LocalASOComparison
ASO tools for Mac compared: native apps for App Store keyword research
As of November 2026 the Mac ASO apps we could verify are LocalASO, Wow Keywords, Astro, Dock, AppSprint, Uprika, Aurora and ASO Atlas, and they differ mainly in price model (one-time, free tier or subscription), whether they cover Google Play, and whether data stays on your Mac.
A native Mac app suits an indie developer because it avoids a web login, keeps research on your own machine and, for several of these tools, plugs into your AI tools through MCP. Web platforms still win on teams and market data; see the end of this page.
Updated
The Mac apps side by side
| Tool | Price model (as of November 2026) | macOS | Stores | Countries | Volume source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LocalASO | $29 once, 1 Mac | 14+ | App Store | 52 | Estimated from ratings |
| Wow Keywords | $99 once, 2 computers | 14+ (Windows 11 beta too) | App Store | 52 | Estimated from ratings |
| Astro | $9 per month, $108 billed annually | 14+ | App Store | 91 per docs; "more than 60" on the home page | Apple Search Ads popularity |
| Dock | Free tier; Premium EUR 5.99 per month or EUR 44.99 per year | Not stated on home page; MCP needs 15+ | App Store and Google Play | Not stated | Not stated |
| AppSprint | Paid subscription | 14.6+ | App Store | 66 | Not stated in text read |
| Uprika | Free tier; Pro $47 one-time, 1 year of updates | Not stated (also Windows, Linux) | App Store and Google Play | Not stated | Scraped store data, scored |
| Aurora | Free to start | 14+ | App Store | Not stated | Not stated |
| ASO Atlas | "Unlimited from $9/mo", Mac app included | 14+ | App Store | 60+ | Not stated |
"Not stated" means the page we read did not say, not that the feature is absent.
Data, AI and MCP
| Tool | Data location | AI | MCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| LocalASO | Local database on your Mac | Your own: Claude Code, API key, Ollama, Codex or Gemini CLI | Local MCP server |
| Wow Keywords | Not stated | Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Gemini, Cursor, Grok, Ollama | MCP server |
| Astro | Local database | Not stated in the text read | MCP server in beta, local HTTP |
| Dock | The app runs on your Mac; MCP calls stay on loopback | AI keyword generation in Premium | 34-tool extension, loopback only |
| AppSprint | Not stated | Not stated | MCP setup guide |
| Uprika | Local SQLite database | Your own: Ollama, OpenAI, Gemini, Claude, OpenRouter | CLI for agents; MCP not stated |
| ASO Atlas | Web account; Mac app caches locally | Not stated | MCP command shown |
Which one fits
- You want the lowest total cost and only ship on the App Store. LocalASO or Wow Keywords; see the one-time purchase comparison and the Wow Keywords alternative page.
- You want Apple Ads popularity numbers. Astro says it extracts popularity data from Apple Search Ads. Our Astro comparison covers its trade-offs.
- You ship on both stores and want a listing editor. Dock describes itself as a Mac app for App Store and Google Play, and has a free tier.
- You want to try before paying. Aurora and Dock advertise free starts. ASO Atlas says the first search is free without an account.
- You need metadata translation or price review only. ASO Engine is a free Mac app for those, and says it is not for public keyword research.
When a web platform is the better choice
If you work in a team, need Google Play at scale, historical data or download estimates, a cloud platform fits better. AppTweak, MobileAction and Appfigures are covered in separate comparisons. Mac apps also depend on one vendor shipping updates when Apple changes something.
How to test a Mac ASO app in 30 minutes
- Add one real app and one competitor.
- Check the same 10 keywords in your home country and one non-English country.
- Note whether the tool says where volume comes from. each tool either reads Apple Ads popularity or estimates volume; the keyword research guide explains how to judge either.
- Try the listing step: can you paste a keyword field and see its byte count? The free keyword field checker does this in your browser.
Next step
LocalASO needs macOS 14 or later and Apple's App Store only. See the pricing page, or the getting started docs for a walkthrough.
Questions
- Is there a free ASO tool for Mac?
- Aurora and Dock both advertise a free tier, and ASO Engine is free but covers metadata translation and pricing, not public keyword research (as of November 2026). See the free tools comparison for limits.
- Do Mac ASO apps store my keywords on my computer?
- It depends. LocalASO stores keywords, ranks and listings in a database on your Mac. Astro's MCP server reads Astro's local database. ASO Atlas is a web product with a Mac app that caches data locally.
- Which Mac ASO apps need macOS 15?
- Dock's MCP extension requires macOS 15 or later. LocalASO, Astro and Aurora list macOS 14 or later, and AppSprint lists macOS 14.6 or later.
Sources
- www.wowkeywords.com (checked November 1, 2026)
- tryastro.app (checked November 1, 2026)
- tryastro.app/docs/how-to-add-keywords (checked November 1, 2026)
- tryastro.app/docs/mcp (checked November 1, 2026)
- dock-app.com (checked November 1, 2026)
- dock-app.com/mcp (checked November 1, 2026)
- appsprint.app/mac (checked November 1, 2026)
- appsprint.app/docs (checked November 1, 2026)
- asoatlas.com (checked November 1, 2026)
- aurora-aso.pages.dev (checked November 1, 2026)
- uprika.com (checked November 1, 2026)
- asoengine.app (checked November 1, 2026)
Do this for every country, in minutes