ASOTrendHQ

Overview

ASOTrendHQ is a free web-based research tool for apps on the iOS App Store and Google Play. It is best suited to indie developers, small studios, app marketers and ASO freelancers who want keyword and competitor signals without paying for a subscription. Its breadth is useful for early research, but modeled metrics and uneven data refreshes make it a poor substitute for store-console validation.

Key features

Keyword research covers iOS and Android, using available US search observations. Filters for phrase, observed rank and modeled difficulty help narrow a search, while browser-saved shortlists and CSV export let users retain selections with supporting evidence. This is a practical starting point for deciding which terms to investigate; the US focus and variable coverage limit how confidently users can apply findings to other markets.

Competitor analysis compares collected keyword footprints to surface terms worth exploring. Ranking trends show historical movement, but collection schedules differ and queued refreshes have no guaranteed completion time. Treat movement as a prompt to check the relevant store console, not as a definitive account of current rank.

Popularity, difficulty, search volume, traffic potential and opportunity scores are estimates derived from public store data, not official Apple or Google metrics. App and keyword records show their own last-refreshed timestamps, which helps readers judge timeliness, though coverage and rankings can vary by app, country and time. Scraping or scheduled jobs may also be delayed, incomplete or temporarily unavailable.

Pricing

Free — free. Every feature is currently free, with no credit card required. That includes keyword and competitor research, ranking trends, shortlists and CSV export. The trade-off is data reliability rather than a stated usage quota: coverage varies by app, and queued refreshes have no guaranteed completion time. The service is free while in active development, so it suits users who can tolerate those constraints better than teams needing dependable refresh timing.

Platforms

ASOTrendHQ is accessed through its website and provides research for apps listed in both the iOS App Store and Google Play. It supports iOS and Android keyword research; the available search observations are US-based.

Who it's for

Indie developers, small studios, app marketers and ASO freelancers can use ASOTrendHQ to build keyword shortlists, compare competitor footprints and watch collected ranking movement without a paid plan. It is less suitable when decisions depend on comprehensive country coverage, guaranteed refresh timing or official store metrics.

Pros and cons

• Pros: All features are free with no credit card required, so users can explore the research tools without a subscription commitment.
• Pros: CSV export includes evidence behind shortlist selections, making keyword choices easier to review outside the site.
• Pros: Per-record refresh timestamps give users a way to assess how current an observation may be.
• Cons: Estimates are modeled from public store data rather than official Apple or Google metrics, so they should not be treated as authoritative figures.
• Cons: Coverage varies and refreshes can be delayed or incomplete; queued refreshes have no guaranteed completion time.
• Cons: Search observations are available for the US, limiting direct usefulness for research focused on other markets.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see App Store Optimization Software.

ASOStacks is a better fit for users who want explicit tracking limits and daily rank checks: its free plan covers 10 tracked keywords, 2 tracked apps, 20 keyword researches a day and one daily opportunity scan across 30 countries. AppBrain is an Android-focused option for browsing more than 2 million app pages and basic app and developer details; its free plan tracks up to 20 keywords. AppFollow suits teams prioritizing app and competitor management, manual replies and recent history, with a free plan for 2 apps, 10 competitor apps, 100 manual replies a month and 7 days of historical data.

Appifacts is worth considering for report-led work, with a one-time 10-report top-up for 8.00 USD and a Starter plan at $19 a month that includes 25 reports monthly, eight report modules and PDF export. APPlyzer offers a free Basic plan with 100 keywords and unlimited apps, competitors, countries and languages, though search-score access is limited. Appstro is another free option. AppTweak may suit users who need market-intelligence estimates, with a free Starter plan that includes 3 seats, past-month historical data and download and revenue estimates. ASO Lucid is an alternative for users seeking AI-enhanced keyword expansion and metadata recommendations through its early-access plan.

Verdict

Choose ASOTrendHQ if you are an indie developer, small studio, marketer or freelancer who wants a no-cost way to explore keywords, competitor footprints and collected ranking movements. The main reason to choose it is that every feature is currently free; the main reason to look elsewhere is that variable coverage and refresh timing make its estimates unsuitable as the sole basis for time-sensitive or market-specific decisions.