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Competitor keyword finder

Find a competitor’s likely keywords and add your app to compare both rankings in the same store searches. See shared keywords and phrases where only the competitor appears in the results we checked.

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Tests up to 12 phrases, using saved search results when available. Usually takes 10–20 seconds.

Follow the rankings that matter

Track the keywords you share with competitors. The free plan tracks five keywords every day and ranks one competitor per app beside you; Indie ranks 10 competitors per app.

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Reading a competitor’s keywords

A competitor’s strongest keywords usually sit in its app name, because the name is the most heavily weighted field in both stores’ search. A high rank for a phrase outside the name tells you the store associates that search with the app through other signals: the subtitle or keyword field on iOS, the description on Google Play, and the app’s download and rating history.

Look for the overlap: phrases that describe your app, where the competitor ranks and the difficulty is moderate. Check where you stand with the rank checker, widen the list with the keyword suggestion tool, and compare the two listings side by side with ASO compare. Our guide to App Store keyword research explains how to turn a shortlist into metadata.

Frequently asked questions

How can I see which App Store and Google Play keywords a competitor ranks for?

Pick the competitor in AppDrift's free competitor keyword finder, choose the store and country, and it tests up to 12 likely keywords against live store search. For each phrase you see where the competitor appears, how difficult the search is and which app ranks first. Add your own app to compare both ranks in the same search results. No sign-up is needed.

Does this show every keyword an app ranks for?

No, and no public tool can. Apple does not publish an app's keyword field, and neither store publishes the searches an app appears in. This tool tests a sample of likely phrases — taken from the app's title and description, the titles of the apps the store lists as similar, and real store autocomplete — and reports only what the live search shows. An app can rank for many phrases that were not tested.

Where do the tested keywords come from?

Each keyword is labelled with its sources. Title phrases come from the app name; on Google Play, short-description phrases are included too. Description phrases are ones the description repeats. Similar-app phrases come from the titles of apps the store recommends alongside this one, kept only when this app's own listing uses the same words. Autocomplete phrases are real store suggestions for the app's leading terms.

What does "not in the top 200" mean?

The App Store search returned about 200 apps for the phrase and the competitor was not among them. On Google Play the public search returns roughly 30 results, so an app outside them may still appear lower. Neither case means the app has no visibility for the phrase anywhere, and a missing rank is not proof the app was removed.

How should I use a competitor's keywords?

Look for relevant phrases where the competitor ranks well but the difficulty is manageable, then select Your app to compare your position. The competitor-only filter shows phrases where the competitor appears and your app is outside the checked results; this does not prove your app has no rank. Never add another company's brand name to your metadata; both stores treat that as a policy problem. A competitor's rank shows what the store associates with that app, not what earns it installs.

Is the competitor keyword finder free?

Yes, with no sign-up, in 60+ storefronts on both stores. Each check runs many live store searches, so there is a fair-use limit per network. To follow a competitor's rankings every day, track it beside your app: the free plan tracks five keywords and one competitor per app, Indie 10 competitors per app.