KDSPY is a popular Kindle book research tool used by self-publishers to spy on book niches, sales ranks, estimated earnings, and keyword competitiveness on Amazon. However, it’s a paid tool—and if you’re just starting out or running a lean publishing strategy, you might be looking for a free KDSPY alternative that can help with similar Amazon Kindle data insights.
Good news: there are several free tools (or freemium tools) that can help you research profitable Kindle niches, keywords, and categories—without spending a dime. Let’s dive into the 10 best free KDSPY alternatives.
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1. Amazon Search + Manual BSR Check
Believe it or not, the Amazon Kindle Store itself is a powerful research tool. Use the search bar to explore niches, look at Best Seller Rank (BSR), pricing, reviews, and rankings manually.
📌 Best for: Beginners doing DIY niche validation and competitive analysis.
💡 Tip: A BSR below 100,000 often indicates at least one sale a day.
2. Book Bolt (Free Tier)
While Book Bolt is a paid platform, it offers a limited free version with keyword search, Amazon trend tracking, and a product search tool. It’s great for low-content publishing research too.
📌 Best for: KDP users targeting notebooks, journals, and coloring books.
🌐 bookbolt.io
3. Publisher Rocket (Free Trial / Demo)
Publisher Rocket is a premium competitor to KDSPY but occasionally offers free webinars or trial demos with live data exploration. You can mimic some KDSPY functionality during these demos.
📌 Best for: Getting a taste of high-end Kindle market research tools before committing.
4. Kindlepreneur Category Lookup Tool
Run by the folks behind Publisher Rocket, this free browser-based tool helps you explore all KDP book categories available on Amazon, including those that don’t appear in the regular interface.
📌 Best for: Finding low-competition or hidden KDP categories.
🌐 kindlepreneur.com/category-search
5. Google Trends
Google Trends isn’t Kindle-specific, but it’s perfect for validating interest over time. Type in your book’s main keyword or niche (like “keto for beginners”) and see if it’s trending or fading.
📌 Best for: Market timing and niche validation.
6. SelfPublishing Titans Free KDP Tools
SelfPublishingTitans.com offers an awesome suite of completely free KDP tools, including a BSR-to-sales calculator, keyword research browser extension, and niche score checker for no and low-content books.
📌 Best for: Niche validation and keyword scoring on a budget.
🌐 selfpublishingtitans.com
7. Tangent Templates (Free Tools Section)
While it’s primarily for creating interiors for low-content books, Tangent Templates offers free tools like a category finder, KDP trim size chart, and more.
📌 Best for: Print book creators wanting free formatting help and niche ideas.
🌐 tangenttemplates.com
8. Helium 10 (Free Amazon Keyword Research Tool)
Helium 10 is mostly for Amazon FBA, but its free Chrome extension and keyword research tools can also work well for Kindle research. It helps find high-traffic keywords and category trends.
📌 Best for: Data-driven self-publishers branching into eCommerce.
🌐 helium10.com
9. KeywordTool.io (Amazon Tab – Free)
This freemium keyword tool pulls long-tail search phrases directly from Amazon’s autocomplete. While the full data is paid, the free version shows you dozens of real buyer keywords.
📌 Best for: Finding KDP book titles and subtitle ideas.
🌐 keywordtool.io/amazon
10. AMZ Suggestion Expander (Chrome Extension)
This free browser extension expands the Amazon search bar with hundreds of autocomplete suggestions before and after your typed keyword—useful for finding book ideas and long-tail phrases.
📌 Best for: Uncovering keyword opportunities directly from Amazon search.
🌐 Available in Chrome Web Store
Final Thoughts
KDSPY is a solid tool for Kindle publishers, but if you’re just starting or prefer free solutions, these KDSPY alternatives give you a strong toolkit for niche research, category exploration, and keyword validation. Mix and match a few tools above, and you’ll have a smart publishing workflow—without the subscription fees.
📚 Tip: Combine manual BSR checks with free keyword tools and category finders to get 80% of what KDSPY offers—at no cost.
