An app reference in APA style lists the app name, version, rights holder, year, and a link readers can open.
You’ve got an app in your notes, your methods section, or your appendix, and now you need to cite it in APA 7th edition. This can feel odd, since apps sit between software and online content. The good part: once you know what details matter, the reference takes one clean line, and your in-text citation stays simple.
This article gives the format, shows what to do when details are missing, and ends with templates you can copy and edit in minutes.
What Counts As An App Source In APA 7
Use an app citation when the app itself is the thing you relied on. That can mean the app provided tools, measurements, lessons, maps, logs, or content you quoted or paraphrased.
If you only name a familiar tool in passing—like noting the app you used to take photos—you may only need an in-text mention. When the app matters to your work, a full reference list entry helps a reader trace it.
APA Citation For An App With Version And Platform Notes
Use this core structure for a mobile app reference list entry in APA 7:
Rights Holder. (Year). App name (Version x.x.x) [Mobile app]. Store or publisher. URL
That line is short, yet each piece does a job: it names who owns the app, pins the release you used, and gives a link your reader can open.
| Detail To Collect | Where To Find It | How It Appears In The Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rights holder (person, group, or company) | App store listing, developer site, or “About” screen | First position as the author element |
| Year for the version you used | Store “Updated” date, release notes, or app info page | In parentheses after the rights holder |
| App name | Store title or in-app title | Italicized, in sentence case |
| Version number | App settings, “About,” or store listing | In parentheses right after the app name |
| Bracket label | Decide based on what it is | [Mobile app] for phone/tablet apps; [Computer software] for desktop software |
| Store or publisher name | App Store / Google Play listing, or publisher line in the app | Placed after the bracket label |
| Working URL | Copy the store link or official download page | Final element, as a clickable link |
| Release date granularity | Some listings show full dates | Many class rubrics accept the year only |
| Publisher equals rights holder? | Compare the author line and the publisher/store line | When they match, some library guides let you omit the publisher line |
How To Write The Reference List Entry Step By Step
Step 1: Choose The Rights Holder Name
The “author” for an app is the person or group that owns the rights. In store listings, this is often the developer name or company name. Use the name exactly as shown, then add a period.
Step 2: Use The Year For The Version You Used
Apps change often, so the year should match the release you relied on. If the listing shows only a month and day, take the year from that date.
Step 3: Format The App Name And Version
Write the app name in sentence case and italicize it. Put the version number in parentheses right after the title. Version details keep your reference tied to what you saw, not what the app becomes later.
Step 4: Add The Bracket Label
Use [Mobile app] for a phone or tablet app. Use [Computer software] for desktop software. This bracket tells the reader what the item is without extra wording.
Step 5: Add The Store Or Publisher
Many instructors accept the app store name (Apple App Store or Google Play Store) as the source. Some library guides treat the publisher as optional when it matches the rights holder. If your course rubric is strict, keep the store name in place.
Step 6: Use A Link That Opens Without A Login
Use the store page URL or the official download page. Skip links that break behind sign-in walls. If a store URL includes tracking parameters, trimming after the core app ID keeps it cleaner.
Reference List Formatting Details That Trip People Up
Punctuation in APA references is not decoration; it separates elements. A period ends the author element, the date element, and the title element. The store or publisher is followed by a period, then the URL ends the entry.
Keep the title in sentence case. That means you capitalize the first word, the first word after a colon if one appears in the app’s official title, and proper nouns. Don’t turn every store listing into Title Case just because the listing uses it.
Italics apply to the app name only. The version stays in plain text inside parentheses right after the title. The bracket label stays in plain text too.
URLs do not need a period after them. If your reference manager adds one, delete it, since some systems treat that dot as part of the link.
In your reference list, alphabetize apps by the rights holder. Use a hanging indent, then keep spacing consistent with the rest of your paper. If you cite both an app and its website, list each as its own entry so graders can scan it.
In-Text Citations For Mobile Apps
In-text citations for apps follow the author–date pattern. Use the rights holder name and the year.
- Parenthetical: (Rights Holder, 2024)
- Narrative: Rights Holder (2024) shows…
If you cite the app many times, use the same author and year each time. If you cite two versions released in different years, cite each with its correct year so the reader can tell which one you mean.
