MerchantWords vs Publisher Rocket (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 23, 2026, Publisher Rocket grades higher than MerchantWords: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 by ToolGPA
MerchantWords grades higher on features. Publisher Rocket grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MerchantWords
Amazon keyword research from searches made on Amazon marketplaces
Publisher Rocket
Amazon keyword, category and ad research for book authors
Which one is for you
Pick MerchantWords if
- Fits if you write Amazon listings and want the phrases shoppers type there
- Works for checking which keywords put a rival's product on Amazon's first page
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to try before paying, as there's no free plan or trial
- Skip it if you sell on Walmart, eBay or Etsy too, as that data is only a custom report on request
- Tight if you sell in several countries, as Silver covers one; regional data needs Gold at $79
- Watch out: the whole database refreshes every 3 to 4 weeks, so figures can lag
- Pricey if you need every marketplace, at $149 a month for Platinum, or $749 for a team of up to 20
Pick Publisher Rocket if
- Fits if you self-publish on Amazon and need seven keywords and the right categories for a book
- Works for authors who'd rather pay once than keep a monthly plan
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to try it first, as there's no trial, only a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Skip it if you sell anywhere but Amazon, as it covers the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain and Italy stores only
- Tight if you switch between computers, as the license is for one device and moving means clearing the old activation
- Watch out: it doesn't run on iPads, tablets or phones, only on Mac, Windows and Chromebook
- Watch out: the $199 is shown cut from a crossed-out $299, with no end date
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAMerchantWordsFair | 2.2GPAPublisher RocketFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CSilver is $35 a month for 500 searches, billed monthly, a little above this category's dearer quarter. It covers one country, and Keyword Multiplier and Emerging Trends need Gold at $79. | A$199 once for every feature, unlimited searches and free updates, just under a year of this category's $17 middle subscription. The page shows it cut from a crossed-out $299, with no end date. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free. There's no free plan, and MerchantWords' own help center says there's no free trial either. | FNothing is free. There's no trial or free version, only a 30-day money-back guarantee, and that isn't a trial. |
| Features | BAmazon search estimates with seasonality, a keyword multiplier, reverse ASIN lookup, page-one products, emerging trends, bulk search and daily product tracking. It covers Amazon keyword research fully, though the whole database refreshes every 3 to 4 weeks. | CAmazon keyword and category search, rivals' sales, rankings and reviews, Reverse ASIN, an Amazon Ads keyword generator and the one-report Rocket Report. It does Amazon book research fully, but that's a smaller job, in eight Amazon stores only. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but the main tool is a search box: type a phrase and read what Amazon shoppers search. Collections and ASIN lookups sit beside it. | BNo rating on record. It's a program you install and search from, with no accounts to connect. Moving to a new computer means clearing the old activation first. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no integrations or API on record. Walmart, eBay or Etsy data is only a custom report on request. | CMac, Windows and Chromebook, with no web, iPad or phone version and no integrations on record. A program for computers alone sits here however many systems it runs on. |
| Best for | Amazon keyword research from Amazon searches | Amazon keywords and categories for book authors |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MerchantWords and Publisher Rocket. How we grade
Where they differ
- Publisher Rocket can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| MerchantWords | Publisher Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $35 per month for 500 searches, billed monthly | $199 one-time, for lifetime access |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | MerchantWords, Inc. | Publisher Rocket, LLC |
| Price read from | merchantwords.com | publisherrocket.com |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MerchantWords
- There is no free plan, and the help center says there is no free trial.
- Silver covers one country only; regional and global data need Gold or Platinum.
- The data is from Amazon only; Walmart, eBay or Etsy data is offered as a custom report on request.
- Search data is collected daily but the whole database is refreshed every 3 to 4 weeks.
Publisher Rocket
- Covers Amazon only: the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain and Italy stores.
- It is downloadable software for Mac, Windows and Chromebook; the support page says it does not run on iPads, tablets or phones.
- The license allows installation on a single device, and moving to a new one means clearing the old activation.
- There is no free trial, only a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Key features
MerchantWords
- Classic Search
- Look up a keyword to see phrases that contain it, with estimated Amazon search volume and seasonality, and save them to collections.
- Keyword Multiplier and Explorer
- Keyword Multiplier generates related and complementary keywords from a search; Keyword Explorer is where research is reviewed and edited.
- ASIN Plus
- A reverse ASIN lookup that shows which keywords put your product, or a competitor's, on the first page of Amazon results.
- Page 1 Products
- Shows the top-ranking products for any keyword on the first page of Amazon search, with figures on how crowded the market is.
- Emerging Trends and history
- Emerging Trends lists searches that are new on Amazon, and a history panel charts when a keyword's searches rise and fall.
- Bulk Search and Product Tracker
- Search many keywords or ASINs at once, and track a product's keyword rankings every day.
Publisher Rocket
- Keyword Search
- Researches the phrases Amazon shoppers type to find books, aimed at picking a book's seven keywords, and flags ones Amazon may treat as against its guidelines.
- Category Search
- Searches Amazon's 19,000+ book categories to help choose where a book should be listed, with guidance on ghost and duplicate categories.
- Competition Analyzer
- Shows the sales, rankings and, since December 2025, the reviews of competing books and authors.
- Amazon Ads keyword generator
- Generates hundreds of keywords and related ASINs for Amazon Ads campaigns, and keeps saved results.
- Reverse ASIN
- Shows the keywords another book has been ranking for on Amazon. It was added in September 2024.
- Rocket Report
- Added in September 2026, it does the keyword and category research for a book in one report.
Plans
MerchantWords
Silver$35
per month for 500 searches, billed monthly
One country's Amazon data and 10 keyword collections, for new sellers. Keyword Multiplier and Emerging Trends are not included.
Gold$79
per month for 1,000 searches, billed monthly
Data for one region, such as North America, 100 keyword collections, and Keyword Multiplier and Emerging Trends.
Platinum$149
per month for unlimited searches, billed monthly
Global data across every marketplace covered and 1,000 keyword collections, for brands, investors and teams.
Enterprise$749
per month for unlimited searches, billed monthly
Up to 20 users, 10,000 collections and every feature, for large teams and agencies. Set up by contacting sales.
Publisher Rocket
Lifetime Access$199
one-time
Every feature, unlimited keyword and category searches, and free updates. Shown as reduced from a crossed-out $299, with no end date.
Ways to pay less
MerchantWords
- Annual discount
Two months free with annual billing
MerchantWords' help center says an annual subscription gives two months free, for example $790 a year for Gold and $1,490 for Platinum.
Publisher Rocket
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MerchantWords or Publisher Rocket?
As of Oct 23, 2026, MerchantWords starts at $35 per month for 500 searches, billed monthly, and Publisher Rocket starts at $199 one-time, for lifetime access.
Which has a free plan, MerchantWords or Publisher Rocket?
As of Oct 23, 2026, neither MerchantWords nor Publisher Rocket has a free plan.
Which platforms do MerchantWords and Publisher Rocket run on?
As of Oct 23, 2026, only MerchantWords lists a web app and only Publisher Rocket lists macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.