If you're asking what the best way to create screenshots for the App Store actually is, the honest answer is: it depends on how much time you have, how much you're willing to spend, and how polished you need the result to be. There isn't one correct method — there are four, and each trades speed for control in a different way.
This is a comparison, not a pitch for one tool. Below are the four real options teams use, what each one costs in time or money, and where each one falls apart.
The 4 ways to create App Store screenshots
DIY in design software (Figma, Photoshop, Canva). You build the mockup, background, and text layout yourself from scratch or from a template file. It gives you total creative control and no per-use cost beyond whatever plan you're already on, but it's slow — every device size, every localized version, every update to app copy means going back into the file and re-exporting. It also assumes you already know how to use the software, or are willing to learn.
A dedicated screenshot generator. A purpose-built tool that takes your raw app screenshots and applies device mockups, backgrounds, text, and store-ready export sizes automatically. This is the fastest credible option for most teams because the layout, framing, and sizing work is already done — you're customizing, not building from zero. Quality depends on the tool's templates and how much you personalize them, but the ceiling is high enough for most App Store and Google Play listings.
Hiring a freelancer or agency. You hand off your raw screenshots and brand guidelines and someone else designs the set. This can produce the most polished, custom result, especially for a brand with specific visual requirements. It's also the slowest of the four in practice — briefing, revisions, and delivery all take back-and-forth — and cost is set between you and whoever you hire, not fixed, so it depends on scope, how many screens and localizations you need, and the rate the designer or agency charges. Agree scope, revisions, and delivery timing directly with them before you commit.
Plain, uncustomized device screenshots. Just the raw captures from your phone or simulator, uploaded as-is. It costs nothing and takes minutes, but it's also the weakest option for conversion — no headline, no context, no framing, nothing that tells a browsing user what they're looking at before they scroll past.
Comparing cost, speed, and quality
| Method | Cost | Speed | Skill needed | Quality ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIY design software | Free to low, depending on the plan you already have | Slow — rebuilt per size, per update | Design tool experience required | High, but only with real design skill |
| Screenshot generator | Free tier or paid plan, generally the lowest ongoing cost of the customized options | Fast — minutes per set, using templates | Minimal — no design background needed | High, template-dependent |
| Freelancer/agency | Set directly between you and the provider, based on scope | Slowest — briefing and revision cycles | None required from you | Highest, if brief and revisions go well |
| Raw device captures | None | Fastest — no editing at all | None | Lowest — no messaging, no framing |
The pattern is consistent: the more customized and controlled a result you want, the more time or money it costs — except a good generator, which is the one option that keeps both cost and speed low without dropping to raw-screenshot quality.
What actually makes a screenshot convert (not just look nice)
Choosing a method is only half the job. What's on the screenshot matters as much as how it's produced.
- The first screenshot carries the most weight. It's often the only one a browsing user actually reads before deciding to scroll or move on, so it needs to state the app's core value in a few words, not describe a minor feature.
- Caption hierarchy matters. A short headline per screen, paired with a supporting line if needed, reads faster than a paragraph of feature copy stacked over a small screenshot.
- Device framing should look native, not stretched or cropped oddly to fit a layout. A mockup that doesn't match a real device silhouette reads as generic rather than trustworthy.
- Social proof, where you have it, — a rating, a press mention, a user count — works best placed early in the set, not buried on the last screen nobody reaches.
None of this is about picking the "prettiest" template. It's about what a person scans in the few seconds before they decide to tap Get.
Required sizes and technical specs for iOS and Android
Both stores require screenshots sized to match specific device categories — different iPhone display sizes, iPad, Android phones, and Android tablets each have their own required dimensions, and the exact pixel requirements vary by device and orientation and change as new device sizes come out. Rather than track every size by hand, most teams export at whatever the current requirement is for each listed device category and re-check sizing whenever the store adds a new one.
One rejection risk worth knowing: both stores generally expect screenshots to represent what the app actually does. Heavily stylized mockups are fine as framing and background, but the core screen content shown should reflect real app UI, not a mocked-up screen that doesn't exist in the app.
Localizing screenshots for global stores
If you list in more than one country, screenshots usually need to be localized too — translated headlines and captions, and sometimes different social proof or imagery for different markets. Doing this manually means rebuilding the same layout once per language. A generator built for localization lets you swap text per locale while keeping the layout and framing consistent, which is the difference between localization taking a few minutes per language and taking a redesign per language.
Testing and iterating (A/B testing screenshots)
Screenshots aren't a one-time asset. Store listing experiments let you test different first screenshots, headlines, or orderings against each other to see which set holds attention longer or converts better. This only works if updating a set is cheap enough to do repeatedly — which is where DIY files and freelancer projects tend to lag, since every variant means another round of manual work or another billed request. A tool built for fast re-exports makes ongoing testing realistic instead of a one-off project you do at launch and never touch again.
Screenshots also need maintenance beyond testing: new device sizes get added periodically, and a set built for last year's devices can end up missing a required size for a newer one. Whatever method you use, plan to revisit your screenshot set when the store's supported device list changes, not just when your app updates.
The fastest way to do all of this: a screenshot generator
Weighing the four methods against each other, a dedicated generator is the one option that doesn't force a trade-off between speed and a customized, store-ready result. You skip the design-software learning curve, you skip the back-and-forth of hiring someone, and you get something well above a raw, uncustomized capture — with the ability to re-export sizes, swap localized text, and update a set for a new device or a new A/B test without starting over.
AppShots is built specifically for this: raw iOS and Android screenshots go in, and store-ready mockups, headlines, backgrounds, and export sizes come out, without needing Photoshop, Figma, or a hired designer.
FAQ
What is an app screenshot generator? A tool that takes your raw app screenshots and applies device mockups, backgrounds, headline text, and store-required export sizes, so you don't build the layout by hand for every screen and every device size.
Is a screenshot generator better than Figma or Photoshop? For most teams, a generator is faster because the mockup and sizing work is already built in — you're editing text and layout choices, not constructing everything from a blank canvas. Design software gives more open-ended creative control, but it takes design skill and time that a generator is built to remove.
Do I need to hire a designer for App Store screenshots? No — it depends on how custom a result you need and how much time you have. A generator covers most teams' needs without a hire; a freelancer or agency makes sense when you need a highly specific, custom-built brand look and are willing to agree scope and timing directly with them.
How many screenshots should I use? This depends on your app and what you're trying to show — enough to cover your core value proposition and a few standout features, without padding the set with screens that don't add new information. The first screenshot matters most; treat the rest as supporting evidence.
Do App Store screenshots need to show the real app? Generally yes — both stores expect the core screen content shown to reflect actual app functionality, even if you add stylized framing, backgrounds, and captions around it.