Quick Comparison
| Feature | ASOF | Exploding Topics | Google Trends | CB Insights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Tech/Dev trends | Consumer trends | Search interest | Enterprise research |
| Starting Price | Free (Pro: $19/mo) | $39/mo | Free | $50,000+/year |
| Update Frequency | 30 minutes | Weekly | 24-48 hours | Monthly/Quarterly |
| GitHub Tracking | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ~ Limited |
| Hacker News Tracking | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Product Hunt Tracking | ✓ Yes | ~ Limited | ✗ No | ~ Limited |
| Reddit Tracking | ✓ Yes | ~ Some | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Funding/SEC Data | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Predictions | ✓ Falsifiable | ✗ No | ✗ No | ~ Analyst reports |
| Historical Data | 1,600+ snapshots | 5 years | 5 years | 10+ years |
| API Access | Research tier | Pro tier | Limited | Enterprise |
Tool Breakdown
ASOF Best for Tech
Real-time tech trend intelligence
Free / Pro from $19/mo
- ✓ 30-minute updates (fastest)
- ✓ HN, GitHub, Reddit, Product Hunt
- ✓ SEC funding intelligence
- ✓ Falsifiable predictions with dates
- ✓ Cross-validated signals
- ✓ 110,000+ signals tracked
Exploding Topics
Consumer trend discovery
$39 / month
- ✓ Clean, simple interface
- ✓ Good for e-commerce trends
- ✓ SEO keyword opportunities
- ✗ Weekly updates only
- ✗ No developer platform data
- ✗ No funding intelligence
Google Trends
Free search interest data
Free
- ✓ Completely free
- ✓ Global search data
- ✓ Regional breakdowns
- ✗ Search data only (no usage)
- ✗ 24-48 hour delay
- ✗ No tech platform data
CB Insights
Enterprise market intelligence
$50K+ / year
- ✓ Comprehensive company data
- ✓ M&A intelligence
- ✓ Analyst research reports
- ✗ Very expensive
- ✗ Monthly/quarterly updates
- ✗ Overkill for most users
Detailed Analysis
When to Choose ASOF
Choose ASOF if you need real-time tech trend data from developer and startup platforms. ASOF is the only tool that tracks GitHub Trending, Hacker News, and Product Hunt simultaneously with 30-minute updates. The funding intelligence from SEC filings provides verified deal data that news sources often miss or report late.
ASOF's unique feature is falsifiable predictions—each prediction has a specific verification date and measurable criteria. This accountability is missing from other tools that make vague forecasts without follow-up.
Ideal users: Startup founders validating ideas, developers choosing technologies to learn, tech investors doing due diligence, content creators covering tech.
When to Choose Exploding Topics
Choose Exploding Topics if you're focused on consumer trends rather than tech/developer trends. It excels at finding rising products, brands, and topics before they peak—great for e-commerce dropshipping, content marketing, and SEO keyword research.
The interface is clean and beginner-friendly, making it accessible to non-technical users. However, it updates weekly (not real-time) and doesn't track developer platforms.
Ideal users: E-commerce entrepreneurs, SEO professionals, content marketers, consumer product researchers.
When to Use Google Trends
Use Google Trends for quick, free validation of search interest. It's excellent for comparing multiple topics, seeing regional variations, and identifying seasonal patterns. However, search interest doesn't equal actual adoption—people search for things they're curious about, not necessarily things they use.
The 24-48 hour delay and lack of tech platform data make it insufficient as a primary trend tracking tool for tech professionals.
Ideal users: Anyone needing quick research, budget-conscious users, marketers comparing brand interest.
When to Choose CB Insights
Choose CB Insights if you're an enterprise with a large budget needing comprehensive market intelligence. Their analyst reports, M&A data, and company databases are industry-leading. However, at $50K+/year, it's overkill for startups and individuals.
Updates are typically monthly or quarterly, making it less useful for tracking fast-moving trends. Best suited for strategic planning, not tactical trend identification.
Ideal users: Fortune 500 strategy teams, investment banks, corporate development, enterprise VCs.
🎯 The Verdict
For tech trends: ASOF provides the freshest data (30-min updates) from the most relevant sources (GitHub, HN, Product Hunt) at the best value (free tier available, Pro at $19/mo).
For consumer trends: Exploding Topics offers a cleaner interface focused on e-commerce and SEO opportunities.
For free research: Google Trends is useful for quick validation but shouldn't be your only source.
For enterprise: CB Insights is comprehensive but expensive—consider ASOF Research tier ($68/mo) for similar insights at 99% lower cost.
Try ASOF Free
See real-time tech trends from Hacker News, GitHub, Reddit, and Product Hunt. No credit card required.
See Live Dashboard →Disclaimer: ASOF created this comparison. We've attempted to be fair and accurate, but readers should verify claims independently. Pricing and features may change.