Best Free & Paid Tools for Merch by Amazon Niche Research

Finding profitable and low-competition niches is key to success in Merch by Amazon (MBA). You can do manual research or use niche research tools to speed up the process.

🔍 1. Manual Niche Research (Free)

This method requires no paid tools but takes more time. The goal is to find low-competition, high-demand niches.

Step-by-Step Manual Research

Step 1: Search Amazon for Trending Keywords

  • Go to Amazon.com > Search "Funny T-shirt" or a specific niche (e.g., "Cat Lover T-shirt").
  • Look for best-selling designs with:
    • Low competition (fewer than 200 results).
    • Low BSR (Best Sellers Rank) → Under 200,000 = Good demand.
    • High price → Over $19.99 = More profit.

🔹 Example:

  • Searching "Funny Gym T-shirt", you find a shirt with BSR 50,000 but only 120 competitors = Good niche!

Step 2: Use Amazon Autocomplete for Keywords

  • Type "Funny Dad", "Cat Lover", or "Vintage Retro", and check Amazon’s suggestions.
  • These autocomplete keywords are what customers actively search for.

Step 3: Check Social Media Trends

  • Google Trends (https://trends.google.com) → See if the keyword is rising or falling.
  • Facebook & Instagram → Search hashtags like #funnytshirt to find viral designs.
  • TikTok → Search "T-shirt trends 2025", "Amazon finds", "POD niche" for viral designs.

🔹 Example:

  • "Retro Sunset Gym Shirt" is trending on TikTok and has less than 150 results on Amazon → Good niche!

Step 4: Analyze Competitor Reviews

  • Check 1-star & 2-star reviews of popular shirts.
  • If customers say "I love the design but the fabric is bad", you can improve on it.

🛠 2. Best Free & Paid Tools for Niche Research

If you want faster and more accurate research, use tools to analyze BSR, trends, and competition.

✅ Free Niche Research Tools

ToolFeaturesBest For
Google Trends (Google Trends)See trending keywords & seasonal interestFinding trending niches
Amazon AutocompleteFind customer search termsFree keyword research
Pinterest Trends (Pinterest Trends)Discover popular design ideasT-shirt inspiration
Etsy Trends (Etsy)See what’s trending in PODAlternative to Amazon
Redbubble Popular Tags (https://redbubble.dabu.ro/)Find trending Redbubble tagsLow-competition ideas
TMView (https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/)Check if a phrase is trademarkedAvoiding legal issues

🔹 Best Free Research Combo:

  1. Search keywords on Amazon Autocomplete
  2. Check Google Trends for seasonality
  3. Look at Pinterest & Redbubble trends for design ideas
  4. Verify trademarks with TMView

💎 Paid Niche Research Tools (More Advanced)

If you want faster results and data-driven decisions, use paid Merch by Amazon research tools.

ToolPricingFeaturesBest For
Merch Informer (https://merchinformer.com/)From $9.99/monthBSR tracker, keyword research, competition analyzer, trademark alertsFast niche validation
Helium 10 (https://www.helium10.com/)From $39/monthAmazon keyword & sales trackerDeep Amazon analysis
AMZScout (https://www.amzscout.net/)From $16.49/monthCompetitor tracking & BSR insightsFinding hot niches
Flying Research (https://flyingresearch.net/)From $19.99/monthAnalyzes Merch by Amazon sales trendsLong-term research
Keyword Tool (https://keywordtool.io/)From $89/monthAdvanced Amazon keyword finderDiscovering trending phrases
TM Hunt (https://tmhunt.com/)Free & Paid plansTrademark search toolAvoiding trademark issues


🎯 3. Step-by-Step Guide Using Tools (Example)

🎯 Finding a Niche with Paid Tools

Example: Looking for "Camping T-Shirts" niche

1️⃣ Use Merch Informer to Find Profitable Niches

  • Open Merch InformerKeyword Finder
  • Search "Camping Shirt"
  • It shows:
    • Average BSR: 120,000 ✅ (Good demand)
    • Competition: 320 shirts ❌ (Slightly high)
    • Top designs price: $21.99 ✅ (Good profit)

2️⃣ Check Amazon Autocomplete

  • Type "Camping Shirt" → See suggestions:
    • "Camping Shirt Funny"
    • "Camping Shirt Retro"
    • "Camping Shirt Women"

Best choice: "Camping Shirt Funny" → Good demand, specific niche.

3️⃣ Validate Trends with Google Trends

  • Search "Funny Camping Shirt"
  • The trend is rising before summer (May-August) → Seasonal, good for pre-orders.

4️⃣ Check Competitor BSR (AMZScout)

  • Search for Funny Camping Shirts on AMZScout
  • Check BSR of top shirts → If most have BSR under 200,000, it's a winning niche!

5️⃣ Verify Trademarks (TM Hunt)

  • Search "Funny Camping", "Camping Shirt"
  • No trademark issues ✅ → Safe to use.

🚀 Final Recommendations

BudgetBest Research Method
💰 $0 (Free)Use Amazon Autocomplete + Google Trends + Pinterest Trends + TMView
💰 $10-$20Merch Informer ($9.99/month) – Easiest way to find low-competition niches
💰 $50+Helium 10 ($39/month) + Merch Informer – For advanced sales tracking & keyword research

🔥 Conclusion: Best Way to Find a Profitable Merch by Amazon Niche

Manual Research (Amazon, Google Trends, Pinterest) = Great for free users
Paid Tools (Merch Informer, AMZScout) = Faster & more accurate
BSR Under 200K + Low Competition + No Trademark = Winning Niche