SoftwareApplication Schema
Also known as: softwareapplication schema, app schema markup, softwareapplication structured data
SoftwareApplication is a Schema.org type that marks up an app's name, category, operating systems, price, and aggregate rating so search engines and AI engines can describe the software and show rich app snippets.
- Key fields: name, applicationCategory, operatingSystem, and an offers block with price.
- MobileApplication and WebApplication are more specific subtypes.
- aggregateRating must match reviews shown on the page or stars may be suppressed.
Core properties of SoftwareApplication
A SoftwareApplication object describes an app with name, applicationCategory (e.g. `UtilitiesApplication`), operatingSystem (e.g. `iOS, Android`), and an offers block of type Offer with price and priceCurrency (use `0` for free apps). Optional properties include aggregateRating, screenshot, softwareVersion, and downloadUrl.
Subtypes refine the meaning: MobileApplication for phone and tablet apps and WebApplication for browser-based software. It is published as JSON-LD and commonly sits alongside an Organization node that supplies the publisher identity.
Ratings policy and accuracy
If you include aggregateRating, the ratingValue and reviewCount must reflect real, on-page reviews that a visitor can actually see; Google can show or suppress star snippets and may issue a structured-data manual action for invented or mismatched ratings. Never hard-code a rating that is not genuinely displayed.
Keep operatingSystem and applicationCategory truthful and current, point downloadUrl at the real store listing, and pair the markup with an accurate meta-description and canonical-tag. For a cross-platform cleaner, list the actual supported systems rather than padding the field.