Helium 10 and Jungle Scout are the two best-known research and operations toolkits for brands selling on Amazon. They overlap heavily, so most teams pick one. Either way, they are where an Amazon team does its keyword research, tracks rankings, estimates competitor sales, and checks that listings are built to be found.
What They Do
Both tools cover the same core jobs: keyword research (which search terms drive volume and which competitors rank for them), listing optimization (making sure titles, bullets, and backend terms cover the right keywords), rank tracking, product and market research with sales estimates, and alerts for things like listing changes, hijackers, and review problems. Each also offers advertising and analytics features that overlap with Amazon's own tools. Helium 10 is now part of the Pacvue family, which ties it to Pacvue's enterprise retail media platform.
Why They Need a Real Owner
These tools generate far more data than any team can act on. Sales estimates are estimates, keyword volumes are modeled, and both can mislead someone who treats them as exact. The owner should know which numbers to trust for which decisions, turn keyword research into listing and advertising changes, and use competitor data to inform pricing, launches, and assortment rather than collecting screenshots.
Who Should Own Them
Helium 10 or Jungle Scout usually belongs with an Amazon Channel Manager or Marketplace Manager, the person responsible for catalog health, listings, and organic rank. The Amazon advertising owner should share access, because keyword research feeds directly into Sponsored Ads. Our 2026 Salary Guide puts Amazon Channel Managers at $75K to $110K base and Senior Amazon Managers at $90K to $130K.
What to Screen For
- Keyword research that changed something, such as a listing rewrite or campaign restructure with measurable results.
- Healthy skepticism about estimates, including how they sanity-check modeled sales and search volume.
- Organic rank strategy, and how advertising and listing quality work together to move it.
- Catalog hygiene, including variations, suppressed listings, and unauthorized sellers.
- Comfort with Amazon's own data, such as Brand Analytics and search query performance reports, alongside third-party tools.
A strong answer weighs search volume, relevance, and conversion, and checks Amazon's own search data against the tool's estimates. A weak answer stuffs in the highest-volume terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need both Helium 10 and Jungle Scout?
Rarely. The two tools overlap heavily, and most teams standardize on one. The better question is whether the person using it can turn its research into listing, pricing, and advertising decisions.
Are Helium 10 and Jungle Scout only for third-party sellers?
They are most associated with third-party (Seller Central) brands, but vendor (1P) teams use them too for keyword research, competitor tracking, and listing optimization. Vendor teams usually lean more on Amazon's own reporting for sales data.
More Retail Media Tools
For the full set, browse the retail media and marketplace tools guide. For pay ranges for these roles, see the 2026 eCommerce Salary Guide.