Looking for an Astro alternative?
Astro is the closest thing to ASO Studio on the market: a native Mac app for Apple ASO, built by a solo developer, with unlimited keywords and a built-in MCP server. It is $9 a month billed annually, which is $108 a year, against ASO Studio's $59.99. This is the comparison where the two products actually overlap, so it is worth reading properly.
| Feature | ASO Studio | Astro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99/yr | $9/mo billed annually ($108/yr) |
| Delivery | Native Mac app, macOS 15+ | Native Mac app, macOS 14+ |
| Stores | App Store only | Apple only, across 60+ countries |
| Apple platforms | iOS and iPadOS | iOS, iPadOS, Mac, tvOS and watchOS |
| Keywords | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AI agent access | Built-in MCP server | Built-in MCP server (beta) |
| Apple Search Ads | Optional connection, campaign management | Popularity data from Apple Search Ads |
| Translation | Not built in | DeepL integration for keyword translation |
| Review handling | Mines reviews for unmet feature requests | Review tracking across storefronts |
| Data location | On your Mac | On your Mac |
Give them their due
What Astro does well.
- Broader Apple coverage: tvOS, watchOS and Mac apps as well as iPhone and iPad.
- More storefronts, at 60-plus countries, with daily ranking updates and historical charts.
- Built-in DeepL translation, which matters a lot if you localize into many languages.
- A mature, well-liked product with a longer track record than ASO Studio has.
Straight answer
When Astro is the better choice.
If you ship a watchOS, tvOS or Mac app, or you localize into many languages and want translation in the same window, Astro is the better fit. It is a good product built by someone who clearly cares. ASO Studio is the pick when you want the market and category layer, the monetization estimates, the App Rating score and Apple Search Ads campaign management, and you would rather pay $59.99 than $108 a year.
The other side of it
Why people pick ASO Studio.
- 01
One flat price, nothing metered
$59.99 a year covers unlimited apps and unlimited keywords. No per-keyword tier, no per-app tier, no seats. The bill does not move when your research does.
- 02
It runs on your Mac
A native macOS app, not a web dashboard. Tracked apps, keywords, notes and history stay on your machine, and any keys you add live in the Keychain.
- 03
Nothing to set up
It works out of the box on public App Store data. No API keys, no developer account, no App Store Connect credentials. Apple Search Ads is an optional connection that calibrates the estimates.
- 04
Built for AI agents
A built-in MCP server lets Claude Code, Codex or Cursor read your keywords and their live metrics and add new ones, over a socket on your own Mac that only your account can read.
- 05
Estimates labeled as estimates
Apple publishes no search volume and no download figures. Every modeled number in the app says so, which is the difference between a useful index and a number you will quote and regret.
- 06
Support from the person who builds it
One developer writes the app and answers the email. No ticket tiers, no queue.
Astro questions
What people ask.
How is ASO Studio different from Astro?
Both are native Mac apps for Apple ASO with unlimited keywords and a built-in MCP server. Astro goes wider on Apple platforms, storefronts and translation. ASO Studio goes deeper on market analysis: category comparison, monetization and revenue estimates, an App Rating score against your category's leaders, and Apple Search Ads campaign management. ASO Studio is $59.99 a year, Astro is $108.
Do both have an MCP server for Claude Code?
Yes. Astro added a built-in MCP server that you enable in Preferences and that runs locally while the app is open. ASO Studio ships an MCP bridge with the same local-socket design. Either will let Claude Code, Cursor or Codex read your keyword data.
Which is cheaper?
ASO Studio, at $59.99 a year against Astro's $108 a year. Both are flat annual prices with no per-keyword or per-app metering, which is the more important thing they have in common.