If you have been using App Store Connect in the browser and decided you need something faster, you have probably come across two options: Forge and Helm. Both are native macOS apps that replace the App Store Connect web interface. Both are built by indie developers who got tired of the same slow, session-expiring experience that every iOS and macOS developer knows too well.
But they take different approaches and cover different ground. This post is an honest look at both tools — what they share, where each one stands out, and which one might fit your workflow.
What Forge and Helm Have in Common
Before getting into the differences, it is worth noting how much these tools agree on. Both Forge and Helm are built on the same fundamental idea: App Store Connect in the browser is too slow for professional use, and a native app can do it dramatically faster.
Here is what they share:
- Native macOS apps. No Electron, no web views. Both are built with Swift and AppKit/SwiftUI, which means they feel like real Mac apps — fast rendering, low memory usage, proper macOS integration.
- Metadata editing across localizations. Both let you edit your app name, subtitle, description, keywords, and promotional text for every language your app supports. No more clicking through individual locale tabs one at a time.
- TestFlight management. Managing builds, beta groups, and testers is covered in both tools. You can see build processing status, add testers, and manage beta review submissions without the browser.
- Customer review management with AI. Both tools let you read and respond to App Store reviews. Both include AI-powered response suggestions to help you draft replies faster.
- AI translations. Need to localize your metadata into 30+ languages? Both tools offer AI-powered translations to speed up the process.
- Keyboard shortcuts. Both apps respect the macOS keyboard-driven workflow. You can navigate, search, and take actions without reaching for the mouse.
- Much faster than the browser. This is the whole point. Both apps communicate directly with Apple's App Store Connect API, skipping the slow web rendering entirely. Tasks that take minutes in the browser take seconds in either app.
If all you need is faster metadata editing, localization, and TestFlight management, either tool will serve you well. The differences matter when your workflow extends beyond those basics.
Where Forge Goes Further
Forge covers several areas of App Store Connect that Helm does not. These are not edge cases — they are core parts of the ASC workflow that many developers use regularly.
In-App Purchase and Subscription Management
This is the most significant difference between the two tools. Forge includes a full in-app purchase and subscription management module. You can create new IAPs and subscriptions, edit existing ones, manage subscription groups, and view the complete pricing matrix across all territories — all from a native interface.
If you manage a freemium app or any app with subscriptions, this is a major part of your ASC workflow. Helm does not cover monetization, which means you still need to go back to the browser for anything related to pricing, subscription groups, or in-app purchase configuration.
Custom Product Pages
Apple allows up to 35 custom product pages per app (with the ability to reach 70 total through product page optimization). These are alternative App Store listings you can use for different ad campaigns, audiences, or messaging strategies. Forge supports creating and managing CPPs directly. Helm does not offer this feature.
If you run paid acquisition campaigns and use custom product pages to match your ad creative to a tailored landing page, having this in your native app eliminates another reason to open the browser.
Product Page Optimization (A/B Testing)
Related to custom product pages, Forge also handles App Store product page optimization — Apple's built-in A/B testing for your App Store listing. You can set up tests, manage treatments, and review results without leaving the app. Helm does not include A/B test management.
AI Agent
Forge includes a conversational AI assistant that can execute App Store Connect tasks through natural language. Instead of navigating menus and filling out forms, you can tell the agent what you want to do — update metadata, check build status, manage reviews — and it handles the workflow for you.
Helm includes AI for translations and review responses, but does not have a general-purpose AI assistant that can take actions across the full scope of ASC features.
Dashboard Overview
Forge provides a unified dashboard that gives you an at-a-glance view across all your apps — recent activity, build status, review updates, and key metrics in one place. This is useful when you manage multiple apps and want a single starting point rather than drilling into each app individually.
Version Management
Forge covers the full version lifecycle — creating new versions, managing platform-specific metadata, handling phased releases, and submitting for review. The entire version workflow lives inside the app.
Where Helm Stands Out
Helm has genuine strengths that are worth acknowledging. If any of these are important to your workflow, they could be deciding factors.
iOS Companion App
This is Helm's most distinctive advantage. Helm is available on both macOS and iOS as a universal purchase. If you want to check build status, read a customer review, or approve a TestFlight tester from your iPhone while away from your desk, Helm lets you do that. Forge is macOS only. If mobile access matters to you, Helm is the clear choice here.
