Best AI Search Visibility Tools for Businesses in 2026: The Complete List
Your customers are no longer just Googling. They're asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini for direct recommendations — and AI doesn't show ten blue links. It gives one answer.
ChatGPT now processes 2 billion queries daily. Google AI Overviews reaches 2 billion monthly users. AI referral traffic grew 527% year-over-year in 2025. Yet only 22% of marketers are actively tracking their AI visibility.
If you're looking for the best tools to monitor and improve your brand's visibility in AI search, you're in the right place. This guide covers every major AI search visibility tool available in 2026 — organized by category, with pricing, key features, and honest user feedback from G2 reviews, independent testers, and community forums.
What Are AI Search Visibility Tools?
AI search visibility tools help you track and improve how often your brand appears in AI-generated answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Claude.
Think of them as the AI equivalent of traditional SEO rank trackers. Instead of monitoring your Google rankings, they monitor whether AI recommends your brand when someone asks a relevant question. If you're new to the concept, our guide on what AI search actually is and how it works covers the fundamentals.
These tools typically fall into three categories:
- Monitoring tools — track where and how often your brand appears in AI answers
- GEO platforms — help you optimize content specifically for AI engines (Generative Engine Optimization)
- Enterprise suites — combine AI visibility with traditional SEO in a single platform
Here's why this matters: 58.5% of U.S. Google searches now end without a click. AI Overviews reduce click-through rates for top-ranking results by 58%. And 93% of Google AI Mode searches end without a click at all. The brands that AI recommends get the traffic. Everyone else becomes invisible. For a deeper look at how this shift fits into the broader marketing landscape, see our overview of digital marketing trends in 2026 and the rise of AI.
A Word of Honest Context Before We Dive In
Before reviewing individual tools, here's what the SEO community says about this category as a whole.
The overwhelming sentiment among practitioners is cautious optimism mixed with healthy skepticism. As one independent tester put it after 100+ hours of testing: "No tool will magically fix your AI visibility. They just help you understand where you are."
A key structural limitation raised repeatedly: unlike traditional SEO where tools can discover new keywords you rank for, with AI visibility tools you need to know what prompts to track in advance. You're essentially guessing what questions people might be asking AI about your industry.
Also worth knowing: AI systems show highly inconsistent brand recommendations, even with identical prompts. Recent research reports on AI search visibility in 2026 confirm that achieving visibility in AI-powered search is significantly harder than traditional Google ranking. Profound's data shows 40–60% monthly citation drift across AI platforms. This means your brand can appear in AI answers one week and disappear the next — making point-in-time tracking inherently noisy.
That said, tracking directional trends is still vastly better than flying blind. The question isn't whether to track AI visibility — it's which tool fits your needs and budget.
Best AI Visibility Monitoring Tools
These tools track your brand's presence across AI platforms. They show you when, where, and how AI mentions your brand — and how you compare to competitors.
1. Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit
Semrush is the biggest name in SEO, and their AI visibility toolkit launched in late 2025 as an add-on to the existing platform.
Key features:
- AI Visibility Score based on 130M+ prompts across 8 regions
- Daily prompt tracking (25 prompts, expandable)
- Track up to 9 competitors simultaneously
- AI SEO Audit identifying optimization gaps
- Business Landscape reports and sentiment analysis
Pricing: $99/month standalone add-on. Included in Semrush One plans ($199–$549/month). Note: additional domains cost $99 each, extra users $99 each, and 50 more prompts add $60/month — costs can escalate quickly.
Best for: Marketing teams already using Semrush who want unified SEO + AI visibility tracking without switching platforms.
Free option: Semrush offers a free AI Search Visibility Checker with limited functionality — a great starting point for anyone.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| Brand Performance feature called "really insightful to understand your brand's strengths" — revealed blind spots like zero AI Mode visibility despite strong organic rankings (99signals, 4.5/5) | Independent tester rated it just 2.6/5, describing it as a "beta-quality product" with "critical bugs" |
| Lowest barrier to entry from a recognized brand — seamless for existing Semrush users | Only covers ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Google AI Mode — missing Perplexity, Claude, and Copilot entirely |
| Forces a useful mindset shift from "What keyword am I ranking for?" to "Am I being cited by the AI?" | "Literally all of the 'AI Optimisation' suggestions here are the same SEO advice that has been standard practice for the past decade" — commenter on 99signals |
| Pricing scales poorly: adding one teammate + 50 extra prompts = $258/month total |
Bottom line: The lowest barrier to entry from a recognized brand, but currently limited in AI platform coverage and still maturing. Best for existing Semrush users who want basic AI visibility exposure without committing to a new tool.
