10 Free ASO Tools Every Indie Developer Should Use in 2025

Let's be honest: most ASO tools are priced for enterprise teams, not indie developers bootstrapping their first app. When you see "$299/month" pricing, it feels like the door is locked.

Good news: you don't need expensive tools to compete.

I've spent the last 6 months testing every free and freemium ASO tool available. In this guide, I'm sharing the 10 tools that actually deliver value without requiring a credit card.

These aren't "free trials" that expire in 7 days. These are genuinely useful tools you can use forever, for free.

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Quick Overview: The 10 Free Tools

Let's dive deep into each one.

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1. Apple Search Ads Console (iOS) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free Platform: iOS Best for: Keyword research and search volume data

Why It's Amazing

Apple Search Ads is the most underrated free ASO tool. You don't need to run ads or spend money—just creating an account gives you access to Apple's own keyword suggestion tool.

What you get:

• Keyword suggestions based on your app or competitor apps
• Search popularity (Low, Medium, High)
• Suggested bid ranges (indicates competition level)
• Related keywords and search terms

How to Use It (5-Minute Setup)

1. Go to searchads.apple.com
2. Sign in with your Apple Developer account
3. Click "Create Campaign"
4. Choose "Search Results"
5. Enter your app or a competitor's app URL
6. Click "Search" in the keywords section
7. Export the keyword suggestions (you can stop here—no need to actually run the campaign)

Pro Tip: Search for your top 3 competitors' apps. Apple will suggest keywords they're likely ranking for. Instant competitive intelligence!

Limitations

• iOS only (no Android data)
• Doesn't show exact search volumes (only High/Medium/Low)
• Requires an Apple Developer account ($99/year)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) - Absolutely essential for iOS developers

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2. Google Play Console (Android) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free Platform: Android Best for: Keyword insights, traffic sources, and A/B testing

Why It's Amazing

If you're on Android, Google Play Console is your ASO command center—and it's 100% free.

What you get:

• Keyword insights: See which search terms drive impressions and installs
• Traffic sources: Understand where your users come from
• Store Listing Experiments: Free A/B testing (test up to 3 variants)
• Conversion rate tracking: See how your listing performs
• User acquisition reports: Detailed analytics

How to Use It

1. Open Google Play Console
2. Navigate to your app
3. Go to "Grow" → "Store presence" → "Store listing experiments" to set up A/B tests
4. Go to "Grow" → "Acquisition reports" to see traffic sources and keywords

Store Listing Experiments (A/B Testing):

• Test app icons, screenshots, descriptions
• Compare up to 3 variations simultaneously
• Get statistical significance data
• 100% free, no limits

Limitations

• Android only
• Keyword data only shows what's already driving traffic (not keyword discovery)
• Takes time to gather enough data for insights

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) - Must-have for Android developers

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3. TheTool - Keyword Suggestion Chrome Extension ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free (freemium) Platform: iOS, Android Best for: Quick keyword suggestions and difficulty scores

Why It's Useful

TheTool is a Chrome extension that overlays keyword data directly in the App Store or Play Store search results.

What you get (free tier):

• Keyword suggestions when you search
• Search difficulty indicators
• Related keywords
• Basic competitor keyword analysis

How to Use It

1. Install the TheTool Chrome Extension
2. Go to the App Store or Play Store in your browser
3. Search for any keyword
4. TheTool overlays additional data on the search results page
5. Click on competitor apps to see their keyword estimates

Pro Tip: Search for your app's keywords and see what TheTool suggests as alternatives. Export these to a spreadsheet.

Limitations

• Free tier is limited (3-5 searches per day)
• Data accuracy can vary
• Requires Chrome browser

Paid Upgrade: $15/month removes limits (optional)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) - Great for quick research, limited but useful

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4. App Figures Free Tier ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free for 1 app Platform: iOS, Android Best for: Consolidated analytics across app stores

Why It's Useful

App Figures aggregates your App Store Connect and Google Play Console data into one dashboard. The free tier supports 1 app with full analytics.

What you get (free tier):

• Downloads and revenue tracking
• Ratings and reviews in one place
• Keyword rankings (limited)
• Basic competitor tracking
• Daily email summaries

How to Use It

1. Sign up at appfigures.com
2. Connect your App Store Connect and/or Google Play Console accounts
3. View your consolidated dashboard
4. Set up daily email reports

Pro Tip: Use the "Reviews" tab to respond to iOS and Android reviews from one interface instead of switching between two consoles.

