Best AI Visibility Tools in 2026
15 tools that track how AI recommends your brand, compared on live pricing, platform coverage, citation depth, conversion tracking, and free tiers. We checked every price against the vendor's own site, and we say plainly where each tool beats ours.
What to look for in an AI visibility tool
AI search is reshaping how customers discover brands. These four criteria separate the tools more than any feature list.
Platform Coverage
How many AI engines does the tool monitor, and which ones are actually included in the price you pay? Several tools gate Claude or Google AI Mode behind add-ons or enterprise tiers.
Insights and execution
Does the tool just show you data, tell you what to fix, or actually help you act on it? The strongest tools close the loop: recommend, help you publish or engage, then re-measure.
Pricing Transparency
Can you see prices upfront and start without a sales call? Credit meters and per-engine add-ons can push the real cost far above the sticker price.
Ease of Use
How quickly can you go from sign-up to first insight? Look for tools with free audits, intuitive dashboards, and minimal onboarding friction.
All 15 tools at a glance
Starting price, platform coverage, whether the tool shows which sources AI cites, conversion tracking, and free entry points.
| Tool | Starting price | AI platforms | Source-level citations | Conversion tracking | Free tier / audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurfacedBy | $25/mo | 5 | Cited sources + full AI answers | All paid plans (native) | Free audit (no signup) |
| Profound | $99/mo (ChatGPT only) | 9 | Gated report | ||
| Peec AI | $80/mo (annual) | 6 | |||
| Evertune | $800/mo | 10 | Score-focused (AI Brand Index) | ||
| AthenaHQ | $295/mo | 8 | Via GA4 + Shopify | Free plan (300 credits) | |
| Scrunch AI | $250/mo (annual) | 7 | |||
| Otterly AI | $29/mo | 7 | Free GEO tools | ||
| Semrush AI Visibility | $99/mo (annual) | 5 | GA-estimated | Basic checker | |
| Ahrefs Brand Radar | $328+/mo combined | 7 | Basic checker | ||
| Goodie AI | $399/mo (3 engines) | 12 | Via Google Analytics | Free audit tools | |
| Knowatoa | $59/mo | 7 | Free audit | ||
| Rankscale | $20/mo | 10 | Free engine test | ||
| Gumshoe AI | $99/mo | 11 | Citation Audit (Pro) | 3 free reports | |
| Brandlight AI | ~$3,000+/mo (estimate) | 6 | Announced, not shipped | ||
| Nightwatch | EUR 79/mo | 5 | Citation Intelligence |
SurfacedBy
- Starting price
- $25/mo
- AI platforms
- 5
- Source-level citations
- Cited sources + full AI answers
- Conversion tracking
- All paid plans (native)
- Free tier / audit
- Free audit (no signup)
Profound
- Starting price
- $99/mo (ChatGPT only)
- AI platforms
- 9
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
- Gated report
Peec AI
- Starting price
- $80/mo (annual)
- AI platforms
- 6
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
Evertune
- Starting price
- $800/mo
- AI platforms
- 10
- Source-level citations
- Score-focused (AI Brand Index)
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
AthenaHQ
- Starting price
- $295/mo
- AI platforms
- 8
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Via GA4 + Shopify
- Free tier / audit
- Free plan (300 credits)
Scrunch AI
- Starting price
- $250/mo (annual)
- AI platforms
- 7
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
Otterly AI
- Starting price
- $29/mo
- AI platforms
- 7
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
- Free GEO tools
Semrush AI Visibility
- Starting price
- $99/mo (annual)
- AI platforms
- 5
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- GA-estimated
- Free tier / audit
- Basic checker
Ahrefs Brand Radar
- Starting price
- $328+/mo combined
- AI platforms
- 7
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
- Basic checker
Goodie AI
- Starting price
- $399/mo (3 engines)
- AI platforms
- 12
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Via Google Analytics
- Free tier / audit
- Free audit tools
Knowatoa
- Starting price
- $59/mo
- AI platforms
- 7
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
- Free audit
Rankscale
- Starting price
- $20/mo
- AI platforms
- 10
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
- Free engine test
Gumshoe AI
- Starting price
- $99/mo
- AI platforms
- 11
- Source-level citations
- Citation Audit (Pro)
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
- 3 free reports
Brandlight AI
- Starting price
- ~$3,000+/mo (estimate)
- AI platforms
- 6
- Source-level citations
- Conversion tracking
- Announced, not shipped
- Free tier / audit
Nightwatch
- Starting price
- EUR 79/mo
- AI platforms
- 5
- Source-level citations
- Citation Intelligence
- Conversion tracking
- Free tier / audit
The tools in detail
SurfacedBy
AI visibility monitoring plus the closed loop to act on it
SurfacedBy monitors how ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode talk about a brand from $25/mo, then closes the loop with recommendations, content, community engagement, and publisher outreach the user approves, re-measuring visibility after the work ships.
Key features
- Real per-prompt checks across 5 platforms plus Google AI Overviews, daily
- 8 recommendation types with action steps, executive briefs, and weekly action plans
- Native conversion attribution ties AI traffic to revenue on all paid plans
- AI Content Readiness score updates automatically on every scan
- Free audit with 30 real AI checks (no signup needed)
Limitations
- Newer brand than the incumbent SEO suites
- No Copilot, Grok, or Meta AI tracking
Best for: Founders, marketers, and teams who want to see where they stand in AI answers and act on it, not just monitor.
