Price tracking app: how to choose one and how UniverTrack works
Updated : · 5 min read
A price tracking app watches the price of the products you want to buy, records their price history and sends you an alert when the price drops to your level. Instead of checking the product page every day, you paste a link once and the tool does the rest. To pick a good one, focus on supported retailers, the quality of the price history, the kind of alerts and how honest its indicators are.
What is a price tracking app?
It's a service that checks the price of an online product at regular intervals and keeps those readings over time. From that data, it can answer the three questions you ask before any purchase:
- Is this a good price? The history shows the lowest, average and highest prices seen.
- Is this the right time? An indicator puts today's price in context.
- When should I buy? An alert tells you when the price hits the threshold you set.
You'll also see "price alert app" or "price tracking software": the idea is the same, only the format changes (browser extension, website, mobile app). For an overview of existing tools, see our roundup of the best price tracking tools.
Why not just check prices by hand?
Checking a price yourself works for one product over a few days. Beyond that, three problems appear:
- Time: watching several products at several retailers for weeks quickly becomes a chore.
- Missed drops: a price can fall and bounce back between two of your visits without you ever knowing.
- Fake discounts: without a history, you can't tell whether a crossed-out price was ever really charged. Our guide to spotting a fake discount covers the warning signs.
A price tracking app solves all three: readings are automatic and dated, and the alert comes to you.
What to look for in a price tracking app
Not all apps are equal. Compare these points before you install or pay for anything:
| Criterion | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Supported retailers | Amazon only, or other sites too? | A single-retailer tool only covers part of your shopping. |
| Price history | Visible dates, how long it's kept, data source | An undated price can't tell you whether a deal is real. |
| Alerts | Target price, back in stock, channel (email, push) | Alerts are what actually save you time. |
| Buy indicator | Does it explain its verdict? Does it admit when data is thin? | A verdict without enough history is misleading. |
| Fake discount detection | Does it compare the "was" price with real history? | Stops you buying a "discount" that isn't one. |
| Access | Web, mobile, extension; account required | The tool must work where you actually shop. |
| Business model | Free with ads, affiliate links, subscription | It shapes the service, its limits and your privacy. |
Free versus paid deserves its own article: see free or paid price tracking.
Mobile app or web app: what really matters?
People often assume they need an app to download. In practice, what matters is being able to add a product in seconds and get notified at the right time. UniverTrack is a web app: there's nothing to install from an app store, it opens in the browser on your computer or phone, and alerts arrive by email. You copy the product link from the retailer's site, paste it into your dashboard, and tracking starts.
How UniverTrack works, step by step
1. Paste the product link
From your dashboard, paste an Amazon or Cdiscount product URL (or an Amazon ASIN). Other retailer sites work too, on a best-effort basis: UniverTrack reads the product page to extract the price. Even before creating an account, you can paste a link on the home page to preview the product and its current price.
2. The price history builds up
The price is then checked automatically at regular intervals, and every reading is dated. The history starts on the day you begin tracking; for Amazon, earlier history can also be shown (see Amazon price history). If you track the same product at several retailers, the product page can group them and show the best offer (Pro plan).
3. The "good time to buy" indicator puts the price in context
The indicator compares the current price with the lowest, average and highest prices seen, over the last 90 days by default (otherwise 365 or 30 days). It shows one of these verdicts: Good time to buy, Fair price, nothing special, Rather pricey right now. Until there are enough readings, it says Not enough data rather than making something up.
4. The email alert arrives at the right time
You set a target price (or leave it blank to track without a threshold). As soon as a reading is at or below that threshold and the product is in stock, you get an email. If the price goes back above it, the alert re-arms for the next drop. Our price drop alert guide explains how to pick a realistic threshold.
Which UniverTrack plan should you choose?
Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, with no commitment. Pay yearly and you get two months free.
| Plan | Monthly price | What's included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | €3.99 | Up to 10 products, real price history, "good time to buy" indicator, email alerts | You're planning one or two big purchases (TV, washing machine, laptop). |
| Smart | €6.99 | Up to 50 products, AI assistant (200 messages/month), fake discount detection | You regularly watch lots of products and want to avoid inflated "was" prices. |
| Pro | €12.99 | Up to 200 products, AI assistant (500 messages/month), multi-retailer comparison, Amazon price by country | You add the same product from several retailers to compare offers. |
| Expert | €19.99 | Unlimited products, AI assistant (1,000 messages/month), price and back-in-stock alerts, priority support | You track many products or hunt items that often sell out. |
Each plan includes the features of the one below it: price history, the indicator and email alerts are available on every plan.
Limits to know before you subscribe
A good price tracking app should be upfront about what it doesn't do. For UniverTrack:
- There is no native iOS or Android app: it's a web app that works in your mobile browser.
- It doesn't automatically search every shop for your product: multi-retailer comparison groups the links you add yourself.
- Outside Amazon, history starts on the day you track; sites other than Amazon and Cdiscount are supported on a best-effort basis, depending on how readable their product pages are.
- The indicator is based on observed prices: it's a decision aid, not a forecast.
If you're weighing it against an Amazon-focused tool, our Keepa alternative article compares the approaches.
Put it into practice: track your first product
- Paste the link of the product you want into UniverTrack.
- Set a target price that's realistic, using the history and the indicator.
- Get the email alert and buy when the price is genuinely good.
For a single big purchase, the Starter plan is enough. If you hunt deals across many products and want to catch fake discounts, Smart is the best fit; to compare several retailers, go for Pro. Compare plans on the pricing page, then start your 14-day free trial.
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See plansFrequently asked questions
- Is there a UniverTrack app to download for iPhone or Android?
- No, UniverTrack is a web app. It works in the browser on your phone or computer with nothing to install, and alerts arrive by email.
- How does the 14-day free trial work?
- Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, which requires a payment method. Unless you cancel before the trial ends, the paid subscription then starts automatically.
- How do I cancel my subscription?
- There's no commitment: you cancel from the Account area, through the secure billing portal. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
- Which retailers can UniverTrack track?
- Amazon and Cdiscount are supported, plus other retailer sites on a best-effort basis by reading the product page. There is no official integration with Fnac, Darty or Boulanger.
- How often are prices checked?
- Tracked products are checked automatically at regular intervals, and every reading is dated in the price history.
- Can I switch plans later?
- Yes, you can change plans from the Account area through the billing portal. All plans are listed on the pricing page.
Related guides
- Best price tracker: comparison and criteria to choose the right one
The criteria that really matter, the main types of price trackers with their pros and cons, and which plan suits the way you shop.
- Price drop alerts: how to get notified when a price drops
The ways to get notified when a price drops, how to set a realistic target price, and how to avoid drowning in notifications.
- Free vs paid price trackers: which should you use in 2026?
An honest comparison of free price alerts and paid trackers, with the cases where free is enough and those where it quietly costs you more.
- Is a price tracking subscription worth it? The maths, with examples
The honest maths to see whether a price tracking subscription will save you more than it costs, with examples and the cases where it won't help.