Store Quality Score

The Apify Store Quality Score is a numeric score from 0 to 100 that Apify assigns to each published actor based on a comprehensive set of quality criteria. This score directly impacts your actor's visibility and ranking in Apify Store search results — higher-scoring actors appear first when users search for tools, and lower-scoring actors get pushed down or filtered out entirely. The score updates approximately every 7 days based on the latest state of your actor. The Store Quality Score matters because the Apify Store is the primary discovery mechanism for actors. Users searching for 'amazon scraper' or 'linkedin email finder' see results ranked by a combination of relevance and quality score. An actor with a quality score of 85 will consistently outrank a functionally identical actor with a score of 50, even if the lower-scored actor was published first. For monetized actors using PPE pricing, higher visibility directly translates to more runs, more revenue, and faster growth. A 10-point improvement in quality score can double your organic traffic from Store search. The quality score is calculated from multiple factors, each contributing a portion of the total: README completeness and length (20+ points) — your README should be 800+ words with sections for features, use cases, input/output descriptions, examples, cost estimation, and an FAQ. Input schema quality (10-15 points) — every field needs a title, description, and default value. Dataset schema with defined properties (10-15 points) — an empty or missing dataset schema costs you significant points. Custom actor icon uploaded (5 points) — the default gray icon signals low effort. Run success rate above 90% (10-15 points) — calculated from the last 30 days of runs on default input. PPE pricing configured (5-10 points) — monetized actors score higher because Apify earns from them. Category assignment (5 points) — actors without categories are harder to discover. SEO fields completed (5-10 points) — SEO title and description for the Store listing page. To check your quality score, navigate to your actor in the Apify Console and look at the Insights tab (or the Overview tab depending on current UI). The API also exposes quality metrics at GET /v2/acts/{actorId} in the stats object. Some quality signals are not directly visible but affect ranking: how often your actor is run by other users, how many users have it saved, and the trend in usage (growing vs declining). Common mistakes that tank your quality score include submitting a minimal README with just 2-3 sentences — this is the single biggest point loss. Write a thorough README that answers every question a potential user might have. Having a dataset schema with empty properties ({}) is another critical mistake — Apify interprets this as an undefined output and penalizes heavily. Not testing with default input is also damaging: if your actor fails when users click Start without changing any settings, every automated test run fails, dragging down your success rate. To maximize your quality score: write a comprehensive README (1000+ words with clear sections), define complete input and dataset schemas with descriptions on every field, upload a custom 256x256 PNG icon, ensure 95%+ success rate on default input, set PPE pricing with clear event descriptions, assign 1-2 relevant categories from the allowed list (AI, DEVELOPER_TOOLS, ECOMMERCE, etc.), and fill in all SEO metadata fields. Run your actor manually once per week on default input to verify it still works — target sites change their HTML frequently, and what worked last month may break this month. Actors scoring below approximately 40 get significantly reduced visibility in search results and may be flagged for review by the Apify team. Actors consistently scoring above 80 receive preferential placement in curated collections and featured sections. Related concepts: Maintenance Flag, Actor, Input Schema, Dataset Schema, PPE, Actor Build.