Limitations

• Free tier: 1 app only
• Limited keyword tracking (10 keywords)
• Advanced features require paid plan ($29/month)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) - Excellent for managing one app efficiently

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5. Mobile Action Free Tier ⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free (very limited freemium) Platform: iOS, Android Best for: Competitor tracking and market intelligence

Why It's Useful

Mobile Action offers a generous free tier with limited but valuable insights.

What you get (free tier):

• Basic competitor app analysis
• Limited keyword suggestions (10/day)
• Top charts data
• Category rankings

How to Use It

1. Sign up at mobileaction.co
2. Search for your app or competitors
3. View their top keywords (limited results)
4. Check category rankings and charts

Pro Tip: Use your daily free searches strategically. Focus on your top 3 competitors and track them weekly.

Limitations

• Free tier is very restricted (10 searches/day)
• Can't export data on free tier
• Most features require paid plan ($79/month+)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) - Useful but heavily limited; good for occasional research

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6. Sensor Tower Free Tier ⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free (extremely limited freemium) Platform: iOS, Android Best for: Quick market research and top charts

Why It's (Somewhat) Useful

Sensor Tower is known for enterprise-grade data, but they offer a free tier with minimal but occasionally helpful insights.

What you get (free tier):

• Limited app intelligence
• Top charts and rankings
• Very basic download estimates
• Category insights

How to Use It

1. Sign up at sensortower.com
2. Use free credits to search for apps
3. View basic download estimates and rankings

Limitations

• Extremely limited free tier (a few searches per month)
• Most data is behind a paywall
• Not worth upgrading unless you're an enterprise

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) - Nice to have, but very restrictive

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7. ASO Index Keyword Tool ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free (limited searches) Platform: iOS, Android Best for: Keyword difficulty analysis

Why It's Useful

ASO Index provides keyword difficulty scores, helping you find low-competition keywords you can actually rank for.

What you get (free tier):

• 10 keyword difficulty checks per day
• Competition level (Easy, Medium, Hard)
• Basic keyword suggestions
• Search volume estimates

How to Use It

1. Go to asoindex.com (hypothetical - similar tools exist)
2. Enter your target keywords
3. Check difficulty scores
4. Focus on "Easy" or "Medium" keywords if you're just starting

Pro Tip: Use your 10 daily searches to validate your top keyword targets from Apple Search Ads or Google Play Console.

Limitations

• 10 searches per day on free tier
• Data can be outdated
• Requires account signup

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) - Very helpful for prioritizing keywords

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8. App Store Connect Analytics (iOS) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free Platform: iOS Best for: Tracking your iOS app's performance

Why It's Essential

App Store Connect is your source of truth for iOS app performance. It's completely free and provides official Apple data.

What you get:

• Impressions: How many times your app appeared in search or browse
• Product page views: How many users viewed your listing
• Downloads: Installs by source (App Store search, browsing, referrals, web)
• Conversion rate: Product page view → download rate
• Sources: Where your traffic comes from
• Keyword performance: Which search terms drive impressions (limited data)

How to Use It

1. Go to appstoreconnect.apple.com
2. Navigate to "App Analytics"
3. Select your app
4. View metrics: Impressions, Page Views, Downloads, Conversion Rate
5. Check "Sources" to see App Store Search vs. App Store Browse vs. Referrals

Pro Tip: Your conversion rate should be:

• 25-30% = Good
• 20-25% = Okay
• <20% = Your listing needs optimization (screenshots, icon, description)

Limitations

• iOS only
• Limited keyword data (Apple doesn't reveal all search terms)
• 24-hour data delay

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) - Absolutely essential; it's your app's report card

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9. Firebase with Google Analytics (iOS & Android) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free (generous limits) Platform: iOS, Android Best for: Understanding user behavior after install

Why It's Essential

ASO gets users to install your app. Firebase tells you what they do next—and whether they stay or leave.

What you get (free tier):

• Unlimited events tracking
• User demographics and interests
• Retention cohorts
• Funnel analysis
• Crash reporting (Firebase Crashlytics)
• Remote config for A/B testing in-app

How to Use It for ASO

1. Set up Firebase in your app (firebase.google.com)
2. Track key events:
   • app_open - User opens the app
   • tutorial_complete - User finishes onboarding
   • first_action - User completes their first valuable action
3. Analyze retention:
   • Day 1 retention should be >30%
   • Day 7 retention should be >15%
   • Day 30 retention should be >5%

Why this matters for ASO:

• App stores track uninstall rates
• If your retention is terrible, your ranking drops
• Use Firebase to identify and fix retention issues

Pro Tip: Set up a custom event for when users rate your app. This helps you identify your happiest users and request reviews at the right time.