Larger User Base and Community
Helm has over 14,000 users and has been in the market longer. A larger user base means more battle-testing, more edge cases discovered and fixed, and a bigger community of developers sharing tips and workflows. If you value the confidence that comes with a well-established tool, this counts for something.
In-App Events
Both Forge and Helm support in-app event management, but Helm has offered this feature for longer. If in-app events are a core part of your App Store strategy, Helm has more maturity in this area.
Nominations
Helm supports creating Apple editorial nomination drafts — the submissions you send to Apple when you want your app to be featured on the App Store. This is a niche but valuable feature for developers who actively pursue editorial placement.
ASO Keyword Alerts
Helm includes duplicate keyword detection across your localizations. If you are focused on App Store Optimization and want to make sure you are not wasting keyword slots on duplicates, this is a helpful quality-of-life feature.
Pricing
The pricing models are quite different.
Forge is currently free during its launch period. There is no paywall to access any feature.
Helm offers a free tier that includes up to 6 submissions per year. Beyond that, the Pro plan is available at several price points:
| Plan | Price | |------|-------| | Weekly | $4.99/week | | Monthly | $9.99/month | | Yearly | $49.99/year | | Lifetime | $174.99 |
If you are evaluating both tools, the fact that Forge is currently free makes it easy to try without any commitment.
Feature Comparison
Here is a side-by-side look at the key features:
| Feature | Forge | Helm | |---------|-------|------| | Native macOS app | Yes | Yes | | iOS app | No | Yes | | Metadata editing | Yes | Yes | | Localization management | Yes | Yes | | AI translations | Yes | Yes | | TestFlight management | Yes | Yes | | Customer reviews | Yes | Yes | | AI review responses | Yes | Yes | | In-app events | Yes | Yes | | In-app purchases & subscriptions | Yes | No | | Custom product pages | Yes | No | | Product page optimization (A/B tests) | Yes | No | | AI agent (task automation) | Yes | No | | Dashboard overview | Yes | No | | Version management | Yes | Yes | | Nominations | Yes | Yes | | ASO keyword alerts | No | Yes | | Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | Yes | | Free tier | Free (launch) | 6 submissions/year | | Paid plan | N/A (currently free) | From $49.99/year |
Who Should Use Which
Choose Forge if:
- You manage in-app purchases or subscriptions. This is the single biggest differentiator. If monetization management is part of your regular workflow, Forge is the only native option that covers it.
- You use custom product pages. If you run paid campaigns with tailored App Store listings, Forge handles CPP creation and management natively.
- You want a full ASC replacement. Forge aims to cover every part of App Store Connect so you never need to open the browser. The more of your ASC workflow it covers, the more time you save.
- You want AI-powered task automation. The AI agent in Forge can handle multi-step tasks through conversation, which is a fundamentally different interaction model than clicking through forms.
Choose Helm if:
- You need an iOS companion app. If checking build status or reading reviews from your iPhone is important, Helm is the only option with mobile support.
- You focus primarily on ASO and localization. Helm's keyword duplicate detection and its maturity in metadata management make it a solid choice for ASO-focused workflows.
- You want a tool with a larger established community. With 14,000+ users, Helm has a bigger community, more feedback cycles behind it, and a longer track record.
Can You Use Both?
Yes. Both tools connect to the same App Store Connect API using your API keys. There is no conflict in having both installed. Some developers use Helm on their iPhone for quick checks and Forge on their Mac for the heavier workflows like subscription management and custom product pages. Since they are both reading from and writing to the same Apple backend, your data stays consistent regardless of which tool you use.
The Bottom Line
Forge and Helm are both genuine improvements over the App Store Connect browser experience. They agree on the fundamentals — native performance, metadata management, TestFlight, reviews — and diverge on scope and platform availability.
If your workflow is primarily metadata and TestFlight, both tools handle that well and the choice comes down to whether you value mobile access (Helm) or broader feature coverage (Forge). If your workflow includes monetization, custom product pages, or A/B testing, Forge is the only native option that covers those areas today.
The easiest way to decide is to try them. Forge is free to download during its launch period, and Helm offers a free tier as well. Spend a day with each one on your actual workflow and see which one fits.
For a full breakdown of everything Forge covers, check out the features page.