Short answer
Choose Astro when unlimited Apple keyword research, translations and broad storefront coverage are your central needs. Choose Aurora when you want a lower-cost or free starting point and prefer keyword work beside your own App Store Connect analytics, revenue and subscription events.
| Area | Aurora | Astro |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Native macOS | Native macOS |
| Free access | Ongoing free tier | Paid annual product |
| Keyword scale | 10 free; unlimited with Pro | Unlimited apps and keywords on its published plan |
| Keyword research | Rank tracking, directional scores and opportunity discovery | Popularity, difficulty, suggestions, competitor extraction and translations |
| Owned analytics | App Store Connect analytics and revenue dashboards | Public positioning is primarily ASO research |
| Realtime commerce | Purchase and subscription events | Not a central advertised workflow |
| Best fit | Integrated indie Apple workflow | Focused, established keyword research |
Keyword research
Astro has the stronger specialist proposition. Its published feature set includes unlimited tracking, keyword suggestions, popularity and difficulty signals, translations, competitor keyword extraction and more than 60 storefronts. A developer conducting extensive localisation or maintaining large keyword lists may prefer that depth.
Aurora focuses on a narrower decision loop: track a phrase, inspect the top results, assess directional demand and competition, discover related opportunities and connect changes with owned performance. Aurora's demand score is not presented as exact search volume.
Analytics and revenue
This is Aurora's clearest distinction. Developers can connect App Store Connect to review discovery, downloads, conversion, engagement, proceeds, subscriptions and supported realtime events. Astro's public product messaging focuses more heavily on keyword and ratings research.
Price and limits
Aurora has a no-expiry free tier and Pro plans at $5.99 monthly or $49.99 annually. Astro's published price was $108 annually when this comparison was checked. Prices and plan limits can change, so verify Astro's official site before purchasing.
Where Astro is better
- Unlimited keyword tracking under a simple specialist plan.
- Broader published localisation and translation tooling.
- A more established keyword-research product.
Where Aurora is better
- A useful free tier and lower paid entry point.
- Owned analytics and revenue beside keyword rankings.
- Competitor Watch context and realtime subscription events.
- A portfolio dashboard designed around an indie developer's daily workflow.
Verdict
Neither is universally better. Astro is the safer specialist choice for high-volume Apple keyword research. Aurora is the more integrated and affordable choice for an indie developer who wants to connect visibility with actual app performance from one Mac app.
Review Astro's current product information, explore Aurora's features, or compare the wider market in the 2026 ASO tools guide.