# How to Find Low Competition Keywords for Apps > Learn how to find low competition keywords in the medium-difficulty sweet spot (20–45) that drive real installs without battling entrenched incumbents. - **Author:** Peter Sutarik - **Published:** August 15, 2026 - **Tags:** keyword research, aso, keyword difficulty, indie apps, app store optimization - **Reading time:** 13 min - **Canonical:** https://trysonar.app/blog/medium-competition-app-keywords --- ## How to Find Low Competition Keywords That Still Drive Installs Most ASO guides split keywords into two buckets: low competition and high competition. That binary framing misses the most useful range entirely. After analyzing hundreds of keywords across Sonar's index, I have found that keywords with iOS difficulty scores between 20 and 45 consistently offer the best risk-to-reward ratio for indie developers. Sonar's keyword index shows "tip calculator" at iOS difficulty 38 and Apple popularity 5, with 159 competing results — a medium-competition keyword where a well-optimized indie app can crack the top 10. The same keyword on Android has difficulty 14 and popularity 39, meaning ranking is nearly 3x easier on Android (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). Target a keyword at difficulty 65+, and you are competing against apps with tens of thousands of reviews. Target a keyword at difficulty 5, and almost nobody is searching for it. The medium range is where installs actually happen for smaller developers. This article covers the criteria, data patterns, and workflow for how to find low competition keywords in that 20–45 difficulty band. ## Why Pure Low-Competition Keywords Fall Short Keywords below difficulty 15 are easy to rank for, but they rarely drive meaningful download volume. Low difficulty usually means low search interest — if no established app bothers competing for a keyword, it is often because users are not searching for it. On Android, "tip calculator" has difficulty 14 — nearly 3x easier than its iOS difficulty of 38 (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). That Android difficulty score looks attractive on paper, but the top three results already hold 4.3 million, 938,000, and 13,700 reviews respectively (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). Low difficulty does not always mean low barrier to entry; it sometimes means the algorithm views the competitive landscape differently than you might expect. For a deeper breakdown of what keyword difficulty actually measures and how scores differ between iOS and Android, see our [guide to keyword difficulty](https://trysonar.app/blog/keyword-difficulty-explained). The practical problem: if you build an entire ASO strategy around difficulty-5 keywords, you need dozens of them to match the install volume of a single well-chosen medium-competition keyword. That is more metadata to manage and more time spent monitoring rankings that individually move the needle very little. ## Three Criteria for Medium-Competition Keywords A medium-competition keyword meets three criteria simultaneously. Miss any one and the keyword either underperforms or becomes unreachable. I tested this framework across dozens of app categories in Sonar's database over the past year, and the pattern holds consistently. ### Criterion 1: Difficulty Between 20 and 45 This range is wide enough to include keywords across most app categories. Across four common app-search keywords — "tip calculator" (diff 38), "color picker" (diff 24), "cover letter" (diff 21), and "packing list" (diff 32) — the medium-competition sweet spot (difficulty 20–45) holds: these are keywords with enough search volume to drive installs but low enough difficulty that indie apps can rank (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). ### Criterion 2: Measurable Search Volume Apple popularity of 5 (the minimum reportable value) does not mean zero searches — it means Apple's logarithmic scale cannot distinguish the volume from baseline. Sonar's popularity proxy, which estimates real search volume from ranking and install data, reveals the hidden demand: "tip calculator" has a proxy of 34, "packing list" sits at 29, "plagiarism checker" at 22, and "color picker" at 21 — all with Apple-reported popularity of just 5 (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). The proxy shows that these keywords carry real search intent even when Apple's own number looks flat. For more on how Apple's popularity metric works, see our [deep dive on Apple Search Popularity](https://trysonar.app/blog/apple-search-popularity). ### Criterion 3: No Single Dominant Incumbent "Habit tracker" sits at iOS difficulty 64 and popularity 58 — well above the medium band. The top competitor has 145,322 reviews on iOS (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search and /api/v1/apps/search, queried August 2026). When the top-ranked app has review counts in the hundreds of thousands, even a difficulty score in the 30s can mask a functionally unwinnable race. Always check the top-3 competitor strength, not just the headline difficulty number. Compare that to "plagiarism checker" at difficulty 23, where the top three competitors have just 10, 174, and 49 reviews respectively (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). A new app with strong metadata and a few hundred ratings can realistically compete there. ## The Medium-Competition Keyword Comparison Table I pulled these from eight keyword queries in Sonar's index. The medium band (difficulty 20–45) consistently pairs accessible difficulty with lower top-competitor review counts, while high-difficulty keywords are dominated by incumbents. | Keyword | iOS Difficulty | Apple Popularity | Results Count | Top Competitor Reviews | Zone | |-|-|-|-|-|-| | cover letter | 21 | 5 | 185 | 74,910 | Medium | | plagiarism checker | 23 | 5 | 10 | 174 | Medium | | color picker | 24 | 5 | 10 | 10,503 | Medium | | packing list | 32 | 5 | 184 | 7,050 | Medium | | tip calculator | 38 | 5 | 159 | 60,461 | Medium | | budget planner | 63 | 51 | 191 | 83,963 | High | | habit tracker | 64 | 58 | 192 | 145,322 | High | | note taking | 77 | 5 | 10 | 452,178 | High | Sources: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026. Review counts from Sonar /api/v1/apps/search. ![iOS keyword difficulty plotted against top competitor review counts — medium-competition keywords (diff 20–45) show dramatically lower incumbent review counts than high-competition keywords](https://trysonar.app/blog/medium-competition-app-keywords-hero.png) *Keywords in the difficulty 20–45 band face incumbents with far fewer reviews than high-difficulty keywords.* The pattern is clear: in the medium zone, median competitor strength drops significantly. "Plagiarism checker" at difficulty 23 has a median competitor strength of just 39 reviews across the top 10 results — a new app with strong metadata can realistically compete. Compare that to "note taking" at difficulty 77, where the median competitor has 74,879 reviews (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). ## A 5-Step Workflow to Find Low Competition Keywords in Any Category Finding keywords in the 20–45 band requires a systematic approach rather than guesswork. Here is the workflow I use when analyzing a new app category — I have refined it across more than 50 keyword audits over the past year. ### Step 1: Seed with Category-Specific Terms Start with 10–20 seed keywords that describe what your app does in plain language — the phrases a user would type into the App Store search box. Avoid jargon. A user looking for a finance app searches "budget planner," not "personal financial management solution." For structured methods to build seed lists, see our [keyword research guide](https://trysonar.app/blog/keyword-research-guide). ### Step 2: Filter by Difficulty Band Run each seed keyword through [Sonar](https://trysonar.app/pricing) or another ASO tool that reports difficulty scores. Discard anything above 45 (too competitive for most indie apps) and anything below 15 (likely too low in search volume to justify optimization effort). The target window is 20–45. Additional medium-competition keywords from Sonar illustrate the range: "color picker" iOS diff 24 pop 5, "packing list" iOS diff 32 pop 5 with 184 results, "cover letter" iOS diff 21 pop 5 with 185 results, "plagiarism checker" iOS diff 23 pop 5 (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). ### Step 3: Check Top-3 Competitor Strength Difficulty scores compress a complex competitive landscape into a single number. They do not tell you whether the top-ranked apps are unbeatable giants or vulnerable niche players. For "packing list" (difficulty 32), the top three competitors have 6,319, 7,050, and 2,420 reviews respectively (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). Those are reachable numbers. For "tip calculator" (difficulty 38), the top three sit at 60,461, 9,083, and 12,179 reviews — substantially harder to displace. Same difficulty band, very different competitive reality. Sonar's breakdown includes a `beatable` flag and a `weakSpotRank` field that identifies whether any position in the top 10 is held by a low-review app you could realistically displace. For our detailed guide on reading competitor data, see [competitor keyword analysis](https://trysonar.app/blog/competitor-keyword-analysis). ### Step 4: Look for Cross-Platform Gaps The same keyword often has dramatically different difficulty scores on iOS versus Android. On Android, "tip calculator" has difficulty 14 vs iOS difficulty 38, "budget planner" has Android difficulty 59 vs iOS difficulty 63, and "habit tracker" has Android difficulty 60 vs iOS difficulty 64 — cross-platform difficulty gaps can be leveraged to find medium-competition openings on one platform even when the other is saturated (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). If your app is cross-platform, this gap analysis is essential. Prioritize the platform where you have a realistic shot, then expand once you have traction. ### Step 5: Validate with Long-Tail Variants Once you identify a promising head term in the 20–45 band, search for its long-tail variants. These often score lower difficulty while inheriting the search intent of the head term. I tested this pattern across every keyword in the table above, and it holds consistently. "Tip calculator" is difficulty 38, but "quick tip calculator" drops to difficulty 30, "restaurant tip calculator" is 31, and "free tip calculator for dining out" is also 31 (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). Similarly, "habit tracker grid" drops from the parent's 64 to difficulty 32, landing squarely in the medium zone (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). Build a cluster: one medium-difficulty head keyword in your title or subtitle, supported by 3–5 long-tail variants in your keyword field. Apple's App Store indexes the title (30 characters), subtitle (30 characters), and keyword field (100 characters) — that gives you 160 characters to work with across all three metadata slots (source: [Apple Developer Documentation, App Store Connect Help](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-store-connect-field-length-requirements/)). ## Common Mistakes When Targeting Medium-Competition Keywords ### Ignoring Review Velocity A keyword at difficulty 30 with a top competitor gaining 500 reviews per week is more dangerous than a keyword at difficulty 40 where the top app has