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An Astro alternative
Astro is cheap, simple and good at what it does. Its limits are where it runs and which store it covers.
Astro is a well-made, inexpensive ASO app for the Mac, built by an indie developer for indie developers. For what it covers it is excellent value. Its limits are where it runs and which store it covers — and those are the reasons to look at something else.
What Astro is
As described on its own site: a Mac app (macOS 14 and later) for App Store keyword research and rank tracking, at $9 a month or $108 a year, with unlimited tracked keywords. It covers the App Store in the 60-plus countries where Apple Search Ads operates. There is no free tier or trial; instead there is a 14-day refund window.
Side by side
| Astro | ASOTool | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9/month or $108/year | $12.99/month incl. VAT, or free |
| Free option | 14-day refund, no trial | Free plan, no card — 10 searches a day, 1 app, 10 keywords |
| Where it runs | Mac app, macOS 14+ | Any browser — Mac, Windows, Linux, phone |
| Stores | App Store | App Store and Google Play |
| Countries | 60+ (Apple Search Ads countries) | 175 storefronts |
| Tracked keywords | Unlimited | 10 free; unlimited on Pro |
Where Astro is better
It is cheaper, it tracks as many keywords as you like, and it is a native Mac app, which some people simply prefer. It translates keywords through DeepL for localisation work. If you build only for iOS, work on a Mac, and want the lowest price for unlimited App Store tracking, Astro is hard to beat and you should probably use it.
Where ASOTool fits
- Google Play too. If your app is on both stores, both are measured in the same place, with the same method, and each number says whether it is published or estimated.
- Anywhere with a browser. Windows, Linux, a work laptop you cannot install software on, or your phone — which is where most people check whether a rank moved.
- Try before paying. The free plan for one app does not expire, so you can see whether the numbers are useful to you before spending anything.
- Scores to choose with. Popularity from Apple's own figure where it is published — how that number works — difficulty read off today's top ten, and opportunity to sort by.
- Teams. Paid accounts get shared workspaces for a co-founder, a client or an agency.
Which to pick
iOS only, on a Mac, and cost matters most: Astro. Both stores, not on a Mac, working from your phone, or wanting to try it for free first: ASOTool.
Astro prices and details as listed on its site in September 2026. They change; check theirs before deciding.
The most searched keywords we track
VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy
Bible
Weather
Chess.com - Play and Learn
Imposter Game - Party Edition
Picsart AI Photo Editor, Video
Every one of them is on the keyword index.