Publisher Rocket

Publisher Rocket pulls live data from Amazon to help authors make decisions that used to require guesswork—which keywords shoppers actually search, how competitive a niche is, which categories a book could rank in, and what keywords to use in Amazon Ads. Created by Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur, it has been the standard Amazon research tool for indie authors since launching as KDP Rocket in 2017.

What You Get

• Keyword search: Enter a topic and see estimated Amazon search volumes, competition scores (0–100), and monthly revenue estimates for books ranking for that term. Identify high-traffic, low-competition keywords worth targeting before publishing.
• Category finder: Browse and filter Amazon's 19,000+ book categories. Each category shows how many daily sales are needed to hit #1—a critical metric for planning launch strategy or choosing where a mid-list title can gain traction.
• Competition analyzer: Enter a competitor's title or ASIN to see their keyword strategy, estimated daily and monthly sales, bestseller rank history, and which categories they occupy.
• AMS keyword tool: Generate keyword lists formatted for Amazon Advertising campaigns. Include author names, book titles, and ASINs of comparable titles—the types of search terms book buyers actually use on Amazon rather than generic phrase matches.
• Reverse ASIN lookup: Enter any book's ASIN to see which keywords it ranks for in Amazon's top 10 results—useful for analyzing what's working for competing titles. Limited to 50 lookups per month per license (added September 2024).
• Multi-format research: Data applies across Kindle eBooks, paperbacks, and Audible audiobooks. A dedicated Audible-only filter mode lets authors search keywords and categories specific to audiobook buyers.

Who It's For

• KDP authors preparing a launch: Keyword and category strategy before publishing has a direct effect on discoverability. Publisher Rocket provides the data to make both decisions with specifics rather than estimates.
• Amazon Ads users: The AMS keyword generator reduces hours of manual ad keyword research to minutes, particularly useful when building large campaigns across multiple titles.
• Authors expanding into new niches: Validate whether a genre pivot will reach enough buyers before writing the book.

Pricing: One-time purchase of $199, including all future updates. 30-day money-back guarantee. No subscription or recurring fees.

Strengths

• Amazon-sourced data: Keyword and search volume estimates are derived from Amazon's actual search data rather than third-party proxies, making results more relevant to book buyers than general SEO tools.
• One-time purchase model: No recurring subscription fees for a tool authors use repeatedly across their publishing careers. Updates ship free to existing owners.
• Trusted at scale: Over 117,000 authors use it; rated 4.7/5 on Trustpilot based on verified purchases.
• Hidden category access: Amazon has thousands of undisclosed book categories not visible during standard publishing. Publisher Rocket surfaces these and shows their competition thresholds.

Limitations

• Amazon-only: Publisher Rocket pulls Amazon data exclusively. It provides no insight into Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, or other retail platforms.
• Estimated data, not exact figures: Monthly earnings and search volume are calculated estimates. The earnings column can be skewed by bestselling outliers, making average figures appear higher than what most independent authors realistically achieve.
• Desktop software only: Requires a Mac, Windows, or Chromebook installation (Chromebook app available via Google Play). No browser-based option for Linux users.
• Price increase: Previously sold at $97; now $199. The one-time model remains cost-effective over time, but the upfront commitment is higher than before.

Alternatives

K-lytics provides in-depth genre trend reports at a subscription price, offering broader market context beyond keyword data. The free tools on Kindlepreneur's site serve as a lighter starting point before committing to Publisher Rocket. For authors publishing primarily outside Amazon, Publisher Rocket's data has limited applicability.