The best ASO agency for your app is the one that can show published results in your category, explains exactly how it will research keywords and test creatives for your markets, reports on installs and conversion rather than rankings alone, and refuses to buy reviews or installs. Judge every agency on the same checklist: proof, process, policy, people, reporting and price.
Start with proof, not promises
Ask for at least one published case study with numbers you can check, such as a rating moving from 3.9 to 4.4+ or a keyword moving from #10 to #2. A case study should name the app, the store, the market and what the agency actually did.
Be wary of agencies that promise a #1 ranking or a guaranteed timeline. Store algorithms change, competitors react, and no agency controls Apple or Google.
Check the process for your markets
Good ASO starts with keyword research in each market and language you care about, not a translated keyword list. Ask how the agency researches Hindi, Bahasa Indonesia or Spanish searches if those markets matter to you.
Ask how they handle the two stores differently. The App Store indexes the app name, subtitle and a hidden 100-character keyword field; Google Play indexes the title and descriptions. An agency that writes one set of metadata for both is not doing ASO properly.
Make policy a hard filter
Apple and Google both prohibit paid, fake or incentivized ratings and reviews. Ask every agency directly whether they buy reviews, use review exchanges or run incentivized installs, and get the answer in writing.
A policy-safe agency improves ratings with in-app review prompts, reply strategy and fixes to the issues behind bad reviews. Shortcuts can get an app removed from the store.
Know who will do the work
Ask who will run your account day to day, how much ASO experience they have, and how many other apps they manage. A senior pitch followed by a junior team is a common gap.
Ask how often you will meet and who signs off metadata and creative changes before release.
Agree on reporting before you start
Rankings alone are a weak measure. Ask for reporting on impressions, product page views, conversion rate, first-time downloads and, where possible, retention for organic users.
Agree on a baseline in the first two weeks so you can judge progress against your own numbers, not the agency’s.
Understand the pricing model
Most ASO agencies charge a monthly retainer, a one-time audit and setup fee, or a project fee for a specific piece of work such as a creative test. Retainers suit ongoing optimization; projects suit a launch or a rebrand.
Ask what is included: number of markets, languages, creative tests per month, and whether paid campaigns such as Apple Search Ads are part of the fee or billed separately.
Agency, in-house or tools?
An agency makes sense when you need experience across many apps and markets quickly, or when you cannot hire an ASO specialist. In-house makes sense when ASO is core to growth and you can hire and train someone senior.
ASO tools give you data, not decisions. Many teams combine one in-house owner, a tool, and an agency for markets or skills they lack.
How to do it, step by step
- List what you needWrite down your category, target markets and languages, both stores or one, and whether you need paid acquisition too.
- Shortlist three agenciesPick agencies with published work in your category or markets. Our list of top ASO agencies is a starting point.
- Send the same brief to eachAsk for a short audit of your listing, their proposed first 90 days, the team, the reporting, and the price.
- Ask the policy question in writingConfirm they do not buy reviews, use incentivized ratings or purchase installs.
- Compare and decideScore each on proof, process, policy, people, reporting and price, then start with a defined first phase you can evaluate.
Action plan
- Ask for one published case study with numbers
- Ask how they research keywords in each of your markets
- Check they write separate metadata for each store
- Get their review and install policy in writing
- Meet the person who will run your account
- Agree on KPIs and a baseline before work starts
- Clarify what the fee includes
- Start with a phase you can evaluate in 90 days
Metrics to monitor
- Store impressions and product page views
- Conversion rate from page view to install
- First-time downloads by market
- Keyword rankings for your priority terms
- Rating and review trend
Record the baseline, release date, audience, markets, and external changes before interpreting movement. Rankings and conversion are useful signals, but a decision is stronger when activation, retention, and business value confirm that the page attracted the right users.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if an ASO agency is good?
A good ASO agency shows published case studies with real numbers, explains its keyword and creative-testing process for your markets, reports on installs and conversion, and confirms in writing that it never buys reviews or installs.
How much does an ASO agency cost?
Most agencies charge a monthly retainer for ongoing work, or a one-time fee for an audit or project. The price depends on the number of markets, languages and creative tests. Ask each agency to list exactly what its fee includes.
What are red flags when hiring an ASO agency?
Guaranteed #1 rankings, promises of results in a fixed number of days, buying reviews or installs, one set of metadata for both stores, and reporting that shows rankings but never installs.
Is an ASO agency better than doing ASO in-house?
An agency is better when you need experience across many apps and markets quickly. In-house is better when ASO is central to your growth and you can hire a senior specialist. Many teams use both.
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