# Fledly vs Sonar

By Mika Heinonen (Indie iOS developer and maker of Fledly). Published 2026-10-28, updated 2026-10-28.
Canonical: https://fledly.app/compare/fledly-vs-sonar/

> Sonar is a web ASO tool with iOS and Google Play keyword tracking, an API, CLI and MCP from $29 a month. Fledly is an iOS tool for finding proven app ideas plus keyword tracking, free to start and $9 a month for Pro. Side by side.

**Key takeaways**

- **Choose Sonar** if you need **Google Play** as well as iOS, **all countries**, a listing manager, review monitoring with AI summaries, and an API with daily request limits. Indie is **$29 a month** or $290 a year for 10 apps and 2,500 keywords.
- **Choose Fledly** if you are on **iOS only**, want a **free plan** or a lower price (Pro **$9 a month** or $79 a year for 5 apps and 500 keywords), and want **app idea research** from young apps already earning on the Top Grossing charts.
- **Both** offer MCP for AI assistants and use Apple Ads popularity where it's available.

*Disclosure: we make Fledly. Sonar's prices and features are from its public pages, checked on October 28, 2026. Confirm on [trysonar.app](https://trysonar.app/for/indie-developers) before you buy.*

## At a glance

| | Sonar | Fledly |
|:--|:--|:--|
| **Stores** | App Store and Google Play | App Store only |
| **Free option** | 7-day trial (card required); free ASO score checker and keyword generator | Free plan: 1 app, 15 keywords, 3 app ideas a week |
| **Entry paid plan** | Indie $29/month or $290/year: 10 apps, 2,500 keywords, all countries, 1 seat | Pro $9/month or $79/year: 5 apps, 500 keywords |
| **Larger plan** | Agency $149/month or $1,490/year: 50 apps, 10,000 keywords, 5 seats | Studio $24/month or $199/year: 20 apps, 2,500 keywords, 3 seats |
| **Countries** | All | 16 storefronts for rank tracking |
| **Popularity** | Apple search popularity where available, estimates elsewhere | Apple Ads popularity where available, estimates elsewhere |
| **Listing manager** | Yes | No |
| **Review monitoring** | Yes, with AI summaries | Competitor complaints inside idea cards |
| **API / CLI / MCP** | API (1,000 requests/day on Indie), CLI, MCP | MCP on every plan; no separate API or CLI |
| **App idea scoring** | No | Yes |
| **Young apps on the Top Grossing charts, with revenue ranges** | No | Yes |

## What Sonar does better

**Two stores and every country.** If you ship on Google Play, or localise into many markets, Sonar covers far more ground than Fledly.

**Keyword and listing workflow.** Sonar has a listing manager for drafting titles, subtitles and keyword fields, competitor alerts when listings change, review monitoring with AI summaries, and an API and CLI for scripting. For a developer who lives in keyword work, it's the more complete toolbox.

**More keywords per dollar at the top end.** Sonar's Indie plan includes 2,500 keywords for $29. Fledly reaches 2,500 keywords on Studio at $24, with fewer apps and countries.

## What Fledly does differently

**Idea research.** Sonar starts from your app. Fledly also starts from the market: it collects the US Top Grossing charts every day, keeps apps under 24 months old that aren't from big publishers, groups them into concepts and scores each one on proof, repeat, pull and window. You see who is earning, roughly how much, how fast they gain ratings, what their users complain about and what they charge. Method: [How to validate an iOS app idea](/blog/validate-ios-app-idea/).

**A free plan and a lower entry price.** Fledly's Free plan has no card and no time limit. Pro is $9 a month.

**MCP on every plan, including Free.** Connect Fledly to Claude, ChatGPT (developer mode) or Cursor and ask for young earners, ideas or your keyword ranks in a conversation. [Setup](/docs/mcp/).

## Prices compared

| | Sonar | Fledly |
|:--|:--|:--|
| Free | 7-day trial | Free plan |
| Entry, monthly | $29 (10 apps, 2,500 keywords) | $9 (5 apps, 500 keywords) |
| Entry, yearly | $290 | $79 |
| Team | Agency $149/month (5 seats) | Studio $24/month (3 seats) |

If you need under 500 keywords on iOS, Fledly Pro costs less than a third of Sonar Indie. If you need Google Play, many countries or more than 500 keywords, Sonar is the better fit.

*Fledly counts a tracked keyword as one search term in one country, for example "gym log" in the US. Other tools may count keywords differently, so compare limits with that in mind.*

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fledly a Sonar alternative?

For iOS keyword tracking with Apple Ads popularity and MCP access, yes, at a lower price and with a free plan. Fledly doesn't cover Google Play, has fewer countries and doesn't have Sonar's listing manager or review monitoring. It adds app idea research that Sonar doesn't offer.

### Does Sonar have a free plan?

Sonar offers a 7-day free trial that requires a card, plus free tools (an ASO score checker and a keyword generator) that don't need an account. Fledly has a free plan with 1 app and 15 tracked keywords.

### Which tools let AI assistants use App Store data through MCP?

Both Sonar and Fledly have MCP servers. Appfigures also has an MCP connector. Fledly's MCP works on every plan, including Free.

## Sources

- Sonar pages: [for indie developers](https://trysonar.app/for/indie-developers) and [Sensor Tower alternatives](https://trysonar.app/alternatives/sensor-tower) (Agency pricing), checked October 28, 2026.
- Fledly plan limits from the live product, October 28, 2026.