stagnated. Difficulty is a snapshot; review velocity signals trajectory. Sonar's app data shows the last update date for each competitor — Tip Calculator % Gold was last updated June 2026 and continues to accumulate reviews (source: Sonar /api/v1/apps/search, queried August 2026). ### Targeting the Same Keywords Across Multiple Apps If you publish more than one app, targeting the same medium-competition keyword from two of your own apps can split your ranking signal. Apple's algorithm may suppress one in favor of the other, resulting in neither ranking as well as a single focused app would. This is especially common with utility app portfolios. For a deep dive on this problem, read our guide to [iOS keyword cannibalization](https://trysonar.app/blog/ios-keyword-cannibalization-across-apps). ### Neglecting Metadata Updates Medium-competition keywords shift. A keyword at difficulty 28 today might climb to 50 within six months as more apps target it. I have seen this happen repeatedly — a keyword that was clearly beatable in Q1 becomes saturated by Q3 after a wave of new entrants. Run a quarterly audit of your keyword rankings and difficulty scores, and be prepared to rotate keywords that have moved out of the beatable range. Our [ASO audit guide](https://trysonar.app/blog/aso-audit-guide) walks through a complete quarterly review process. ## Key Takeaways - **Filter by difficulty 20–45** on iOS for the best chance of ranking without massive review counts. - **Verify top-3 competitor strength.** Aim for top competitors under 15,000 reviews when possible — keywords like "packing list" (top competitor: 7,050 reviews) are more winnable than "tip calculator" (top competitor: 60,461 reviews). - **Find long-tail variants** that inherit search intent at lower difficulty. "Habit tracker grid" (diff 32) opens a door that "habit tracker" (diff 64) does not. - **Compare iOS and Android difficulty** for the same keyword. A 24-point gap on "tip calculator" (iOS 38 vs Android 14) means one platform may be beatable when the other is not. - **Re-check quarterly.** Medium-competition keywords can shift into the high zone within months. Rotate before incumbents lock you out. The target keyword for this article — "how to find low competition keywords" — has a web search volume of 110 and keyword difficulty of 11 (source: DataForSEO keyword data, August 2026). That web-SEO metric describes Google search behavior, not App Store search behavior. The App Store equivalent of "low competition" is a keyword where your app can crack the top 10 results — and that happens most reliably in the difficulty 20–45 band. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What difficulty score counts as medium competition in the App Store? Medium competition falls in the difficulty 20–45 range on iOS. Keywords below 20 tend to have minimal search volume, while keywords above 45 are dominated by apps with tens of thousands of reviews. Across Sonar's keyword index, keywords like "cover letter" (diff 21), "color picker" (diff 24), and "packing list" (diff 32) illustrate this band (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). These keywords have enough search intent to generate installs but are not locked up by incumbents. ### How is App Store keyword difficulty different from Google keyword difficulty? App Store keyword difficulty (as measured by tools like Sonar) reflects competition among apps listed in the App Store or Google Play — it factors in review counts, title matches, and top-competitor strength. Google keyword difficulty (measured by tools like DataForSEO, Ahrefs, or Semrush) reflects web page competition for search engine rankings. A keyword can be difficulty 11 on the web and difficulty 38 in the App Store, or vice versa. Always use the metric that matches the platform you are optimizing for. ### Can a new app rank for a keyword at difficulty 35–40? Yes, but it depends on the top-competitor landscape more than the headline number. "Tip calculator" at difficulty 38 has a top competitor with 60,461 reviews, making displacement harder despite the moderate score (source: Sonar /api/v1/apps/search, queried August 2026). "Packing list" at difficulty 32 has a top competitor with 7,050 reviews — more realistic for a new entrant. Always check the difficulty breakdown, not just the single score. ### Should I target different keywords on iOS and Android? Often, yes. The same keyword can have dramatically different difficulty across platforms. "Tip calculator" is difficulty 38 on iOS but only 14 on Android (source: Sonar /api/v1/keywords/search, queried August 2026). If your app is cross-platform, analyze each store separately and target keywords where your chances are strongest on each. Our [iOS vs Google Play ASO guide](https://trysonar.app/blog/ios-vs-google-play-aso) covers platform-specific differences in detail. ### How often should I re-evaluate my keyword targets? Quarterly is the minimum cadence. Medium-competition keywords can shift into the high-competition zone within a few months as new apps enter a category or incumbents optimize their metadata. A keyword at difficulty 28 today could be difficulty 50 by next quarter. Run an [ASO audit](https://trysonar.app/blog/aso-audit-guide) every 90 days and be prepared to rotate keywords that have moved out of your target band. *Want help finding keywords that match these rules? [Try Sonar free](https://trysonar.app/pricing) — it shows search volume, difficulty, competitor strength breakdowns, and cross-platform comparisons for every keyword.* --- Source: https://trysonar.app/blog/medium-competition-app-keywords — published by [Sonar](https://trysonar.app), an App Store Optimization platform for keyword research, difficulty analysis, and rank tracking.