Looking for a Sonar alternative?
Sonar is a web ASO tool covering both the App Store and Google Play, with an Indie plan at $19 a month or $189 a year, plus a REST API, a CLI and an MCP server. ASO Studio is $59.99 a year, Apple only, and native to the Mac with your data staying on it.
| Feature | ASO Studio | Sonar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99/yr | Indie $19/mo or $189/yr, Agency $99/mo |
| Apps tracked | Unlimited | 10 on Indie, 50 on Agency |
| Stores | App Store only | App Store and Google Play |
| Developer access | MCP server | REST API, CLI and MCP server |
| API limits | Local socket, no quota | 1,000 req/day Indie, 5,000 Agency |
| Delivery | Native Mac app, data stays local | Web app |
| Apple Search Ads | Optional connection, campaign management | Not advertised |
| Free option | Free App Rating checker, no sign-up | Not listed |
Give them their due
What Sonar does well.
- Both stores in one dashboard, with no second subscription for Android.
- A proper developer surface: REST API, a native CLI and an MCP server on every plan.
- Being on the web, so it works from any machine rather than only a Mac.
- A cheaper annual entry price at $189 for the Indie plan if you need the Android half.
Straight answer
When Sonar is the better choice.
If you ship on Android as well as iOS, or you want to script ASO data from a server rather than from a Mac, Sonar is the better tool. Choose ASO Studio if you are Apple only and want a native app whose data never leaves your machine, plus the market, category and monetization layer Sonar does not carry.
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.
Sonar questions
What people ask.
How much does Sonar cost?
Sonar's Indie plan is $19 a month or $189 a year and covers 10 apps with unlimited competitors. The Agency plan is $99 a month or $990 a year for 50 apps. Both include the REST API, CLI and MCP server.
Does ASO Studio have a REST API?
Not a hosted one. It ships an MCP server that runs as a socket on your own Mac, which is what lets Claude Code, Codex or Cursor read and write your keyword data. Because it is local, there is no rate quota and nothing is sent to a server.
Which supports Google Play?
Sonar does, in the same dashboard as the App Store. ASO Studio does not and has no plans to. If you ship on both stores, Sonar covers more of your problem in one subscription.