How to Spy on Competitor Keywords

If you want to know which keywords your US App Store competitors are ranking for—and use that to improve your own ASO—you're not alone. How to spy on competitor keywords isn't shady; it's using ASO tools that show competitor keyword data to find gaps and opportunities. This post shows you how to do it the right way.

TL;DR — Use an ASO tool that shows which keywords your competitors rank for in the US store. Filter by relevance and difficulty; add the best gaps to your metadata. Stellar gives you competitor keyword data plus popularity and difficulty for the US store—so you can spy the right way and fill real gaps.

Table of contents

• What "Spy" Means Here
• Why It's Legit
• How to Do It in the US
• What to Do With the Data
• What to Avoid
• Next Steps

What "Spy" Means Here

"Spy" here means using an ASO tool to see which keywords your competitors rank for in the US App Store. You're not hacking anything—you're using the same data that tools like Stellar provide: competitor keyword rankings, often combined with popularity (Apple Search Ads) and Top 10 difficulty. So you can see which terms your rivals are winning for, which have real volume, and which you might be able to win too. That's "spying"—discovery, not theft.

Why It's Legit

It's legit because you're not copying metadata word-for-word. You're learning which keywords have traffic and which your competitors rank for—then adding terms that fit your app and that you can realistically win. You're filling gaps in your own strategy, not stealing theirs. The store rewards relevance; if a keyword fits your app and has volume and winnable difficulty, you're allowed to target it. Try Stellar to see competitor keyword data and popularity/difficulty for the US store—so you can spy the right way.

How to Do It in the US

1. List 3–5 direct competitors — Apps in your category that rank well in the US for terms you care about.
2. Use an ASO tool with competitor keyword data — See which keywords they rank for (e.g. top 10, top 20). Stellar supports tracking and analysis across 60+ stores including the US.
3. Filter by relevance — Keep only terms that fit your app's value proposition. Don't add irrelevant terms.
4. Run gaps through popularity and difficulty — For the US store. Drop terms that are too hard or too low volume. Stellar gives you popularity from Apple Search Ads and Top 10 difficulty in one place.
5. Prioritize — High volume + winnable = add to your metadata. Low volume or impossible = skip.

Mid-post reminder: Spy on competitor keywords the right way on Stellar. See which keywords they rank for in the US store—then filter by relevance and difficulty and fill the gaps.

What to Do With the Data

• Add the best gaps to your keyword field — Don't repeat title/subtitle; add the next tier of high-volume, winnable terms.
• Consider title/subtitle — If one gap is strong enough (high volume + winnable), consider putting it in title or subtitle.
• Track daily — Use rankings and historical graphs to see which new terms drive visibility. Stellar gives you daily updates and history for the US and 60+ stores.
• Revisit every few months — Competitors change their metadata too. Re-run competitor keyword analysis and refresh your list.

What to Avoid

• Don't copy title/subtitle verbatim — Use gap analysis to find terms, then write your own readable copy.
• Don't add irrelevant terms — Only add gaps that fit your app's value proposition.
• Don't add impossible terms — Use difficulty to filter. No point targeting terms you can't rank for.
• Don't set and forget — Re-run competitor keyword analysis regularly. Gaps close; new ones open.

Next Steps

1. List your top competitors — Apps that rank well in the US for your target searches.
2. Run competitor keyword analysis — See which keywords they rank for. Stellar gives you that for the US store.
3. Filter by relevance and difficulty — Add the best gaps to your metadata; set up daily tracking.
4. Revisit every few months — Re-run analysis and refresh your list.

How to spy on competitor keywords the right way: use a tool that shows competitor keyword data and popularity/difficulty—Stellar gives you that for the US store.