2. Peec AI
A European startup founded by ex-Google and DeepMind engineers, Peec AI raised EUR 21M in Series A funding and is quickly becoming one of the most popular dedicated AI visibility trackers.
Key features:
- Daily monitoring of 300+ prompts across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini
- Citation source mapping showing exactly where AI pulls information
- Multi-country tracking for international brands
- Competitor benchmarking with sentiment tracking
- Unlimited team seats on all plans
Pricing: EUR 89/month (Starter, 25 prompts), EUR 199/month (Pro, 100 prompts), EUR 499/month (Enterprise, 300+ prompts).
Ratings: G2 5.0/5 (~37 reviews), OMR 4.9/5.
Best for: Growth-stage SaaS and mid-size companies that want dedicated, deep AI visibility monitoring with fast onboarding and strong customer support.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| "Citation and source data is very useful, clean, and easy to act on" — Alex Birkett, agency owner who tested multiple tools | Provides "data without direction" — the tool "rarely explains what insights mean or how to act" (Discovered Labs) |
| Marketer Milk reviewer was "really skeptical" initially but found himself "coming back to and actually recommending" Peec AI | No traffic estimation or conversion tracking — only tracks mentions, not actual referral traffic |
| Direct Slack access to the team — support described as "amazing" and "nearly instant" | No retroactive historical data — you only start collecting from the day you sign up |
| Setup takes ~30 minutes; users report understanding everything quickly | No public API below the EUR 499/month Enterprise tier |
| Showed "the actual Reddit threads shaping answers, the YouTubers who kept showing up" — useful for understanding citation sources | Confusing graph visualizations with similar colors noted by multiple reviewers |
Bottom line: One of the strongest mid-market options. Excellent for teams that want clean data and fast setup, but be prepared to do your own strategic interpretation of the results.
3. Ahrefs Brand Radar
Ahrefs — one of the most trusted names in SEO — has entered the AI visibility space with Brand Radar, backed by a database of 250M+ real user prompts.
Key features:
- Tracks brand mentions across ChatGPT, Google AI, Perplexity, and more
- 360-degree approach also covering SEO, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit visibility
- Seamless integration with Ahrefs' industry-leading backlink analytics
- Citation tracking showing which of your pages AI references
Pricing: Currently in beta with some indexes free for Ahrefs subscribers. Full access: $199/month per individual AI platform, or $699/month for all 6 platforms bundled — on top of the base Ahrefs subscription ($129+/month). Minimum total: ~$828/month for comprehensive coverage.
Best for: Companies already invested in Ahrefs who want AI visibility data alongside their existing SEO workflow and don't mind premium pricing.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| Largest prompt database on the market (250M+) — users confirmed prompts are "legitimate, real prompts rather than manufactured data" | Ahrefs' own CMO acknowledged the interface "still needs some work" |
| Web Visibility modules felt "fairly accurately" at capturing real-world mentions and trends | "Inconsistent accuracy in detecting AI mentions, limited visibility into prompt-level context, and a lack of sentiment or quality scoring" (Rankability) |
| 360-degree approach covering AI, SEO, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit in one tool | Pricing "problematic — $199/mo per index adds a ton of additional overhead, especially for agencies" — Alex Birkett |
| Strong integration with Ahrefs' backlink analytics for holistic brand intelligence | Pricing widely described as "eye-watering" and "prohibitive" across multiple reviews |
| Some modules (ChatGPT, Perplexity) still described as "experimental" |
Bottom line: The largest prompt database on the market and strongest research capabilities, but very expensive and still maturing. Better as a research tool than a daily monitoring dashboard.
4. Otterly AI
A focused AI visibility monitoring tool recognized as a Gartner Cool Vendor for AI in Marketing (2025) and a G2 High Performer (Winter 2026), with 20,000+ marketing professionals using it.
Key features:
- Automated brand monitoring across major AI platforms
- Brand Visibility Index for benchmarking
- Link citation audits identifying where AI pulls its data
- Custom prompt libraries tailored to your industry
- GEO audit reports with actionable recommendations
Pricing: $29/month (Lite, ~10 prompts), $189/month (Standard, 100 prompts), $989/month (Pro, 1,000 prompts). Also available through Semrush App Center from $27/month.
Ratings: G2 4.9/5 (~40 reviews), Product Hunt 5.0/5, OMR 5.0/5. G2 Quality of Support: 9.7/10.
