The Indie ASO Audit Checklist (2026)

Most ASO advice is vague. "Optimize your title." "Use good screenshots." Helpful, sort of, but you can't run it.

This is the checklist we actually use when we run a manual audit at ASOhack. 30 questions across six areas. Each one is testable — either you've done it or you haven't.

Run it before every release, and once a quarter on your live listing. It takes about 30 minutes the first time, 10 minutes after that.

If you'd rather skip the manual work, paste your URL into the free ASO audit tool and it'll score these dimensions automatically.

Section 1: Title & subtitle (5 points)

Title is ≤30 characters (iOS) / ≤50 (Android).
Title includes your single most important keyword, not your brand only.
Subtitle (iOS) or short description (Android) uses different keywords than the title — don't duplicate.
No emojis or symbols that don't render in search results.
Title reads naturally — if you said it out loud, it wouldn't sound stuffed.

Check the density: paste your listing into the Keyword Density Checker. If a single keyword shows up more than 3× across title + subtitle + description, you've overdone it.

Section 2: Keywords field (iOS, 5 points)

You're using the full 100 characters.
No spaces between keywords — use commas only: keyword1,keyword2,keyword3.
No plurals and singulars (Apple matches both — wastes characters).
No words that already appear in your title or subtitle (Apple indexes those).
No brand names you don't own (rejection risk).

Full workflow in our App Store keyword research guide.

Section 3: Description (5 points)

First 3 lines sell the app — that's all most users see before "more."
Description includes your top 5 keywords, woven naturally (not a keyword dump).
(Google Play only — App Store doesn't index this) Long description repeats key terms 3-5× without being spammy.
No competitor brand mentions.
Localized for at least your top 3 markets, not just translated.

We have a full localization guide (writing in progress). For now, hire a native speaker for each market — Google Translate descriptions tank conversion.

Section 4: Screenshots & visuals (5 points)

First 3 screenshots tell the story even without the user scrolling.
Each screenshot has a clear caption stating one benefit (not a feature list).
Text on screenshots is readable at thumbnail size — open your store on a phone and check.
App icon is distinguishable from competitors in a thumbnail grid.
You've shipped an app preview video (iOS) or feature graphic + promo video (Android).

Run your screenshots through the Screenshot Lab — it gives you AI feedback on hierarchy, captions, and conversion signals.

Section 5: Ratings & reviews (5 points)

Current rating ≥4.4 (below 4.0 cuts impressions sharply).
You've responded to the last 10 negative reviews in each market.
Review prompt fires at a positive moment (after a completed task), not on first launch.
You're tracking review velocity weekly (new reviews per day).
You actively reply to reviews — Google Play and App Store both index responses.

For sentiment analysis on competitor reviews, use the free Review Analyzer.

Section 6: Conversion signals (5 points)

You've A/B tested at least one variant in App Store Connect or Play Console in the last 90 days.
Your "first impression" conversion (impressions → product page views → installs) is tracked monthly.
You know your best-performing country by conversion rate, not just downloads.
You've checked whether the default device class (iPhone vs iPad screenshots) is set correctly.
Paid traffic (Apple Search Ads / Google App Campaigns) is sending users to a creative set that matches the ad — not your generic listing.

Full ad-funnel workflow in Apple Search Ads complete guide and Google App Campaigns guide.

How to score yourself

25-30 checked: You're in the top 10% of indie listings.
20-24: Solid, but you're leaving downloads on the table — pick the unchecked items and fix them this month.
10-19: Don't run paid traffic yet. Fix the organic listing first; paid acquisition will be twice as expensive.
<10: Stop reading and run a free audit — it'll prioritize the order to fix things in.

Run this checklist automatically

Doing this manually every release gets tedious. ASOhack's free audit runs through every point above in 15 seconds, scores you 0-100 across six categories, and gives you a prioritized fix list. No signup required for your first 5 audits.

Try the tools mentioned

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