Overview
Sonar is no longer a working free Amazon keyword tool. On 2026-09-06 the official Perpetua page perpetua.io/sonar-amazon-keyword-tool opens with “We're sorry, but this feature is no longer available.” The German twin says the same. Marketing copy below the banner still mentions 180 million keywords, reverse ASIN, and US/DE coverage — that is leftover text, not a live search box.
Sonar started as a Sellics free keyword database in Berlin. Ascential bought Sellics in 2022 and folded it into Perpetua; sellics.com redirects there. The standalone Sellics suite is gone. Sonar lingered as a lead-gen page; seller-software “graveyard” write-ups treat it as retired with Sellics. Perpetua now sells retail-media and paid Amazon SEO/ads, not this free lookup.
If an old SOP still says “run it through Sonar reverse ASIN,” replace that step. This entry keeps the last known official URL and points to tools that still ship.
Core features and advantages
What it used to do (unavailable)
Old docs described a living ASIN × keyword table: only combinations where the ASIN ranked on page 1 of Amazon search at the last refresh; queries came from Amazon shoppers, not Google. You typed a seed for predicted volume, or a competitor ASIN for the page-1 term set, plus a simple translator. Locale copy stayed at Amazon.com and Amazon.de, with a vague “we plan to expand.”
Why sellers used it
Beside Helium 10 / Jungle Scout annual plans, Sonar was one of the few truly free reverse-ASIN doors. New sellers used it to test whether a phrase had Amazon search behind it, instead of copying Google autocomplete. The official caveats were honest: new or off-page-1 ASINs were missing; volume was a model, not Search Query Performance.
What remains
The lookup is off. Perpetua’s nav sends you to paid Products / Services. Its Amazon SEO module (Search Insights, share of voice, organic rank) is a separate sales-led product. Prices are not on the old Sonar URL. Do not treat leftover “Try Sonar Free” chrome as a trial.
Supported platforms
Historically Amazon US and Germany. Never Shopify, eBay, or Temu. Today: no locale returns data.
Who it's for
- Used to fit budget sellers who only needed a US/DE snapshot and reverse ASIN.
- Now every Sonar-based workflow should move. Solo sellers go to SellerSprite, Keyword Tool Dominator, or Search Query Performance. Brands already on Perpetua ads should ask for the paid SEO module rather than refresh a dead bookmark.
- Skip Perpetua’s ad suite if you only wanted a free word list and not a retail-media contract.
Concrete migration: reuse any old Sonar CSV as seeds, rebuild autocomplete in SellerSprite or Keyword Tool Dominator, and confirm impressions in Seller Central Search Query Performance. Do not keep hitting the retired Perpetua anchor.
Pricing and value
Sonar itself was free, with no paid SKU. After shutdown there is nothing to buy under that name. Perpetua ads/SEO are sales-led. Public reviews mention monthly platform fees, a cut of ad spend, annual terms, and a 90-day cancel window — unverified as your contract. Confirm with Perpetua sales. Do not mix the old free tool with current retail-media quotes.
Community feedback
While it worked, English sourcing blogs and Reddit often listed Sonar among the best free Amazon keyword tools, with the page-1 / US-DE / estimated-volume caveats. By 2026, seller-software directories mark it retired. Chinese nav sites still reprint the old feature list, which is how people conclude it still searches. Trust the banner on Perpetua’s page.
Competitive positioning
Sonar was free, shallow, and fast. SellerSprite and paid suites go deeper for money. Keyword Tool Dominator harvests autocomplete and does not invent monthly volume. Sif is on-site traffic mix, not a word list. Google Keyword Planner is Google demand. Keepa is price history. Nothing is a living clone of Sonar.
Alternatives
- SellerSprite — maintained Amazon keywords and reverse ASIN.
- Keyword Tool Dominator — Amazon / eBay / Walmart autocomplete, pay-once.
- Sif — traffic mix and ad teardown when you need more than a free list.
Limitations
The binding limit is that the product is off. Even in its prime it only kept page 1, two locales, non-official volume, and weak new-ASIN coverage. SEO copy and a shutdown banner now sit on the same URL, which misleads anyone who does not read the first screen.
Verdict
Do not put Sonar in a 2026 keyword SOP. Keep the URL as history. Rebuild the list in a tool that still updates. If you already want Perpetua for ads, negotiate SEO separately — do not wait for the free box to return.
Next step: treat the official Sonar page shutdown notice as current, then rebuild terms in SellerSprite or Keyword Tool Dominator.
Data notes
Rechecked 2026-09-06 against Perpetua’s English and German Sonar pages (both show the feature as unavailable) and public acquisition timeline. published (2024-03-15), monthlyVisits, domainRating, and authorityScore are catalog placeholders and unverified. Sellics acquisition year 2022 is from public reporting; Sonar’s original launch day is unverified.