Best for: Startups, agencies, and budget-conscious teams that want accessible AI visibility monitoring with strong customer support.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| "The most focused and useful tool we've found for tracking brand visibility in AI-generated search results" — G2 verified reviewer | Reddit user on r/seogrowth: "tried the Otterly plugin for Semrush and found it useless, preferring Scrunch instead" |
| "Citation and prompt tracking has been perfect for our SME clients" — G2 verified reviewer | After extended use: "slower, costlier, and narrower than expected once it becomes part of a daily workflow" |
| Team "will even jump on calls for a few minutes to debug tracking prompts" — exceptional support | Steep pricing jump: $29/month Lite plan has only ~10 prompts — very limited for real work. Next tier is $189/month |
| Claims up to 80% reduction in time spent on brand monitoring | Limited public reviews outside early-adopter circles (Product Hunt, OMR) |
| Gartner Cool Vendor + G2 High Performer recognition | Fewest platforms tracked among competitors — no Meta AI, Grok, or DeepSeek |
Bottom line: Strong industry recognition and excellent support make it a solid starting point. Just be aware the $29 entry plan is minimal — plan for the $189 tier for serious monitoring.
5. SE Ranking AI Visibility Tracker
SE Ranking offers a three-part AI visibility suite integrated into their broader SEO platform, making it one of the most cost-effective options for teams that need both traditional SEO and AI visibility.
Key features:
- Tracks Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, and unified visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini
- "Not cited" feature identifying specific queries where your brand is missing
- Local SEO capabilities for location-based AI searches
- Built into the existing SE Ranking platform
Pricing: SE Ranking plans from $65/month. AI Search add-on: $71–$276/month additional. Standalone SE Visible: $189/month. Realistic minimum for AI visibility: $150–$240/month.
Best for: Small to mid-size businesses that want AI visibility tracking bundled with traditional SEO tools at a competitive overall price.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| "Most well-rounded AI SEO checking tool" — Reddit user | SE Visible (standalone) only tracks ChatGPT and Google AI Mode — Perplexity and Gemini listed as "coming soon" |
| "Not cited" feature showing competitor mentions without your brand — called "gold for content ideas" on r/localseo | Updates weekly, not daily — slower than competitors like Peec AI |
| Granular local SEO tracking by ZIP code and city | UX "can feel fragmented, especially for first-time users" — AI features split across multiple platform areas |
| Best price-to-benefit ratio: 35–50% less than buying separate SEO and AI tools | Advertised $52/month entry price is "misleading for AI visibility" — real costs much higher with AI add-on |
| Reddit user on r/AISearchLab warned AI tracking tools can feel like a "money trap" given probabilistic AI responses |
Bottom line: Best value proposition for teams wanting both SEO and AI visibility in one platform. But set expectations for directional intelligence rather than precise metrics — and confirm which AI platforms are actually covered before committing.
6. LLMrefs
A specialized analytics platform focused specifically on AI search ranking across the broadest set of LLMs — 11+ platforms including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and more.
Key features:
- Maps traditional SEO keywords to AI visibility scores
- Shows which brands and URLs get cited for each query
- Live keyword crawling with weekly trend reports
- Competitor benchmarking with proprietary "LLMrefs Score"
- Supports 50+ countries and 20+ languages
Pricing: $79/month (Pro, 50 keywords). Month-to-month, no contracts.
Best for: Data-driven marketers who want granular, keyword-level AI visibility analytics at an affordable price point.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| Platform "reliably flagged when our domain was cited" across AI engines (GenerateMore) | "What you see is mainly 'keyword to how often cited' rather than 'which exact prompts triggered a citation'" — reduced utility for deeper strategy |
| UX praised as "simple and familiar — almost like a traditional SEO dashboard" — easy onboarding | 50-keyword ceiling on Pro plan frustrates power users |
| Proprietary LLMrefs Score: "one of the most praised features" for encapsulating visibility in one number | Monthly data refresh cycle — slower than competitors offering daily updates |
| Broadest AI platform coverage (11+) at the most affordable price ($79/month) | No G2 profile — verified user reviews are very limited |
| Supports 50+ countries and 20+ languages | No sentiment tracking or AI traffic analytics |
Bottom line: The most affordable dedicated AI visibility tool with the broadest platform coverage. Trades depth for breadth — good for getting a quick pulse without a large investment, but lacks diagnostic depth for serious optimization work.
