Decide what local expertise needs to cover
A provider’s location alone does not establish its experience with your audience. Ask for relevant store and language examples, the people responsible for the work and the local review process. If your business is based in the United States but targets other markets, make those target markets explicit in the brief.
Questions for an ASO provider in the United States
- Which named person will write our title and subtitle, and will we speak to them directly every week?
- What shipped to your last client’s listing in month five, and what did it do to search installs?
- How much of the fee funds the platform, and would the recommendations change without it?
- Which of the logos on your site did the team on our proposal actually work on?
- What is the minimum term, and what happens to the fee in a month where nothing ships?
- When the contract ends, what does our team know how to do on its own?
Open the printable question card for the United States. Use it during the call and record the actual answers.
Providers to investigate for this market
The comparison library includes these providers in its the United States selection. Check their own current websites for offices, staffing and service availability; inclusion does not establish a verified local result.
- Gummicube: public positioning and scope questions
- Moburst: public positioning and scope questions
- The ASO Project: public positioning and scope questions
- PreApps: public positioning and scope questions
- App Masters: public positioning and scope questions
- SEM Nexus: public positioning and scope questions
- SplitMetrics Agency: public positioning and scope questions
Compare the price against the work
Ask for a current scoped quote with the currency, taxes, stores, markets and outputs specified. Fees depend on the research, copy, design, translation, advertising and ongoing operations included. Separate those tasks before comparing proposals.
The ASO pricing guide explains total commitment, and the proposal checklist helps identify missing responsibilities.
When a local team may be useful
Look for a local team when language review, production coordination, relevant market knowledge or your procurement needs make that support valuable. Ask what is actually included and inspect a work sample for a comparable task.
When to compare a direct consultant
If you need a listing diagnosis, keyword decisions, a rewrite or training, a defined project with me may fit. We agree the target market and any native-language or production responsibilities before starting. The work is delivered directly, with any market-specific review assigned in the scope.
See how I work at ASO Agency, the ASO services, market and localization planning and agency-versus-consultant comparison.
Questions before choosing
Must the provider be based in the United States?
That depends on the work. Relevant market experience, native review where needed, clear communication and named responsibilities matter more than a location label alone.
Can one scope cover several countries?
Yes, when the proposal names the markets, language work, approval process and maintenance responsibilities. Start with the markets your product can serve well.
What if I only need a second opinion?
Start with the listing and a specific question. You can request a review without deciding to replace your existing team.
Compare nearby markets
Read the editorial methodology for the distinction between public observations, opinion and private results.