// Keyword research
App Store Keyword Research: Popularity and Difficulty
Type a term, see how many people want it and who already holds the top spots. Then decide if it deserves a place in your listing.
// WHAT IT IS
AppHitlist's Keyword Explorer shows how popular an App Store keyword is and how hard it is to rank for it. Popularity is the latest US Apple Ads score when one exists, or an estimate from App Store search suggestions when it does not. Every lookup also lists the top-ranking apps and related keywords, so you can choose terms before you write your listing.
// WHAT YOU GET
What you get
Pick keywords with room to rank
Popularity sits next to difficulty. A popular term with low difficulty is a better bet for a new app than one that is hard to rank for.
See who owns a keyword
The top apps table lists rank, app, publisher and rating. If the first spots belong to apps with huge rating counts, you know the climb is steep.
Find terms you would not have typed
Related keywords come back with every lookup. One search often turns into a short list of phrases worth testing in your title or subtitle.
Know where the number comes from
Each popularity value is labeled Apple Ads or Estimate. You see whether you are reading Apple's score or a guess from search suggestions.
// HOW IT WORKS
How it works in three steps
- 01
Search a keyword
Type a term of 2 to 60 characters in Keyword Explorer and choose the country, then press Explore.
- 02
Read popularity, difficulty and the top apps
Check the source label next to popularity, compare it with difficulty, and open the apps that rank at the top. Scan related keywords for alternatives.
- 03
Add the keyword to Your Apps
Send a keyword you like to Your Apps. AppHitlist then checks where your app ranks for it once a day.
// WHO IT IS FOR
Who it is for
Developers writing a store listing
You have a title, a subtitle and a keyword field to fill. Test candidate terms before you submit an update.
Makers testing a niche by search demand
You want to know if people search for the thing you plan to build, and who they find when they do.
Indie marketers doing ASO
You compare terms for a client or your own app and need a quick, honest read on which ones are worth chasing.
// GOOD TO KNOW
Good to know
Popularity is not a count of searches. It is the latest US Apple Ads score, or, when Apple has none, an estimate built from search suggestions, and the label on each result tells you which. Difficulty is a model, not a promise that you will rank. Keyword Explorer is part of the paid plan and covers the Apple App Store only. Apple search is sometimes busy, and then a lookup asks you to try again in a few seconds.
// FAQ
Questions people ask
How do I check how popular an App Store keyword is?
Open Keyword Explorer, type the keyword and press Explore. You get a popularity value, a difficulty value, the top-ranking apps and related keywords. A label tells you whether popularity is an Apple Ads score or an estimate. Use it to compare terms with each other, not as an exact search count.
Where does AppHitlist's keyword popularity data come from?
Popularity is the latest US Apple Ads score for the keyword. When Apple has no score, AppHitlist estimates popularity from App Store search suggestions and labels the result Estimate. The page also shows the date of the lookup, so you know how fresh the number is.
What does keyword difficulty mean for an App Store keyword?
Difficulty tells you how hard it is to rank near the top for a term. Read it together with the top apps table: if the leading spots belong to apps with very large rating counts, a new app will have a harder time. Treat difficulty as a guide for choosing between terms.
Can I track my app's rank for a keyword I find?
Yes. Use Add to Your Apps on a lookup and the keyword joins your tracked list. AppHitlist then shows your app's rank in App Store search for that term and updates it once a day. If your app is outside the first 200 results, it shows as not in the top 200.
// RELATED
Related use cases
// READ NEXT
Guides that go deeper
// START
See the data for yourself
A free account shows app profiles, ratings, prices and rank history. Revenue estimates, ads and complaint themes are on the paid plan.
Sign up free