Reviewed September 10, 2026 against public pricing pages and documentation. This is a plan comparison, not a hands-on benchmark. AppDrift is our product. Unconfirmed offers are marked below.
A practical free starting point: use a permanent tracker for a few relevant keywords, a screenshot editor for store images, and Google Trends for seasonal wording. Begin with a free ASO audit to identify the work your listing needs.
We compared published offers, not measured download outcomes. Free plans, temporary trials and public utilities solve different jobs. The table separates those offers and identifies limits that could not be verified.
The 10 options below include permanent free plans, trials, and offers that need further verification.
Free ASO Tools Comparison Table
Published offers checked September 10, 2026. Unknown terms are marked; annual charges are stated as annual charges.
| Tool | Access type | Features | Main limit | Paid entry / note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppDrift | Permanent free plan | 1 app, 5 daily keywords, screenshot design and export | 50 AI tokens once on signup; account required | $9.99/month |
| Google Trends | Public research tool | Relative Google search interest | Not app-store search volume | Free |
| Google Keyword Planner | Google Ads tool | Web-search ideas and estimates | Account and billing setup; not app-store data | Account requirements apply |
| Applyra | Permanent free plan | 1 app, 5 keywords, 1 competitor | 7-day history; no AI, exports or API on Free | $9.99/month |
| AppVector | Trial and public utilities | Trial of tracking and research | Permanent free tracking quota unconfirmed | Exact price unconfirmed |
| FoxData | Trial/free-access offer | Check the selected plan | Permanent free quota unconfirmed | Exact price unconfirmed |
| Appfigures | Free Starter; broader trial | Free Starter plan advertised | Do not assume paid keyword features remain free | Connect $9.99/month; Monitor $44.99/month |
| ASODesk | Current terms unconfirmed | Verify with vendor | Current pricing page could not be verified | Exact price unconfirmed |
| GrowASO | Usage-limited trial | 1 audit, 1 profile, 10 keyword tracking and research checks | Trial access, not ongoing unlimited free tracking | From $19/month; Premium $149/year |
| Komori | 3-day trial | Native macOS toolkit for iOS | Ongoing full toolkit is paid | $19.99/month or $199.99/year |
Why Free ASO Tools Matter
Free tools can help validate a listing, research relevant terms and track a small keyword set. The useful question is which features remain free after signup or a trial.
Professional ASO platforms like Sensor Tower and data.ai charge hundreds or thousands per month. That's reasonable for companies managing portfolios of apps generating millions in revenue. But for solo developers, early-stage startups, and bootstrapped teams, those prices are a non-starter.
Choose by the task and the ongoing allowance: app count, keywords, countries, history, exports and AI usage. A free trial of a full suite is not the same as a permanent free tracking plan.
1. AppDrift Free
AppDrift's free plan stands out because it doesn't feel like a stripped-down afterthought. You get a genuinely useful set of tools that cover metadata, screenshots, and keyword tracking in a single platform.
What You Get Free
- AI Metadata Generation: AI drafts titles, subtitles, descriptions and keywords for review. You get 50 tokens once on signup; they do not expire or refill monthly. Generation and translation consume tokens.
- Screenshot Generator: Free design and export without watermarks, with an account required. The editor supports iPhone, iPad and Android sizes. AI translation consumes tokens.
- Keyword Tracking: 5 tracked keywords, free forever, refreshed daily, with a difficulty and popularity score beside each one.
- ASO Score Audit: Real-time health grading for your title, subtitle, description, keywords, and localization coverage.
Limitations
- 1 app only (upgrade to Basic at $9.99/month for up to 5 apps and 50 keywords)
- 50 AI tokens on signup rather than a monthly refill; paid plans add 500 to 8,000 a month
- No store publishing or batch updates on the free plan
Best For
Solo developers and small teams who want a unified platform covering metadata generation, screenshots, and keyword tracking. The free screenshot generator alone saves hours compared to designing in Figma or Photoshop. You can get started with AppDrift in minutes and have your first optimized listing ready the same day.
Our Take
AppDrift combines listing creation with a small daily keyword allowance. Its 50 free AI tokens are a one-time starting balance; ongoing AI usage may require a token pack or paid plan. Paid plans let you batch update release notes and metadata across all your locales at once.
2. Google Trends
Google Trends isn't an ASO tool per se, but it's an indispensable free resource for keyword research. It shows relative search interest over time, geographic breakdowns, and related queries that can inform your app store keyword strategy.[1]
What You Get Free
- Trend Analysis: See how search interest for any keyword changes over time (up to 5 years of data)
- Regional Breakdown: Identify which countries and sub-regions show the highest interest
- Related Queries: Discover rising and top related search terms you might miss
- Comparison: Compare up to 5 keywords side by side to find the strongest terms
Limitations
- Shows relative interest (0-100 scale), not absolute search volume
- Data reflects Google Search, not app store search directly
- No keyword difficulty scores or app-specific metrics
Best For
Validating keyword timing and seasonality. Before committing to keywords in your app metadata, use Google Trends to confirm they're trending up rather than declining. Especially useful for apps tied to seasonal activities (fitness in January, tax apps in March, travel apps in summer).
