated words and wording Google Play's guidance does not allow. It updates as you type, and the text stays in your browser.
The limits sound simple until you meet the details: Apple counts the keyword field in bytes, not characters, so an accented letter costs two and a Japanese character three; spaces after commas quietly use up room; and words already in your app name gain nothing by being repeated in the keywords.
How to use it
- Paste the fields you have for either store. You can check just one field - empty fields are skipped.
- Watch the table: each field shows how much of its limit is used, what is left, and a status of within, within 10% or over.
- Read the keyword stats and findings. Findings marked as an ASO convention are common practice rather than Apple rules - use your judgement.
- Fix anything over the limit, then copy the report, or download it as CSV or JSON for your release notes.
Reading the results
Over means App Store Connect or the Play Console will refuse to save the field. Within 10% is only a heads-up, useful when translations will be longer than the source language.
The keyword field is the one place bytes matter. The stats show its size in UTF-8 bytes, the number of keywords and how many bytes go on spaces after commas, which Apple does not need.
Findings about repeated words are advice, not rules. Apple indexes the app name and subtitle for search, so repeating those words in keywords usually wastes bytes - but Apple does not publish its ranking method, so treat it as a strong convention rather than a guarantee.
Worked example: a photo editor's listing
The example's App Store name, "Snapfix: Photo Editor & Filters Pro", is 35 characters: 5 over Apple's 30-character limit. The subtitle "Retouch, crop and share photos" is exactly 30, so it fits with nothing to spare.
The keyword field is 83 of 100 bytes, but one byte goes on a space after a comma, "ai" is too short for Apple's rule that keywords be more than two characters, and photo, editor, retouch and filters already appear in the name or subtitle. Removing them frees about 30 bytes for new terms.
On Google Play, "Snapfix Photo Editor ★ Filters!!" is 32 characters, 2 over the 30-character limit, and the star symbol and the repeated exclamation marks go against Play's metadata guidance.
Formulas and scoring rules
- Characters
length = number of Unicode code pointsAn emoji is one character here. Stores may count some emoji sequences (such as flags or skin tones) as more than one.- Keyword bytes
bytes = UTF-8 length: 1 for ASCII, 2 for most accented Latin letters, 3 for CJK, 4 for emoji- Status
over if used > limit; within 10% if used >= 0.9 x limit; under if the app name is 1 character
Making the most of 100 keyword bytes
Separate keywords with commas and no spaces. Prefer single words to phrases where the words can combine on their own - "photo,editor" rather than "photo editor,photo filter". Leave out words already in your app name and subtitle, and generic words such as "app".
Each localisation has its own keyword field, and some App Store countries index more than one localisation. That gives you more room overall, but it also means duplicated keywords across those localisations are wasted too.
Limitations: what the result does not prove
- It checks lengths and a few written rules. It does not check trademark use, claims, competitor names or any other review guideline - App Review and Google Play policy reviewers decide those.
- The limits are a dated copy of Apple's and Google's help pages; the page shows the date. If a store changes a limit, the console is the final word.
- Character counts use Unicode code points. A few emoji made of several code points may count differently in the store consoles.
Privacy: where your data goes
Everything you paste, type or drop is processed in this browser tab. It is not uploaded, logged, stored or sent to analytics. Session recording and tag-manager scripts are switched off on this page.
Standards and sources
- App Store Connect Help - App information (name, subtitle, keywords) - checked 19 Sep 2026
- Play Console Help - Add preview assets to showcase your app - checked 19 Sep 2026
- App Store Connect Help - Platform version information
- Play Console Help - Create and set up your app
Frequently asked questions
How long can an App Store app name be?
Apple's help says the name must be at least two characters and no more than 30. The subtitle is also limited to 30 characters, promotional text to 170, and the description and What's New text to 4,000 each.
Why is my App Store keyword field over 100 when it has fewer characters?
Apple limits the keyword field to 100 bytes, and non-ASCII characters take more than one byte in UTF-8: most accented letters take two, Chinese or Japanese characters three, emoji four. The checker shows the byte count so localised keyword lists do not surprise you.
Should I put spaces after commas in App Store keywords?
No. The commas separate keywords on their own, and each space costs a byte of your 100. The checker counts how many bytes spaces are using so you can reclaim them.
What are Google Play's listing character limits?
The Play Console allows 30 characters for the app name, 80 for the short description and 4,000 for the full description, and Google says these limits apply to both full-width and half-width characters.
Can I use emojis in my Google Play title?
Google Play's metadata guidance says not to use emojis, emoticons, repeated special characters or decorative symbols such as stars in the title and short description. The checker flags them so you can remove them before review.
Should keywords repeat words from my app name?
Usually not. The App Store already uses the app name and subtitle for search, so the same words in the keyword field add nothing and use bytes. The checker lists such words; it is a well-established convention rather than a published Apple rule.
Last reviewed by the A2Z.Tools team against the sources listed above.