Budget-Friendly Monitoring Options
If you're just getting started, these tools offer AI visibility tracking at lower price points:
| Tool | Starting Price | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Rankscale AI | $20/month | Daily tracking + AI Readiness Score audits |
| Keyword.com AI Tracker | $25/month | Cross-engine monitoring across 6 AI platforms |
| Trackerly.ai | $27/month | Bulk prompt tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, DeepSeek |
| ZipTie | $29/month | Affordable competitor visibility tracking — validated by Reddit users on r/TechSEO as "affordable and functional" |
Best Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Platforms
Monitoring is step one. These tools go further — they help you actively optimize content so AI engines are more likely to recommend your brand. If you're new to GEO, our guide on how to optimize for AI search engines walks through the fundamentals.
1. Profound
Profound is the highest-profile GEO platform on the market, used by Fortune 100 brands including Nike, IBM, DocuSign, and MongoDB. Reddit's CEO referenced it during their Q2 2025 earnings call. The company has raised $58.5M total ($35M Series B from Sequoia Capital) and claims 2,000+ marketers from 500+ organizations.
Key features:
- Conversation Explorer with 200M+ real user prompts showing what your audience asks AI
- Agent Analytics tracking how AI crawlers interact with your content
- Share-of-voice tracking across 10+ AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, Meta AI, DeepSeek)
- Built-in sentiment analysis
- Dedicated AI strategists for white-glove support
Pricing: $499/month (Lite, 2-month data history). Agency: $1,499/month. Custom enterprise pricing available. API access restricted to Enterprise tier.
Ratings: G2 Leader in AEO category (Winter 2026), 140+ reviews.
Best for: Enterprise brands ($50M+ ARR) with internal analyst teams that need the deepest AI visibility data available.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| "The most robust data platform that exists for AI visibility. Provides actionable insights you won't find elsewhere" — Kevin M, CEO, on G2 | Independent tester Lari Numminen rated it just 3.1/5 — "simply overpriced" for non-enterprise use |
| Alex Birkett: "obviously why they're winning the market" — praised innovation speed | "Opportunities" report contained only two recommendations; optimization feature showed "No recommendations found" for a tested article |
| Widest AI platform coverage (10+) and deepest prompt database (200M+) | Interface has "become unstable, slow and tedious lately" with "15-second load times" |
| Fortune 100 clients (Nike, IBM, DocuSign, MongoDB) — proven at enterprise scale | Recommended actions are "mostly 'write a generic listicle'" — not actionable enough |
| Bot visit categorization into "Citations, Training, and Indexing" segments | 2-month data history limit on Lite plan; API restricted to Enterprise tier |
Bottom line: The category leader with the deepest data and widest AI platform coverage. But at $499+/month, it's overkill for most SMBs and the optimization recommendations don't yet match the monitoring capabilities. Best suited for enterprise teams with dedicated analyst staff.
2. AthenaHQ
Founded by ex-Google Search and DeepMind engineers, AthenaHQ is a comprehensive GEO platform with a massive catalog of AI responses mapped to citations. SOC 2 Type 1 certified (October 2025).
Key features:
- 3-million-response catalog mapping exactly which sources AI cites for which queries
- Action Center providing specific, prioritized optimization fixes
- Impersonation and misinformation alerts
- GA4 integration for connecting AI visibility to business outcomes
- Unlimited team seats
Pricing: $295/month self-serve ($95 introductory first month), custom Enterprise pricing.
Ratings: G2 4.6/5 (~15 reviews).
Best for: SaaS companies and content teams that want clear, actionable optimization recommendations at a mid-range price point.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| Platform described as "really intuitive" — automated agents are "major time-savers" | Minor bugs and glitches typical of a fast-moving startup |
| Users report generating ROI "in a very short period of time" | Frequent feature updates can be difficult to keep up with |
| Case studies: Rootly (10x citation rate increase), Lago (50% increase in demos from AI search) | "No real-time editing, tagging, or smooth collaboration — forces analysts to export data, creating version drift" (Rankability) |
| Best introductory pricing in the category ($95 first month) | Action Centre and optimization tools still described as "immature" by some testers |
| SOC 2 Type 1 certified — enterprise compliance ready | Self-service model "requires a hands-on approach" — not plug-and-play |
Bottom line: Strong potential with the best introductory pricing ($95 first month) and a data-rich approach. Still maturing, but moving fast. A solid choice for growth-stage companies willing to work through early-stage rough edges.
3. Goodie AI
Described by multiple reviewers as "the most complete GEO platform on the market" — the first dedicated all-in-one AEO platform combining monitoring, content creation, and optimization.
Key features:
- Unified dashboard tracking ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Copilot
- Content recommendations tuned specifically for AI engines
- Brand mention alerts with sentiment analysis
- Free initial audit available
Pricing: From ~$399–$495/month (quote-based).