When A Full Reference Is Not Required
Some APA 7 library guides say a reference list entry is not needed when you only mention standard software or apps in passing and you do not quote or paraphrase content from them. In that case, an in-text mention of the name (and version, if helpful) can be enough.
If your assignment rubric wants a reference list entry for any named app, follow your course rule. Rubrics beat general style tips, and this saves back-and-forth with graders.
Apple App Store And Google Play URLs
Store links can look messy, yet they still work. When you can, use the cleanest stable URL to the app’s listing page. That page lets your reader confirm the app name, the rights holder, and the update info.
Two solid references for app and software citations are the UniSQ APA 7 computer software and apps chapter and the University of Waterloo APA 7 guide on computer code, software, and apps (PDF).
Tricky Cases And Clean Fixes
No Date Listed
If you can’t find a release year, use (n.d.) in the date slot. Still include the version number if you have it, since that can narrow down what you used.
No Version Number
If the app does not show a version, omit the version element and move on. Don’t invent a number. If the store page lists a version but the app settings do not, use the store version tied to the update date you used.
App Name Starts With A Brand And A Subtitle
Use the title as shown in the store listing, then apply sentence case after the first word. Keep trademarks as they appear. Avoid adding extra descriptors that aren’t part of the title.
Multiple Owners Or A Company With A Department
Use the group author as it appears (Company Name or Organization Name). If the listing names a department, include it only when it is clearly part of the author line shown there.
Citing A Specific Screen Or Tool Inside The App
If you quote text from a screen or rely on a tool output, cite the app as the source and add a brief locator in your writing, such as the screen title. Apps rarely have stable page numbers, so screen titles or feature names help your reader follow along.
When You Quoted The Store Description
If the words you used came from the store listing text, treat the listing like a webpage source and cite that page, not the app itself. This comes up when a store description contains a definition, a feature list, or wording you quoted. In that case, your app citation can stay in your methods section, while the store page citation supports the quoted text.
Common Mistakes That Drop Points
- Using the app store as the author instead of the rights holder
- Leaving out the version when the app updates often
- Linking to a login-locked page or a private dashboard URL
- Capitalizing every word in the app title inside the reference list
- Mixing “Mobile app” and “Computer software” labels without matching the item you used
- Copying a link that changes by country while your paper uses a different region
One quick check helps: ask, “Can a classmate open this link and locate the same app name and owner?” If the answer is yes, your source element is in good shape.
Templates You Can Copy And Edit
| Situation | Reference List Template | In-Text Template |
|---|---|---|
| Standard mobile app from a store | Rights Holder. (Year). App name (Version x.x) [Mobile app]. Store name. URL | (Rights Holder, Year) |
| App with no version shown | Rights Holder. (Year). App name [Mobile app]. Store name. URL | (Rights Holder, Year) |
| App with no date found | Rights Holder. (n.d.). App name (Version x.x) [Mobile app]. Store name. URL | (Rights Holder, n.d.) |
| Desktop software used as a source | Rights Holder. (Year). Software name (Version x.x) [Computer software]. Publisher. URL | (Rights Holder, Year) |
| App page on a company site, not a store | Rights Holder. (Year). App name (Version x.x) [Mobile app]. Publisher. URL | (Rights Holder, Year) |
| Two versions cited in one paper | Use separate entries with each year and version, then cite each year in text | (Rights Holder, 2023) and (Rights Holder, 2025) |
| In-app content quoted | Use the app entry, then cite the app in text with a screen name in your sentence | (Rights Holder, Year) |
Mini Checklist Before You Submit
- Author element matches the rights holder, not the store name
- Year matches the version you used
- Title is italicized and in sentence case
- Version is present when available
- Bracket label matches the item: [Mobile app] or [Computer software]
- URL opens to a public page
- In-text citation uses the same rights holder name as the reference list entry
If you’re writing about apa citation for an app in a methods section, add the version and platform details in your sentence too. That line gives your reader the same build you used.
Use the templates above, fill in the fields from the first table, and your next apa citation for an app should take less time than hunting down the update year.