3. Google Keyword Planner
Another Google tool that doubles as a free ASO resource. Keyword Planner provides actual search volume estimates, competition levels, and keyword suggestions based on seed terms. Google requires Google Ads account setup, including billing information, for basic access. Its keyword data describes Google Search, not app-store search.[2]
What You Get Free
- Search Volume Estimates: Monthly search volume ranges for any keyword
- Competition Level: Low, medium, or high competition ratings
- Keyword Ideas: Hundreds of related keyword suggestions from seed terms
- Bid Estimates: Cost-per-click data that indicates commercial value
Limitations
- Data comes from Google Search, not App Store or Google Play search
- Volume ranges are broad (e.g., 1K-10K) unless you're running active ad campaigns
- No rank tracking or app store-specific features
Best For
Early-stage keyword discovery and validation. Use Keyword Planner to identify high-volume terms in your niche, then cross-reference with an ASO-specific tool like AppDrift to see how those terms perform in the app stores. For a complete keyword strategy, check our guide on how to choose app store keywords.
4. Applyra Free
Applyra is a flat-price indie ASO tool whose free plan is permanent rather than a trial. It covers both App Store and Google Play, and it replaced App Radar on this list in September 2026 when App Radar retired its free plan in favour of a 7-day card trial.
What You Get Free
- Keyword Tracking: 1 app, 5 keywords, daily rank updates
- Competitor Tracking: 1 competitor
- Ranking History: 7 days
- Both Platforms: App Store and Google Play supported
Limitations
- No AI suggestions on the free plan (paid only)
- 7-day history is too short to read a trend
- The paid Unlimited plan ($9.99/month) is where the product actually starts: unlimited apps, keywords and competitors under a fair-use policy
Best For
Developers who want a second, independent rank tracker beside AppDrift's 5 free keywords, or who plan to pay $9.99 a month for unlimited tracking and want to test the interface first. See AppDrift vs Applyra for the full comparison.
5. AppVector: public tools and a tracking trial
AppVector lists standalone tools for rank checks and keyword work. Its current pricing page advertises a trial and says prices load from its billing API. It does not substantiate the permanent 1-app, 5-keyword plan previously described here.
The trial length can vary; a card is not needed to start. Check the selected plan before relying on ongoing tracking. Exact paid prices were not confirmed in this review.
Source: appvector.io/pricing, checked September 10, 2026.
6. FoxData: confirm the free allowance
FoxData describes keyword research, rankings, reviews and app intelligence, and promotes free access and a trial. Its publicly readable pricing page did not expose a verifiable permanent free quota or numeric entry price in this review.
Check apps, keywords, countries, history and what remains after the trial. This guide does not treat its full feature list as free-plan entitlements or repeat the unconfirmed $59/month price.
Source: foxdata.com/en/pricing, checked September 10, 2026; exact free limits and prices unconfirmed.
7. Appfigures Starter: separate free access from the trial
Appfigures advertises a free Starter plan. Its trial unlocks Optimize features and falls back to Free after expiry. This does not establish that daily keyword tracking or every review feature remains free.
Published monthly plans start at Connect $9.99 for 5 apps and 25 keywords. Monitor is $44.99 for 100 keywords and explicitly lists daily keyword rank updates. Choose for the capability you need rather than just the lowest entry price.
Source: appfigures.com/platform/pricing, checked September 10, 2026. Exact Starter caps were not fully specified.
8. ASODesk: verify the current trial offer
The current pricing page could not be verified during this review. The earlier version of this guide stated a 14-day trial and $29.99/month entry plan without a current source. Those details should not be used to choose a subscription.
Confirm trial duration, app and keyword limits, countries, card requirements and post-trial access with the vendor. For ongoing free work, choose an offer with documented permanent limits.
Verification attempted September 10, 2026 at asodesk.com/pricing; current offer unconfirmed.
9. GrowASO: a limited trial, then paid tracking
GrowASO advertises a trial without a card: 1 ASO audit, 1 app-intelligence profile, 10 keyword tracking checks and 10 keyword research checks. The current page does not support the former claim of a fixed 7-day unlimited trial.
The site advertises plans from $19/month. Its annual selector lists Premium at $149 billed annually and Professional at $199 billed annually. Those are annual charges. The former $49/year entry plan is not listed in the current offer.
Source: growaso.com pricing section, checked September 10, 2026.
10. Komori: a 3-day trial for iOS developers on Mac
Komori is a native macOS toolkit for App Store keyword research, rank tracking and competitor analysis. Its monthly offer lists a 3-day trial followed by $19.99/month. The annual plan is $199.99 billed annually.
It is a trial candidate for iOS developers who prefer a Mac app, not a permanent free keyword tracker. Its separate public utilities are different from access to the full toolkit.
Source: komori.tech pricing section, checked September 10, 2026.