Best for: Mid-to-enterprise brands that want an all-in-one GEO platform with strong content optimization features.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| Users "like the platform, use it daily, and appreciate its great customer support team" | No significant G2 presence — no confirmed G2 rating or meaningful review volume found |
| Interface described as "clean and modern" and "relatively easy to navigate" | "Does not offer insight into what users actually ask AI engines" — can't see real prompts |
| SteelSeries: most retrieved gaming brand across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity — 3.2x AI search conversions in 6 months | "Cannot track how AI bots interact with your content" |
| NoGood: 335% increase in traffic from AI sources, 48 high-value leads in Q1 2025 | No published SOC 2 or HIPAA certifications — potential blocker for enterprise buyers |
| Free initial audit available to test before committing | Quote-based pricing with no public transparency |
Bottom line: Strong case studies and a clean all-in-one approach, but limited independent user reviews and no enterprise compliance certifications make it harder to evaluate objectively. Request the free audit to test it before committing.
4. Scrunch AI
An "Agent Experience Platform" that combines brand monitoring with AI-driven content optimization. Backed by $19M in funding ($15M Series A, July 2025).
Key features:
- Broadest AI engine coverage (7+ platforms: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Meta AI, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews, Gemini)
- Monitors 500+ brands with misinformation detection
- AI-driven content optimization insights
- Quick onboarding with guided setup
Pricing: Explorer: $100/month. Growth: $300–$500/month. Enterprise: custom.
Ratings: G2 4.6–4.7/5 (~35–50 reviews).
Best for: Brands concerned about both visibility and accuracy of AI-generated mentions, with budget for mid-range pricing.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| "Excels at what it was built to do: monitor brand presence across AI platforms with unmatched breadth and accuracy" — Lari Numminen, 3.9/5 | "You're paying for monitoring excellence but getting beta-quality optimization guidance" — same reviewer |
| G2 users "consistently praise its intuitive interface, multilingual support, and responsive, human-led assistance" | "Even the users who give it high ratings have some pretty major complaints" |
| Reddit user on r/seogrowth preferred Scrunch over Otterly: "competitor tracking, prompt upload, and Looker Studio for referral visits from AI sources" | Insights "raise far more questions than they answer" — requires significant manual interpretation |
| Broadest AI engine coverage (7+ platforms) with quick onboarding | No way to generate reports; limited exports; must rely on Excel for deeper analysis |
| Case studies: Runpod (4x growth in 90 days), Stratabeat (260%+ AI visibility gains in 2 months) | Key differentiator (Agent Experience Platform) remains listed as "coming soon" |
Bottom line: Best-in-class AI platform coverage and monitoring accuracy. But the optimization and action features aren't there yet. If you mainly need monitoring breadth, Scrunch delivers. If you need optimization guidance, look elsewhere.
5. Hall AI
A GEO platform known for fast onboarding, an automated approach to prompt discovery, and — critically — a completely free tier.
Key features:
- Automated prompt discovery finding what your audience asks AI
- Mention and citation tracking with competitive benchmarking
- Conversational commerce tracking
- Free plan: 1 project, 25 questions
Pricing: Free plan available. Starter: $239/month (20 projects, 500 questions). Enterprise: custom.
Ratings: G2 5.0/5 (very few reviews). AIChief: 4.8/5.
Best for: Solo marketers and small teams that want to start with a free tier and scale as needed.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| George Howes, MagicBrief Co-founder: "quickly understood the exact queries that were driving referrals from ChatGPT" | Platform still maturing (launched 2025) — "weak advanced modeling" |
| Modern, analyst-friendly interface with CSV export even on free/starter plans | Steep jump from free to paid: "to move from the limited free plan to a serious tracking plan, you must jump straight to $239/month" |
| Completely free plan (1 project, 25 questions) — best free entry point in GEO category | Characterized as "ideal for solo marketers before committing to comprehensive platforms" — not enterprise-ready (Rankability) |
| Comprehensive tracking across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini | Data depth varies across different AI engines |
| Very limited public user feedback — few reviews on any platform |
Bottom line: The best free entry point in the GEO category. Use the free tier to learn the space, then decide if the $239/month jump is justified or if another tool better fits your needs.
More GEO Platforms Worth Considering
| Tool | Starting Price | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Geostar | $299/month | Hybrid self-service + managed services with crawler analytics |
| Writesonic GEO | ~$99/month | AI crawler analytics with content optimization recommendations (G2 4.7/5, 5,900+ reviews for the overall Writesonic platform) |
| Geneo AI | $39/month | Real-time GEO monitoring with affordable entry pricing |
| XFunnel (HubSpot) | Enterprise custom | Buyer journey mapping across AI platforms (now part of HubSpot ecosystem) |
Best Enterprise SEO + AI Visibility Suites
These platforms combine traditional SEO with AI visibility for teams that need everything in one place.
