If you’re an indie app developer trying to grow your downloads without blowing your budget, then App Store Optimization (ASO) should be your new best friend.
And today, I’m breaking down the most powerful ASO tool for competitive analysis I’ve used to date—CheckASO.io. This tool helps you spy on your competitors, uncover high-converting keywords, and optimize your app listings like a pro.
Let’s dive into what makes this tool a must-have for indie developers.
🚀 Why Competitor Analysis is Critical to ASO Success
Before you can beat your competition, you need to know:
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Which keywords they’re ranking for
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How they structure their metadata (titles, subtitles, etc.)
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What kind of visibility their in-app purchases are getting
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Where they’re outperforming you—and where they’re vulnerable
That’s where CheckASO.io comes in.
🧪 Meet the Tool: CheckASO.io
CheckASO is a robust ASO tool built specifically to give you:
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🔍 Deep keyword analysis
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🆚 Competitor intersection reports
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📈 Insights into search visibility
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🛒 Even indexed in-app purchase (IAP) tracking
You can get started with a free trial—no credit card needed—and explore the features across different plans (Startup is a great entry point).
🔥 Key Features Indie Developers Shouldn’t Ignore
1. Keyword Intersection
Discover which keywords your app and your competitors both rank for.
✔️ Why it matters:
You want to dominate keywords that your biggest competitors are targeting. For example, I analyzed “Zero,” a fasting app, and saw it had massive overlap with “Simple Fasting” and “Fastik.”
2. ASO Index & Visibility Score
CheckASO gives each app an ASO score (how well-optimized it is) and a search visibility score (how discoverable it is).
✔️ Action Tip:
Use this to benchmark your own app against the leaders in your niche. If your ASO score is high but visibility is low, it’s time to invest in marketing and keyword distribution.
3. Keyword Distribution & Rank Tracking
See:
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🔝 Which keywords you’re ranking #1 for
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🧭 How keyword performance changes over time
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🔍 Where your competitors are losing rank
✔️ Use Case:
When I tracked Zero, I found 50% of their core keywords were ranking #1. That’s massive—and tells you which keywords really drive installs.
4. Keyword Ideas & Suggested Terms
CheckASO suggests new keywords based on:
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Competitor brand terms
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Trending searches
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Keywords you’re not yet indexed for
✔️ Pro Tip:
Sort by “search volume” and “total apps” to find high-traffic, low-competition keywords that can give you an edge.
5. Non-Indexed Keywords
Uncover keywords your app isn’t ranking for—but your competitors are.
✔️ ASO Hack:
Add these into your metadata and track how quickly you begin indexing. Sometimes, it’s the missing piece to unlock growth.
🛒 Hidden Gem: Track Indexed In-App Purchases (IAPs)
Most ASO tools ignore this, but CheckASO lets you:
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🕵️♂️ See if competitors’ IAPs are ranking in search
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📊 Track which keywords their IAPs are being indexed for
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🔍 Spot IAPs showing up as top results in App Store queries
Example:
“Life Intermittent Fasting” has an IAP indexed for high-value keywords like “fasting,” “intermittent fasting,” and “fasting tracker”—all top 10 results.
✔️ Why this matters:
This feature is gold for subscription apps. An optimized IAP can increase visibility, conversion, and monetization—without touching your core app listing.
📋 Actionable Takeaways for Indie Developers
If you’re just starting out or want to level up your ASO, here’s what to do:
✅ Indie ASO Growth Checklist:
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Use CheckASO to add your app and top 3–5 competitors
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Review keyword intersections—prioritize shared terms
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Compare ASO scores and visibility ratings
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Add non-indexed keywords your competitors rank for
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Explore keyword ideas sorted by low competition
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Review your IAPs and optimize them for keyword visibility
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Repeat and update metadata weekly or biweekly
🎯 Final Thoughts: Win Big with Smart ASO
ASO isn’t about guessing—it’s about strategic execution.
CheckASO.io gives you the competitive edge indie developers need in today’s crowded app stores. Whether you’re trying to climb the rankings or unlock new keyword opportunities, it’s one of the best tools in the ASO game right now.
“Great ASO isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing it smarter.”
Highlights
00:42 – Using Checkaso
02:04 – How the U.S App store indexes the Spanish/Mexico localization and how to mix up the US title and subtitle.
02:50 – Checkaso’s Keyword Intersection feature
03:37 – The ASO index and why it’s great for telling you how optimized you are.
04:35 – Adding keywords
05:42 – Checkaso’s Ideas Tab feature
06:26 – The Non-Index keywords
08:05 – Taking a look at the proposed keywords