If you have ever tried to manage an App Store listing entirely through Apple's web portal, you know the experience is not great. Pages load slowly, sessions expire mid-task, and simple operations like updating a screenshot set or checking TestFlight build status take far more clicks than they should.
The good news is that in 2026, you are no longer stuck with the browser. A growing ecosystem of native tools now connects directly to the App Store Connect API, giving developers faster, more focused workflows for the things they actually do every day. Some of these tools cover the full surface area of App Store Connect. Others specialize in a specific slice — ASO, CI/CD, or release management.
Here is a comprehensive look at the best options available right now, what each one does well, and how to decide which one fits your workflow.
Forge
Forge is a native macOS client built to replace the App Store Connect web interface entirely. It is not a wrapper or a simplified dashboard — it covers the full scope of what you do in App Store Connect, organized into 17 feature modules.
That list includes the usual suspects — app metadata, versions, TestFlight builds, and customer reviews — but also areas that most third-party tools skip entirely: in-app purchase management, subscription groups, custom product pages, product page optimization tests, and screenshot management with drag-and-drop across all device sizes.
The standout feature is the AI Agent. You can describe what you want to do in natural language — "create a new subscription group with monthly and annual plans" or "reply to all one-star reviews from the last week" — and the agent handles the API calls for you. It is not a chatbot bolted onto a dashboard. It is a tool-using agent that understands App Store Connect's data model and can execute multi-step workflows.
Forge connects through Apple's official API using keys stored in your macOS Keychain. There are no browser sessions, no cookie-based authentication, and no session timeouts interrupting your work.
Forge is currently free during its launch period, which makes it easy to try without commitment.
Best for: Developers who want a single native app that covers everything App Store Connect does — metadata, TestFlight, IAPs, subscriptions, screenshots, custom product pages, and AI-powered automation.
Helm
Helm is a native app available on both iOS and macOS, built by indie developer Hidde van der Ploeg. It has built a strong reputation in the community, with over 14,000 users relying on it for metadata management and App Store optimization.
Helm's strongest area is localization. It offers AI-powered translations that let you generate metadata for all supported App Store languages in one click — a genuine time-saver if you ship to multiple markets. The metadata editing interface is clean and well-designed, making it easy to manage app names, subtitles, keywords, and descriptions across localizations without the tab-switching gymnastics that App Store Connect requires.
The app also handles version management, release notes, and basic TestFlight workflows. If your primary pain point is keeping your App Store listing updated across languages, Helm addresses that directly and does it well.
Where Helm stops short is in the deeper areas of App Store Connect. It does not cover in-app purchase management, subscription group configuration, custom product pages, or product page optimization. If you need those, you will still be going back to the browser or using another tool alongside it.
Pricing is reasonable: a free tier gives you six submissions per year, and the Pro plan runs $50 per year for unlimited use.
Best for: Developers focused on ASO, metadata management, and localization who want a polished native experience on both iPhone and Mac.
Itsyconnect
Itsyconnect takes a different philosophical approach. It is open source (AGPL-3.0), local-first, and designed around the idea that your App Store Connect data should stay on your machine.
Everything is stored in a local SQLite database with AES-256 encryption. There is zero telemetry, no analytics tracking, and no data leaving your computer beyond the direct API calls to Apple. If you care about data sovereignty — and many developers do — this matters.
Itsyconnect also supports BYOK (bring your own key) AI integrations. You can connect your own Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or other API keys to get AI-assisted features without routing your data through a third-party service. This gives you AI capabilities while maintaining the privacy-first approach.
The tool covers metadata management, version handling, and basic App Store Connect workflows. It does not currently include in-app purchase management, custom product pages, or screenshot management, so you will need to supplement it for those tasks.
Pricing is straightforward: free for a single app, and a one-time purchase of 20 euros for unlimited apps. No subscriptions, no recurring charges.
Best for: Privacy-conscious developers who want an open-source, local-first tool at a one-time price point.
Fastlane
Fastlane is the veteran in this space. Originally created by Felix Kramer and now maintained by Google, it is an open-source suite of CLI tools that automates nearly every aspect of iOS and Android app deployment.
The list of what Fastlane can do is long: automated builds, code signing, screenshot generation across simulators, metadata uploads, TestFlight distribution, App Store submissions, and more. If there is a repetitive task in your release pipeline, Fastlane probably has a lane for it.
The key difference from every other tool on this list is that Fastlane is entirely command-line driven. There is no graphical interface. You write Ruby-based configuration files (called Fastfiles) that define your automation workflows, and you run them from the terminal or integrate them into your CI/CD pipeline.
This makes Fastlane extremely powerful for teams that have invested in automation infrastructure. A well-configured Fastlane setup can take a release from "code merged to main" to "live on the App Store" with a single command. But it also means there is a real learning curve. Setting up Fastlane for the first time — especially code signing with match — can take hours or even days to get right.
Fastlane is completely free and open source. For teams already comfortable with terminal-based workflows and CI/CD systems like GitHub Actions or Bitrise, it remains an essential tool.
Best for: Teams with CI/CD pipelines who need end-to-end build and release automation and are comfortable working in the terminal.