1. seoClarity (ArcAI)
An enterprise-grade platform that combines deep traditional SEO with comprehensive AI visibility tracking. Known for shipping AI features fast — when users requested AI Overviews tracking, "they built it, put it in beta and shipped it."
Key features:
- Tracks AI visibility across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews
- Six ArcAI functions: bot tracking, prompt research, content optimization, brand visibility, performance measurement, sentiment analysis
- Detects AI Overview triggers with automated optimization recommendations
- Full enterprise SEO suite included
Pricing: Base platform: ~$3,000/month. ArcAI add-on: custom quotes. Target audience: enterprises with $50,000+ annual SEO budgets.
Ratings: G2 4.5/5 (193 reviews). Capterra 8.0/10.
Best for: Large enterprises that need a single platform for both traditional and AI search and have the budget and internal expertise to use it effectively.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| "We wanted to track AIOs... they built it, put it in beta and shipped it. Best of all, it works!" — G2 reviewer | "The software might be intimidating for users that are not used to such detailed data" — steep learning curve |
| Jon Baldwin, Senior SEO Content Manager at Rover: "significant data exports of keywords enable us to speed up keyword research by 50%" | UI described as "a bit clunky compared to other solutions" with "laggy performance when interacting with charts" |
| "Knowledge and ease of communication with the client success manager is stellar" — client feedback | Occasional inaccuracies in search volumes and ranking updates |
| Responsive team that ships new AI features fast | At $3,000+/month, impractical for smaller organizations |
| Six comprehensive ArcAI functions covering the full AI visibility workflow | Cannot always distinguish whether a visibility drop came from a model refresh, regional rule, or query wording change |
Bottom line: The deepest enterprise SEO + AI visibility integration available, with a responsive team that ships features fast. But the high price, steep learning curve, and clunky UI mean it only makes sense for organizations with dedicated SEO teams and substantial budgets.
2. Surfer AI Tracker
Surfer — a well-known content optimization tool (G2 4.8/5, ~537 reviews) — launched its AI Tracker as a beta add-on in July 2025. Over 2,800 companies reportedly use it.
Key features:
- Tracks brand mentions across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity
- Prompt-level transparency showing exact prompts that trigger brand mentions and full AI-generated responses
- Source attribution revealing which web pages AI models cite
- Weekly trend reports with visual charts
- Sentiment analysis (added December 2025)
- Competitor dashboard showing where rivals appear and you don't
Pricing: $95/month (25 prompts), $195/month (100 prompts), $495/month (300 prompts) — all on top of a base Surfer subscription. The Scale plan ($219/month) includes 5 prompts with daily updates.
Best for: Content teams already using Surfer who want AI visibility baked into their existing content optimization workflow.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| GetResponse content team: "Before this, we had no way to measure how our brand showed up in AI tools. Now we can spot gaps, monitor growth, and adjust our strategy in real time" | Independent tester found major data discrepancy: Semrush showed 117 mentions and 179 cited pages vs. Surfer showing just 1 cited page and 0 mentions for the same domain |
| Seamless integration with Surfer's Content Editor — unified content + visibility workflow | "Answers are inconsistent; same queries yield different results daily with no change on your side" (TryAnalyze) |
| Prompt-level transparency shows exact AI responses and cited sources | Cost creeps "in before value feels solid" — $95/month for just 25 prompts, on top of base Surfer subscription |
| Competitor dashboard highlights gaps where rivals appear and you don't | No revenue or conversion attribution — shows you're mentioned, but can't connect to business outcomes |
| Sentiment analysis added December 2025 | Still labeled "beta" — zero dedicated user reviews on any major review platform after 8 months on market |
Bottom line: A functional early-stage product that benefits most from its integration with the existing Surfer ecosystem. Convenient for Surfer users, but still in beta with limited historical data and potential accuracy questions. Dedicated tools offer deeper AI-specific analytics.
3. Search Atlas
A growth-oriented all-in-one SEO platform that launched its LLM Visibility feature in October 2025, bundling AI visibility tracking into the platform at no extra cost — a key differentiator from competitors like Semrush that charge separately.