Building a Free ASO Toolkit: The Recommended Stack
You don't need to use all 10 tools. Here's the free stack we recommend based on your situation:
For Solo iOS Developers
- AppDrift Free: Metadata generation, screenshots, and keyword tracking
- Google Trends: Keyword validation and seasonal pattern detection
- Optional trial: Evaluate Komori only if you are considering a paid Mac toolkit; it is not part of an ongoing free stack.
For Cross-Platform Developers
- AppDrift Free: Unified metadata and screenshot creation for both stores
- Google Keyword Planner: Search volume data for keyword research
- Applyra Free: A second, independent rank tracker for 5 keywords and 1 competitor
For Data-Driven Teams
- AppDrift Free: AI-powered metadata optimization and screenshots
- Appfigures Starter: Check which analytics remain on the free plan after the Optimize trial.
- Optional research trial: Confirm ASODesk terms before scheduling a research sprint.
When to Upgrade From Free to Paid
Free tools work perfectly in the early stages. But there are clear signals that it's time to invest in a paid plan:
- You're managing 3+ apps: Free plans typically limit you to 1-2 apps. AppDrift's Basic plan at $9.99/month covers up to 5 apps.
- You need more tracked terms or AI capacity: Check the vendor's total keyword allowance and locale limits separately. AppDrift's free keywords can use the relevant storefront; a larger metadata translation project may require more tokens.
- Competitors are outranking you: Paid tools offer deeper competitor intelligence that helps you identify keyword gaps and strategic opportunities.
- A specific limit blocks useful work: Compare the extra apps, keywords, history or AI allowance with the recurring cost. Revenue alone does not prove a paid tool will improve results.
- You need a particular experiment workflow: Native Apple and Google listing experiments do not require buying an ASO subscription. Read our conversion optimization guide and evaluate paid workflow features separately.
The transition doesn't have to be expensive. AppDrift's Basic plan at $9.99/month offers a natural upgrade path from the free tier. Compare all options on our pricing page.
Check the exact limit before upgrading
Free and paid entitlements vary by vendor. There is no universal rule that free tracking covers only one country, paid tools include every research metric, or an enterprise plan has unlimited apps. AppDrift limits the free plan to 5 tracked keywords; choose the relevant storefront for each term.
Apple and Google provide their own listing experiment tools. Buying an ASO subscription is not a prerequisite for those native experiments. A paid service may add workflow features, but check that it solves a limitation you actually have.
For a comprehensive comparison of all ASO tools including paid options, see our guide to the ASO tools comparison.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Free ASO Tools
- Stack tools strategically: Combine 2-3 free tools that complement each other rather than overlap. AppDrift for creation, Google tools for research, and one monitoring tool.
- Use trial periods wisely: Save trials like ASODesk and GrowASO for major metadata overhauls when you'll extract the most value from full access.
- Focus on fundamentals first: Get your title, subtitle, and keywords right before worrying about advanced analytics. Free tools cover this perfectly. Our ASO checklist for 2026 walks you through every step.
- Track results manually if needed: If free tracking limits are too restrictive, screenshot your rankings weekly and track in a spreadsheet. Low-tech but effective.
- Optimize screenshots early: Screenshots directly impact conversion rates. The free screenshot generator from AppDrift removes any excuse for generic screenshots.
FAQs
What is the best completely free ASO tool?
AppDrift includes 1 app, 5 daily tracked keywords and 50 AI tokens once on signup. Tokens do not expire or refill monthly. Screenshot design and export are free with an account; AI generation and translation consume tokens. Applyra also has a permanent free plan. Google Trends and Keyword Planner provide web-search research, not app-store search volume.
Can free ASO tools really compete with paid ones?
Free ASO tools cover the essentials: keyword research, basic rank tracking, and metadata optimization. They work well for indie developers and single-app teams. However, paid tools offer deeper analytics, historical data, competitor intelligence, and multi-app management. Start free, then upgrade when your app generates enough revenue to justify the investment.
How many free ASO tools should I use at once?
Most developers get the best results combining 2-3 free tools. Use AppDrift as your primary platform for metadata, screenshots, and tracking. Supplement with Google Trends for seasonal keyword patterns and Google Keyword Planner for web-search keyword ideas. Adding more tools creates diminishing returns and wastes time switching between dashboards.
When should I upgrade from a free ASO tool to a paid plan?
Upgrade when you hit one of these triggers: you manage more than 1-2 apps, you need more tracked keywords than your plan includes, you want detailed competitor analytics, or your app earns enough to reinvest in growth. There is no universal download threshold that makes a paid plan worthwhile. Compare the specific work saved and outcomes measured for your app with the recurring cost.
Are free trials the same as free plans for ASO tools?
No. A free plan retains a limited set of features without a subscription. A trial is temporary or usage-limited. AppDrift and Applyra publish permanent free plans. AppVector and GrowASO advertise trials; Komori lists a 3-day trial. Check what remains after a trial rather than assuming that all features stay free.