ASO.dev
ASO.dev is a native app available on iOS, macOS, and visionOS that focuses specifically on App Store Optimization. While the other tools on this list primarily help you manage and submit content to App Store Connect, ASO.dev helps you figure out what content to submit in the first place.
Its core strength is keyword intelligence. ASO.dev provides keyword tracking, search volume estimates, and competitor analysis using Apple Search Ads data. You can see which keywords are driving impressions and downloads, identify opportunities your competitors rank for, and track how your keyword positions change over time.
If you are serious about organic discovery on the App Store, this kind of data is hard to get elsewhere. Apple provides limited keyword-level data in App Store Connect's analytics, and ASO.dev fills that gap with a focused, well-designed interface.
ASO.dev is a subscription-based tool, and it does not try to replace App Store Connect for metadata submission or build management. Think of it as a research and intelligence layer that complements whatever submission tool you use.
Best for: Developers who need deep ASO intelligence — keyword tracking, competitor analysis, and search performance data — to optimize their App Store presence.
Runway
Runway is a release management platform designed for mobile teams at scale. It is a web-based tool (not a native Mac app) that sits on top of your existing release pipeline and adds coordination, visibility, and automation.
Where Runway shines is in the orchestration layer. It provides dashboards that show where every release stands across your entire team. It automates repetitive release tasks, monitors rollout metrics, and integrates with tools like Jira, Slack, GitHub, and Bitrise to keep everyone on the same page.
If you are a solo developer or a small team, Runway is almost certainly overkill. Its pricing starts at roughly $500 per app per month, and its value proposition is built around solving the coordination problems that only emerge when you have 10 or more people touching a release pipeline.
But if you are at that scale — multiple apps, multiple teams, staggered rollouts, compliance requirements — Runway can genuinely reduce the chaos that comes with mobile releases. It is the only tool on this list that is specifically designed for release orchestration rather than App Store Connect interaction.
Best for: Large mobile teams (10+ people) that need release coordination, automated workflows, and rollout monitoring across multiple apps.
Apple's App Store Connect
No list of App Store Connect tools would be complete without App Store Connect itself. Apple's own portal — available as a web app and an iOS app — remains the canonical, complete tool for managing your App Store presence.
Every feature Apple offers is available here first. Agreements, tax forms, financial reports, user management, app transfers, notarization — some of these are only available through the web portal and are not exposed via the API that third-party tools use.
The iOS app is surprisingly capable for quick tasks like checking sales data, responding to reviews, or monitoring TestFlight builds. It is worth having on your phone even if you use something else as your primary tool.
The reality, though, is that every other tool on this list exists because the web experience is slow, session management is frustrating, and the interface was designed to serve every possible user role rather than being optimized for any single one. There is still no native macOS app from Apple, which is ironic for a platform that exists to serve Mac developers.
Best for: Tasks that require direct Apple portal access — agreements, tax setup, app transfers — and as a fallback for features not yet covered by third-party tools.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Type | IAP Mgmt | AI | Price | Best For | |------|------|----------|-----|-------|---------| | Forge | Native Mac | Yes | AI Agent | Free | Full ASC replacement | | Helm | iOS + Mac | — | AI Translations | $50/yr | Metadata & ASO | | Itsyconnect | Native Mac | — | BYOK AI | 20 euro | Privacy & budget | | Fastlane | CLI | — | — | Free | CI/CD automation | | ASO.dev | Native | — | — | Subscription | ASO intelligence | | Runway | Web | — | — | $500+/mo | Enterprise teams | | App Store Connect | Web + iOS | Yes | — | Free | Official portal |
How to Choose
The right tool depends on what you actually need:
If you want one tool for everything, Forge covers the widest surface area of App Store Connect in a native Mac app — metadata, TestFlight, in-app purchases, subscriptions, screenshots, custom product pages, and AI-powered automation. It is the closest thing to a full App Store Connect replacement that runs natively on your Mac.
If your main challenge is ASO and localization, Helm's one-click AI translations and metadata-focused interface make it the strongest option. The fact that it runs on iOS too is a nice bonus for managing things on the go.
If you value open source and data privacy, Itsyconnect's local-first architecture, zero telemetry, and one-time pricing make it a compelling choice — especially if your needs are focused on metadata and version management.
If you need CI/CD automation, Fastlane remains the gold standard for automating builds, signing, screenshots, and submissions from your terminal or CI pipeline.
If you need keyword intelligence, ASO.dev provides the deep ASO data that no other tool on this list offers.
If you have a large team, Runway's release orchestration and cross-team dashboards solve coordination problems that individual developer tools are not designed to handle.
The Bottom Line
The App Store Connect ecosystem is growing, and that is a good thing. A few years ago, your options were essentially the browser, Fastlane, or building your own scripts against the API. Today, you can choose from native Mac apps, privacy-focused open-source tools, AI-powered automation, and enterprise-grade release platforms.
The best approach for most developers is to pick the tool that matches your primary workflow and budget, try it for a week, and see if it actually saves you time. Every tool on this list offers either a free tier or a trial period, so the cost of experimenting is low.
If you are not sure where to start, download Forge and see how a native Mac experience changes the way you interact with App Store Connect. It is free during launch, covers the broadest feature set, and takes about two minutes to set up.