Key features:
- Tracks brand mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and Copilot
- 4 modular dashboards: Summary, Visibility, Sentiment, and Topics & Queries
- Share-of-voice metrics vs. competitors with sentiment analysis
- Daily data refreshes
- CMS and API integrations
- OTTO SEO automation for on-page optimization
Pricing: Starter: $99/month (1 project). Growth: $199/month (2 projects). Pro: $399/month (4 projects). Agency: $999/month (10 projects). OTTO SEO add-on: $99/month per site. 7-day free trial available.
Ratings: G2 4.7/5 (~97 reviews), Capterra 4.8/5 (~66 reviews). However, Trustpilot tells a different story: 3.6/5 (135 reviews) with a polarized distribution — 59% five-star and 33% one-star reviews.
Best for: Growth teams and agencies that want both SEO and AI visibility bundled in one platform without paying for separate add-ons.
| Bouquets | Brickbats |
|---|---|
| Victoria Kurichenko: "Search Atlas data feels more reliable than what I used to get from Ahrefs" — "overall happy with what it can do" | "Their support is truly terrible. The tools only work half the time" — Trustpilot reviewer |
| AI-powered tools called "insanely smart" — "essential, time-saving tool for managing SEO across multiple sites" (Trustpilot) | "Broken platform...huge discrepancies in data" — Trustpilot reviewer |
| AI visibility bundled at no extra cost — key differentiator vs. Semrush's separate $99/month add-on | OTTO automation warning: one user reported it "destroyed my site. The sitemap was broken, load speed was horrible, and pages were de-indexed" |
| 6 AI platforms tracked with daily data refreshes | "Source attribution and citation differentiation remain limited compared with specialized platforms" (BusinessCloud) |
| 7-day free trial available | Polarized Trustpilot reviews (3.6/5) suggest significant reliability and support issues for some users |
Bottom line: Strong value proposition with AI visibility bundled rather than charged as an add-on. Works well for agencies and experienced SEOs who want an all-in-one platform. But the polarized reviews suggest reliability and support issues that may frustrate less technical users. For deep AI visibility analytics specifically, dedicated tools offer more specialized tracking.
Free AI Visibility Tools to Start With
You don't need a budget to start tracking your AI visibility. These free tools give you a solid baseline:
1. HubSpot AEO Grader
A free tool that benchmarks your visibility against competitors across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. HubSpot's acquisition of XFunnel signals deep investment in this space. Useful for an initial assessment, but doesn't provide ongoing tracking.
2. Semrush AI Search Visibility Checker
A free limited version of Semrush's full toolkit. Great for a quick snapshot of where you stand.
3. AI Product Rankings
A free tool showing brand mentions and citations across LLMs with shareable reports.
4. Google Analytics 4 (LLM Referral Filtering)
You can set up custom regex filters in GA4 to identify and track traffic coming from LLM referrals. It's free, native, and shows you exactly which pages receive AI-driven traffic. This is the only free option that tracks actual referral traffic rather than just mentions.
How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Business
With dozens of options available, here's a decision framework based on your situation. (For growth companies exploring AI strategy more broadly, our AI guide for growth companies provides strategic context beyond just tools.)
| Your Situation | Recommended Approach | Tools to Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Just exploring | Start free, get a baseline | HubSpot AEO Grader, Semrush free checker, Hall AI free tier |
| Small business, limited budget | Basic monitoring under $50/month | Rankscale AI ($20), Keyword.com ($25), ZipTie ($29) |
| Growing business | Dedicated monitoring + clean data | Peec AI ($89–$199), Otterly AI ($189), LLMrefs ($79) |
| Already using Semrush | Add AI visibility to existing stack | Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit ($99 add-on) |
| Already using Ahrefs | Research-level AI visibility data | Ahrefs Brand Radar (some indexes free in beta) |
| Want full GEO optimization | Invest in a GEO platform | AthenaHQ ($295), Goodie AI (~$495), Profound ($499) |
| Enterprise needs | All-in-one suite with strategic support | seoClarity ($3,000+), Profound ($499+) |
The most important thing? Pick one and start. The tool you actually use consistently will deliver far more value than the "perfect" tool you never set up.
Why AI Search Visibility Tools Matter More Than Ever
If the tool list above seems overwhelming, here's the context that makes it urgent.
AI visitors convert at 5x the rate of Google organic traffic. Visitors from AI referrals convert at 14.2% compared to 2.8% for traditional Google organic traffic. Claude visitors convert at an even higher 16.8%. These are high-intent buyers who've already been pre-qualified by AI.
The gap is compounding. Brands that AI recommends get mentioned in blog posts, Reddit threads, and social media — creating new data that future AI models learn from. This makes AI even more likely to recommend them again. Brands that aren't mentioned stay absent from this cycle.