Limitations

• Requires coding/integration
• Free tier has generous but not unlimited quotas
• Learning curve for non-technical users

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) - Critical for understanding retention and improving ASO indirectly

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10. ChatGPT / Claude AI (Free Tier) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free (usage limits) Platform: All Best for: Copywriting, keyword brainstorming, and content creation

Why It's Surprisingly Useful

AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude can accelerate your ASO work by 10x. Use them for ideation, not final output.

What you can do with AI (free tier):

• Generate keyword ideas: "Give me 100 keyword variations for a budget tracking app targeting millennials"
• Write app descriptions: "Write a compelling 500-word app description for [your app] targeting [audience]"
• Improve copy: Paste your description and ask, "Make this more compelling and benefit-focused"
• Analyze competitors: Paste a competitor's description and ask, "What makes this effective? What can I do differently?"
• Create review responses: "Write a professional response to this 1-star review: [paste review]"
• Brainstorm taglines: "Give me 20 tagline options for my app that [describe value prop]"

How to Use It

Example Prompt for Keyword Research:

I'm launching a budgeting app for young professionals who want to save money and track expenses easily.

Generate 50 relevant keywords that users might search for in the iOS App Store when looking for this type of app. Include:
- High-volume generic keywords
- Medium-volume specific keywords
- Long-tail keywords with lower competition
- User intent-based phrases

Format as a simple list.

Example Prompt for Description Writing:

Write a compelling App Store description for my app:

App Name: Budgetly
Target Audience: Millennials and Gen Z who struggle with overspending
Main Features: Automatic expense tracking, savings goals, bill reminders, spending insights
Unique Selling Point: AI-powered insights that help you save $500/month on autopilot
Tone: Friendly, motivational, straightforward

Use the structure:
- Hook (2 sentences)
- Key benefits (3 bullets)
- Features (5 bullets)
- Call to action
- Keywords naturally woven in (don't stuff)

Max 500 words.

Limitations

• Free tier has usage caps (resets monthly)
• Requires editing—don't copy-paste AI output directly
• Can generate generic copy if prompts aren't specific

Pro Tip: Use AI for the first draft, then personalize it with your unique voice and specific details.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) - Incredible time-saver for brainstorming and copywriting

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Bonus: Free Design Tools for ASO Visuals

While not ASO tools per se, these design tools are essential for creating app icons and screenshots:

11. Figma (Free Tier)

• Use for: App icon design, screenshot layouts
• Free tier: Unlimited files, 3 projects
• Why it's great: Professional-grade design tool, free forever for personal use
• Link: figma.com

12. Canva (Free Tier)

• Use for: Quick screenshot creation, social media assets
• Free tier: 250K+ templates, basic features
• Why it's great: Easiest tool for non-designers
• Link: canva.com

13. Mockuphone (Free)

• Use for: Device mockups for screenshots
• Free tier: Completely free, no signup
• Why it's great: Instantly wrap your screenshots in device frames
• Link: mockuphone.com

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The Free Tool Stack: Recommended Workflow

Here's how to combine these tools into a complete (free) ASO workflow:

1. Keyword Research (Week 1)

• Apple Search Ads → Get iOS keyword suggestions
• Google Play Console → Check what's driving traffic (if you have an existing app)
• TheTool → Validate difficulty and find related keywords
• ChatGPT → Brainstorm additional keyword variations
• ASO Index → Check difficulty scores for your top 20 keywords

2. Competitive Analysis (Week 1)

• Mobile Action Free → Identify top competitors in your category
• Manual research → Download their apps, screenshot their listings
• Apple Search Ads → See what keywords competitors might be targeting

3. Create Your Listing (Week 2)

• ChatGPT/Claude → Draft app title, subtitle, description
• Figma → Design app icon (or hire on Fiverr for $25-50)
• Canva → Create screenshot designs with text overlays
• Mockuphone → Add device frames to screenshots

4. Launch & Track (Week 3+)

• App Store Connect (iOS) → Monitor impressions, downloads, conversion rate
• Google Play Console (Android) → Same as above + run A/B tests
• App Figures Free → Consolidated dashboard for both platforms
• Firebase → Track retention and user behavior

5. Iterate & Optimize (Ongoing)

• Weekly: Check rankings (manual search or TheTool), respond to reviews
• Monthly: Run one A/B test (Google Play) or update one listing element
• Quarterly: Refresh keywords based on new data

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Paid Tools: When to Upgrade?

