RespectASO v2.13.0 touted as open-source ASO

RespectASO, an app store optimization tool distributed as open-source software, was promoted on X this weekend as users compared it with paid ASO products. Posts cited version 2.13.0 and described the software as an alternative to subscription tools, while the project’s public materials say it runs locally, uses Apple’s public iTunes Search API and does not require accounts or API keys. GitHub shows the project under the repository `respectlytics/respectaso`, licensed under AGPL-3.0, with 357 stars and 43 forks at the time of review. The repository describes RespectASO as a “free, open-source ASO keyword research tool for macOS” and says the software provides keyword popularity estimates, difficulty analysis, competitor breakdowns and download estimates. ### What exactly is being claimed about RespectASO? (github.com) X users framed RespectASO as an open-source substitute for paid ASO software, according to the social briefing supplied for this story. One post attributed to `@fat_rat_dev` said RespectASO v2.13.0 had been released and described it as better than paid options such as AstroASO, while another post attributed to `@sinecanswork` said the tool’s keyword-popularity model was consistent across 30 localizations and more useful than raw Apple Search Ads data for organic traffic analysis. (github.com) The X posts themselves were referenced in the briefing, but their full text was not independently retrievable through web access during reporting. The project’s own public materials support part of those claims. RespectASO’s GitHub page says the tool offers “estimated popularity scores (1–100)” and a “Country Opportunity Finder” that can scan up to 30 App Store regions at once. A project page also describes it as a free ASO keyword research tool for macOS with “30-country search.” ### What can be verified from the project itself? (github.com) The repository says RespectASO “uses only the public iTunes Search API,” runs on the user’s own machine and sends “zero data” to third parties. Its README also says no API keys or credentials are needed and that the software is available as a native Mac app. RespectASO’s website repeats those positioning points. The site says the product is “free, open-source, and self-hosted on your Mac,” while separate pages say the free edition is AGPL-3.0 licensed and can be self-hosted either as a Mac app or through Docker. (github.com) ### Is version 2.13.0 itself publicly documented? GitHub’s releases page surfaced in search results, but the available crawl did not expose release notes for version 2.13.0 during this reporting. (github.com) The repository did show recent sync activity dated May 11, 2026, and the project site continued to offer downloads and product pages this week. Because the publicly accessible release page excerpt did not show a visible v2.13.0 changelog, the specific feature changes in that version could not be independently confirmed from release notes. (respectaso.com) What is verifiable is the project’s broader product description, licensing status and public distribution. ### Why are users comparing it with paid ASO vendors? The repository itself makes that comparison in general terms. (github.com) RespectASO’s README says “most ASO tools require paid subscriptions, API keys, and send your keyword research to their servers,” then presents its own local-first and privacy-focused design as the alternative. That framing matches the user commentary in the source briefing, where posters contrasted RespectASO with paid vendors and highlighted keyword scoring across multiple localizations. (github.com) The combination of open-source licensing, local execution and 30-market scanning appears to be the basis for those comparisons, based on the project’s own feature descriptions and the cited social posts. ### Where can readers verify the next step? (github.com) GitHub and the project website are the clearest public checkpoints for follow-up. The `respectlytics/respectaso` repository remains public, and the project site continues to host download, open-source and self-hosting pages that would show any later release notes, binaries or feature updates published by the developers. (github.com)