Content velocity matters. Data from Brandi AI shows that brands producing 12+ optimized content pieces per month achieve up to 200x faster visibility gains compared to those producing just four.
Reddit is the #1 influence on AI answers. This came up repeatedly across all research: Reddit is the #1 or #2 cited domain across AI platforms (behind only Wikipedia). Reddit citations in AI Overviews surged 450% in one year. If you're not actively participating in Reddit discussions relevant to your industry, you're missing a critical AI visibility signal.
Traditional SEO is no longer enough. Only 14% of AI Mode citations come from traditional top-10 Google results. Meanwhile, 40% of AI Overview sources rank below the top 10 in traditional search. The rules have changed.
Summary: Your Next Steps
AI search visibility isn't something you can afford to ignore. Gartner predicts traditional search volume will drop 25% by 2026. The businesses that start tracking and optimizing for AI search today will have a compounding advantage over those that wait.
Here's what to do right now:
- Run a free audit — use HubSpot's AEO Grader or Semrush's free checker to see where you stand
- Pick a monitoring tool — start tracking your AI visibility consistently, even with a budget option
- Optimize your content — make sure your website uses structured data, allows AI crawlers, and displays customer reviews with proper schema markup
- Engage on Reddit — AI platforms heavily cite Reddit discussions; authentic participation builds authority that AI systems recognize
- Consider a GEO platform — if you're serious about competing, invest in tools that actively help you improve, not just monitor
- Track progress monthly — AI visibility compounds over time, so consistent effort delivers exponential returns
The biggest mistake you can make right now is waiting. Every month you delay, your competitors are building the AI visibility that will be increasingly hard to compete against.
Start with a free tool today. See what AI says about your brand. Then take the first step to change the answer. For a complete strategy on making your brand the go-to recommendation, read our guide on building AI visibility for your brand.
FAQ
What is the best free AI search visibility tool?
HubSpot's AEO Grader and Semrush's free AI Search Visibility Checker are the best starting points. Hall AI also offers a free tier with 1 project and 25 questions. For ongoing traffic tracking, set up LLM referral filtering in Google Analytics 4 — it's the only free option that shows actual referral traffic from AI platforms.
How much do AI visibility tools cost?
Prices range from free to $4,500+/month. Basic monitoring starts at $20–30/month (Rankscale AI, Keyword.com, ZipTie). Mid-range tools with deeper features run $79–$299/month (LLMrefs, Peec AI, Otterly AI, AthenaHQ). Full GEO platforms cost $400–$500+/month (Goodie AI, Profound). Enterprise suites range from $2,500–$4,500/month (seoClarity). The industry average is approximately $337/month.
Do I need an AI visibility tool if I already use an SEO tool?
Yes — but check if your existing tool already includes AI visibility features. Semrush, Ahrefs, and SE Ranking all have AI visibility add-ons or modules. Traditional SEO tools track Google rankings, but only 14% of AI Mode citations come from top-10 Google results. AI visibility is a different metric that requires different tracking.
Which AI search visibility tool is best for small businesses?
SE Ranking ($65+/month with AI tracking), Rankscale AI ($20/month), or ZipTie ($29/month) offer the best value. Reddit users on r/TechSEO validated ZipTie as "affordable and functional" for basic competitor visibility tracking. Start with a free audit from HubSpot or Semrush before committing to a paid tool.
How often should I check my AI visibility?
Weekly at minimum, daily if you're actively optimizing. Keep in mind that AI responses show 40–60% monthly citation drift — so don't overreact to short-term fluctuations. Look for directional trends over weeks and months rather than daily swings. Most paid tools offer automated reporting.
Can AI visibility tools actually improve my visibility, or do they just track it?
Most tools are stronger at monitoring than optimization. Monitoring tools (Peec AI, LLMrefs, Otterly AI) track your visibility but leave strategy to you. GEO platforms (AthenaHQ, Profound, Goodie AI) provide optimization recommendations, but independent testers consistently note these recommendations are still maturing. As one reviewer put it: "No tool will magically fix your AI visibility. They just help you understand where you are." The real work — content strategy, Reddit presence, authority building, and structured data implementation — remains manual. One proven approach is leveraging customer reviews to boost your AI search visibility.
Are user reviews of AI visibility tools trustworthy?
Be cautious. A recent study by Originality.AI found that more than 26% of G2 reviews are AI-generated since ChatGPT launched. Many review articles are published by competing tools or affiliate sites. The most reliable feedback comes from independent testers who do hands-on testing and from Reddit/forum discussions where users share experiences without financial incentives.
