KWRDS

KWRDS is a native Apple app for App Store Optimization, combining keyword tracking, research, competitor analysis, and metadata planning. Users can refresh rankings for tracked keywords and review position changes by country and storefront. Keyword networks generate related terms and extensions from autocomplete queries, but those suggestions do not guarantee search volume or rankings. Competitor comparisons cover shared keywords, thematic overlap, and potential opportunities for competitors labeled direct or similar. The metadata editor drafts an app name, subtitle, and keyword field against live Apple character limits; users enter the completed text themselves in App Store Connect. KWRDS also identifies keywords covered by other indexed localizations in a storefront and those that remain unused. It is for the Apple App Store and is available on iOS and macOS. The free plan is listed as free and covers one app, one country or storefront, 10 tracked ranking keywords, and two competitors. Pro is listed at €12 a month and Studio at €44 a month; both prices are indicative, not final. Metadata keywords are unlimited on every plan.

KWRDS brings keyword monitoring, competitor comparisons, and metadata drafting into a native Apple app. The free plan has modest tracking limits, and the listed paid prices are not final.

KWRDS suits indie developers, app publishers, ASO managers, and agencies working with one app or a portfolio across countries and storefronts. It is for teams preparing Apple App Store metadata who are comfortable applying the finished text themselves in App Store Connect.

KWRDS is a native Apple app for managing App Store keyword research, ranking checks, competitor comparisons and listing drafts. It is best suited to developers and ASO teams focused on Apple storefronts. Its free tier supports a small, single-storefront workflow; larger plans offer more reach, though their stated prices are indicative rather than final.

Overview

KWRDS brings several steps in App Store Optimization into one app: exploring keyword ideas, tracking their positions, comparing competing apps and preparing metadata. The connection between research and drafting is useful for a small team handling its own listings, especially when it manages multiple localizations. The scope is strictly Apple App Store: users must transfer finished metadata into App Store Connect themselves.

Keyword networks expand a seed term into related terms, combinations and extensions drawn from autocomplete queries. They can help generate a research shortlist, but suggestions do not guarantee search volume or ranking. Ranking checks can be refreshed in KWRDS and reviewed across countries and storefronts.

Key features

Keyword tracking and research

Rank tracking is limited by the number of keywords actively monitored, not by the keywords entered in metadata. That is a useful distinction for listing work: every plan allows unlimited metadata keywords, while broader ranking coverage requires a larger quota. The free plan’s 10 tracked keywords are enough for a narrow watchlist, not broad monitoring across a portfolio.

Research networks provide related terms and combinations based on autocomplete queries. Pro and Studio include full research and networks; Free limits them. Treat the suggestions as starting points rather than evidence of demand or a forecast of ranking success.

Competitors and localization

Users can mark competitors as direct or similar, then compare shared keywords, thematic overlap and potential opportunities. The competitor cap ranges from two per app on Free to 10 on Pro and unlimited on Studio, so the lower tiers are better for a focused comparison than a wide market map.

Cross-localization views show which keywords are covered by other indexed localizations in a storefront and which remain unused. That can help teams spot gaps when planning localized listings. Metadata editing is unlimited on every plan and applies Apple’s live character limits to the app name, subtitle and keyword field, but the final text still has to be entered manually in App Store Connect.

Pricing

KWRDS is freemium. The Free plan costs nothing and includes one app, one country/storefront per app, two competitors per app and 10 tracked ranking keywords. It limits keyword research and networks, but includes unlimited metadata editing and cross-localization. This is a practical starting point for one app in one storefront, provided a short tracking list is enough.

Pro costs €12 a month, billed at an indicative price that is not final. It raises the allowance to 200 tracked keywords, five apps, all countries and storefronts per app, and 10 competitors per app; full keyword research and networks are included. It fits a small team or publisher managing several listings, but five apps and a finite competitor allowance remain meaningful ceilings.

Studio costs €44 a month, also billed at an indicative price that is not final. It includes 1,000 tracked keywords, unlimited apps and competitors, all countries and storefronts per app, and full research and networks. It is the tier for agencies or larger portfolios that need room to expand without app or competitor caps. Metadata editing and cross-localization remain unlimited across all three plans, so the paid tiers buy monitoring and research capacity rather than more metadata fields.

Both paid prices are explicitly indicative, not final. No trial length, renewal term or seat allowance is given for KWRDS, so teams should confirm the final terms before committing.

Platforms

KWRDS runs on iOS and macOS and covers the Apple App Store. That makes it a focused choice for Apple workflows, not a cross-platform ASO console for Android listings. The website says it uses no tracking cookies, web analytics or advertising tracking by default; app privacy details are referred to the App Store product page.

Who it's for

Indie developers and publishers can use Free to watch a handful of terms for a single app, while Pro is better suited to a small portfolio that needs multiple storefronts and fuller research. ASO managers and agencies with many apps or competitors are the clearest fit for Studio. Anyone needing Android coverage, automated metadata publishing, or extensive ranking coverage at no cost should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Research, ranking checks, competitor comparisons and metadata drafting sit in one native Apple app, keeping core listing tasks together.
• Unlimited metadata editing and cross-localization on every plan let even Free users prepare and review listing text without spending a metadata quota.
• Pro and Studio cover all countries and storefronts per app, which suits Apple-focused work across markets.
• Studio removes app and competitor caps, making it the most suitable option for agency portfolios.

Cons

• Apple-only coverage rules it out for teams that need Android ASO in the same workflow.
• Free tracks just 10 keywords for one app in one country/storefront and limits research, so it is a trial-sized workflow rather than broad monitoring.
• Prepared metadata must be entered manually in App Store Connect; KWRDS does not describe an in-app publishing step.
• The paid prices are indicative rather than final, making budget comparisons provisional.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, browse App Store Optimization Software.

• AppBrain is an Android and web option with a free tier that tracks up to 20 keywords and includes basic app details, a developer overview and access to more than 2 million app pages; choose it when Android-oriented app discovery matters more than KWRDS’s Apple metadata workflow.
• ASOStacks supports Android, iOS and web. Its free plan includes 10 tracked keywords across two apps, daily rank checks, 20 keyword researches per day and one daily opportunity scan across 30 countries; consider it when cross-platform coverage and frequent free research are priorities.
• ASOTrendHQ is a free Android, iOS and web option; consider it if a no-cost cross-platform tool is the main priority, bearing in mind coverage varies by app and queued refreshes have no guaranteed completion time.
• DATACUBE is a paid option for Android, iOS and web.
• ASO.dev is a paid option with a free trial and support for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, web, API and extension platforms; choose it when a broader platform mix is needed.
• AppFollow has a free plan for two apps, 10 competitor apps, 100 manual replies per month and seven days of historical data, on API and web; it is a fit to consider when those app-management and reply allowances matter.
• APPlyzer has a free Basic plan with 100 keywords, unlimited apps, competitors, countries and languages, plus limited search-score access; it may suit a broader free tracking setup.
• AppTweak offers a free Market Intelligence Starter plan with three seats, past-month historical data, and download and revenue estimates; consider it when those market-intelligence features are the priority.

Verdict

KWRDS is a strong fit for Apple-focused developers, publishers and ASO teams that want keyword research, competitor context and metadata drafting together, particularly across storefronts. Its free tier is intentionally narrow, and Pro and Studio prices are not final, so it is less compelling for teams that need broad monitoring on a predictable budget or Android coverage. Choose it for a focused Apple workflow; look elsewhere when cross-platform reach or confirmed pricing matters more.