How to research App Store keywords without expensive subscriptions

01Why the usual way fails

The App Store is a crowded marketplace where visibility depends on specific metadata like titles, subtitles, and keyword fields. Finding the right balance between high search volume and low competition is nearly impossible to do manually because the raw data is hidden behind Apple's APIs. While some free tools exist, they often provide limited data or hide the most useful metrics behind a paywall. Paying $50 to $300 every month just to see keyword difficulty scores is a significant barrier for developers who are just starting out. Without these insights, you risk targeting keywords that are either too competitive to rank for or have so little traffic that they won't drive any downloads.

02How iASO helps

iASO provides a native macOS environment where you can perform comprehensive keyword research for free. It connects directly to the iTunes Search API to pull live data and calculate popularity, difficulty, and opportunity scores using a transparent algorithmic engine. You can organize your research into specific projects, allowing you to track different apps or experiments without losing your progress. The tool also includes AI-driven features for analyzing what your competitors are doing and generating metadata that fits perfectly within Apple's character limits.

03Step by step

1. Clone the repository from GitHub and open the project in Xcode on your Mac.
2. Build and run the application to start researching keywords immediately using the iTunes Search API.
3. Create a new project for your app and enter potential keywords to see their popularity and difficulty scores.
4. Use the competitor research tool to see which keywords rival apps are targeting in their descriptions.
5. Generate optimized app names and subtitles that adhere to the 30-character limit for the App Store.
6. Check if competitors are running ads on platforms like TikTok or Meta to understand their marketing spend.

04Tips

• Focus on Sweet Spot keywords where popularity is at least 40 and difficulty is 40 or lower for the best ranking chance.
• Look for Hidden Gems which have lower popularity but very low competition, making them ideal for new apps.
• Use the AI metadata generator to ensure your app name and subtitle stay within the strict character limits of App Store Connect.
• If you want to use the AI features, you will need to provide your own API key from a compatible provider.

05Questions