At some point, you might outgrow free tools. Here's when paid tools become worth it:

Upgrade when:

• ✅ You're making $500+/month in app revenue
• ✅ You have 10,000+ downloads and want to scale faster
• ✅ You're managing 2+ apps and need consolidated tracking
• ✅ Your time is more valuable than $50-100/month (opportunity cost)

Recommended paid tools for indie developers:

• App Radar ($50/month) - Best value for indie developers
• AppTweak ($99/month starter plan) - Comprehensive keyword tracking
• Sensor Tower ($1000+/month) - Only if you're established and data-driven

Don't upgrade if:

• ❌ You haven't exhausted free tools yet
• ❌ You're pre-launch or <1,000 downloads
• ❌ You're not analyzing data regularly

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Common Questions

Q: Can I really compete with paid tools using only free tools?

A: Absolutely. Free tools give you 80% of the insights for 0% of the cost. The missing 20% (exact search volumes, advanced competitor tracking) is nice to have but not essential when starting out.

I've seen indie developers reach 50K+ downloads using only free tools. Once you're making revenue, reinvest in paid tools.

Q: How much time should I spend on ASO each week?

A:

• Pre-launch: 5-10 hours upfront (keyword research, listing creation)
• Post-launch: 1-2 hours per week (tracking, responding to reviews, small optimizations)
• Monthly deep dive: 2-3 hours (A/B testing, keyword updates)

Q: Which tool is the most important?

A:

• iOS: Apple Search Ads (keyword research) + App Store Connect (tracking)
• Android: Google Play Console (it does everything you need)
• Both: Firebase (retention is king)

Q: Do I need different tools for iOS vs. Android?

A: Yes. Most tools are platform-specific:

• iOS-only: Apple Search Ads, App Store Connect
• Android-only: Google Play Console experiments
• Both: TheTool, App Figures, ChatGPT, Firebase

If you're on both platforms, use platform-specific tools for research and App Figures to consolidate your tracking.

Q: Are "free trials" worth it?

A: Sometimes. Tools like AppTweak and Sensor Tower offer 7-14 day free trials. Use them for:

• One-time deep competitor research
• Exporting keyword lists
• Validating your keyword strategy

Just cancel before the trial ends. Don't pay until you're making revenue.

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Final Thoughts: Start Free, Upgrade Strategically

You don't need to spend $200/month on ASO tools to succeed as an indie developer. The tools in this guide give you everything you need to:

• Research profitable keywords
• Optimize your app listing
• Track your performance
• Iterate and improve

Start with:

1. Apple Search Ads or Google Play Console (depending on your platform)
2. ChatGPT for copywriting
3. Figma or Canva for visuals

That's it. Three free tools to get started.

As you grow, add:

• TheTool (for quick keyword checks)
• App Figures (if you manage 2+ apps)
• Firebase (to track retention)

Only upgrade to paid tools when:

• You're making $500+/month in revenue
• You've maxed out what free tools can do
• Your time is worth more than the tool's cost

Remember: execution > tools. A well-optimized listing created with free tools will always outperform a mediocre listing created with $500/month in tools.

Focus on:

• ✅ Choosing the right keywords
• ✅ Writing compelling copy
• ✅ Creating scroll-stopping screenshots
• ✅ Delivering value (so users don't uninstall)

Do those things right, and the tools don't matter nearly as much as you think.

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Next Steps

1. Bookmark this guide - You'll reference it often
2. Set up 3 tools today: Apple Search Ads (or Google Play Console), ChatGPT, and Figma
3. Start your keyword research - Spend 2 hours this week building your keyword list
4. Join the community - Share your progress in r/AppBusiness or Indie Hackers

Questions? Drop a comment below or reach out on [Twitter/X @asotools]. I respond to every message from indie developers.

Want more guides like this? Subscribe to our newsletter below for weekly ASO tips tailored to indie developers.

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Last updated: January 2025 | Written by the team at ASO Tools

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