Free ASO Tools in 2026: What You Actually Get
A comparison of free ASO tools in 2026, covering what each free plan really includes, its limits, and when it makes sense to start paying.
In this article
Short answer
You can do real ASO for free. Apple’s own tools cover your data, free browser tools handle quick checks, and OpenASO gives Mac users full keyword tracking at no cost. Web tools with free plans mostly limit the number of keywords you can track, so check that limit first.
OpenASO publishes this comparison and is one of the products in it. Plans were checked November 1, 2026.
What do free plans include?
| Tool | Free offer | Main limit | Delivery | Stores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenASO | Full app, MIT licensed | Needs macOS 15 or later | Mac app | Apple |
| ASOMobile | Free plan | 20 keywords | Web | Both |
| Appfigures | Starter plan | Check the keyword allowance | Web | Both |
| Appark | Free plan | Check plan limits | Web | Both |
| Sonar | Free MCP mode | Paid plans from $29/mo | Web | Both |
| AsoBeast | AGPL source code | You host it yourself | Self-hosted | Both |
| Astro | Limited demo | Full app is $108/year | Mac app | Apple |
“Free” covers different things here. A free plan on a hosted tool can change at any time, because someone else runs the service. Open-source software is different, since you hold the code. The trade-off is that you run it and keep it working yourself.
What can you do with Apple’s free tools?
Apple already gives you a lot at no cost:
- App Store Connect shows your impressions, product page views, downloads, and source of traffic.
- Apple Ads shows search popularity next to keyword recommendations.
- The App Store itself shows you exactly who holds a keyword in your own country.
- The iTunes Search API is public, with a limit of roughly 20 calls a minute.
The gap is keyword-level data. Apple has said it does not provide this in App Store Connect, which is why rank tracking tools exist.
Which free browser tools can you use right now?
We built four, and they need no account:
- App Store keyword rank checker: see who ranks for a term in any country.
- App Store metadata checker: test limits and find wasted characters.
- Keyword field builder: turn a list into a clean 100-character string.
- App Store link generator: create store and review links.
These tools answer one question at a time, and they do not keep a history.
When is a free setup enough?
A free setup works well if you have an iOS app and a Mac. OpenASO tracks keywords daily, keeps a local history, and works with your own AI assistant. Popularity scores need an Apple Ads account, which has to be fully set up but need not run any ads.
When is it worth paying?
Pay for a tool when a free setup blocks a real need:
- You ship on Google Play. OpenASO and Apple’s tools will not help there.
- A team shares the data. Hosted dashboards are built for this.
- You need market estimates. Download and revenue figures for competitors come from paid products.
- You sell to clients. Agencies need reports and multi-account access.
If any of those apply, our ASO tool comparison lists prices and coverage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free ASO tool?
For iOS developers on a Mac, OpenASO has no subscription or paid plans because it runs locally and is open source. For web-based use, ASOMobile's free plan allows 20 keywords, and Appfigures offers a free Starter plan.
Can I do ASO without paying for a tool?
Yes. App Store Connect, Apple Ads recommendations, the App Store itself, and free tools cover the basics. Paid tools mainly save time and add market estimates.
Are free ASO tools accurate?
Rank data comes from the store, so it can be reliable, though results vary by method. Estimates of downloads, revenue, and search volume are modeled in free and paid tools alike.
OpenASO publishes this article and makes a competing ASO app. Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.