Profound
Enterprise AI visibility with exclusive prompt volume data
Profound has raised more than any tool in this category ($155M+ at a $1B valuation) and is the only one selling prompt volume data from real consumer panels; its $99/mo Starter plan tracks ChatGPT only.
Key features
- Exclusive prompt volume data from consumer panels (Enterprise)
- Shopping Visibility for ChatGPT product recommendations
- Agent Analytics for server-side bot crawl monitoring
- Aim background agent for always-on monitoring and coordination (Enterprise)
Limitations
- Starter ($99/mo) covers ChatGPT only; Claude and AI Mode require custom-priced Enterprise
- 1 to 3 month ramp before insights are clearly actionable
Best for: Fortune 500 brands that need prompt volume data and enterprise-grade support.
Full comparisonPeec AI
AI search analytics with multi-country coverage
Peec AI runs daily AI search analytics for 3,000+ brands and agencies from $80/mo on annual billing, on a model where every plan includes 3 AI models of the buyer's choice and extra models cost $30 to $165/mo each.
Key features
- Multi-country tracking with 115+ languages
- Unlimited user seats on all plans
- AI Shopping analytics with SKU-level visibility
- Agency plans with pitch project features
Limitations
- Only 3 models per plan; extras are paid add-ons
- Claude is available only through Enterprise API models
- No recommendations, briefs, free audit, or conversion attribution
Best for: Mid-market teams that need multi-country tracking and unlimited seats.
Full comparisonEvertune
High-volume prompt sampling from ex-Trade Desk founders
Evertune samples every prompt 100 times per AI model, a methodology it says brings the margin of error down to about 1 point, and sells that depth with content generation and AI advertising from $800/mo behind a sales demo.
Key features
- Deepest sampling methodology in the category (100x per prompt per model)
- EverPanel prompt library built from real user conversations
- AI advertising: ChatGPT ads, AI retargeting, affiliate partnerships
- 25 AI-optimized articles per month on Pro
Limitations
- No self-serve signup, free trial, or free tier
- Trackers refresh every 30 days by default
- No public reporting API yet
Best for: Enterprise brands that want panel-grade measurement precision and AI advertising in one contract.
Full comparisonAthenaHQ
AEO platform with an Action Center task queue
AthenaHQ, a Y Combinator W25 company, turns AI visibility monitoring into an assignable task queue through its Action Center, with a free 300-response plan and a credit-metered Starter at $295/mo.
Key features
- Action Center converts monitoring into assignable on-page and off-page tasks
- ACE engine predicts citation probability before you publish (Enterprise)
- Unlimited team members on every plan, including the free one
- Copilot and Grok tracking
Limitations
- Credit-metered billing makes $295/mo a floor, not a ceiling
- API access costs extra even on the paid Starter tier
- Best features are Enterprise-gated
Best for: Teams that want a task-queue workflow on top of AI search monitoring.
Full comparisonScrunch AI
Enterprise AI search intelligence, now part of Sitecore
Scrunch AI, acquired by Sitecore for a reported $225M in June 2026, tracks 7 AI ecosystems on every tier from $250/mo, with SOC 2 Type II compliance and an Agent Experience Platform that serves AI agents a cleaner version of your site.
Key features
- 7 AI ecosystems on every tier, Claude and AI Mode included
- Agent Experience Platform (AXP) for AI bot optimization
- Enterprise security: SOC 2 Type II, RBAC
- New 7-day free trial with instant signup
Limitations
- Starter is $250/mo, 10x SurfacedBy's entry
- No prescriptive recommendations, briefs, or content readiness scoring
Best for: Enterprise organizations with compliance needs and multi-brand portfolios.
Full comparisonOtterly AI
AI search monitoring with GEO auditing and multi-country coverage
Otterly AI monitors AI search across 50+ countries from $29/mo, with ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Copilot in the base price and Claude, Gemini, and AI Mode sold as per-engine add-ons at $9 to $439/mo.
Key features
- Rebuilt Crawlability Checker + Content Checker with 13-category AI Readiness scoring
- 50+ country and multi-language support
- Looker Studio connector, public API, and MCP server (Standard+)
- Free GEO tools with no account needed
Limitations
- Only 4 AI platforms in the base price; the rest are per-engine add-ons
- No GA4 or GSC integration
Best for: SEO professionals and agencies needing multi-country AI search tracking with Looker Studio reporting.
Full comparisonSemrush AI Visibility
AI visibility inside the Semrush SEO platform, now an Adobe company
Semrush, an Adobe company since April 2026, sells AI visibility as a $99/mo standalone toolkit (25 prompts, billed annually) or inside SEO + AI Search plans from $199/mo, measuring five surfaces with simulated prompts rather than live per-user queries.
Key features
- 260M+ prompt research database
- Brand sentiment and narrative driver analysis
- Full Semrush SEO toolkit on the bundled plans
- AI-Readiness site audit
Limitations
- No Claude tracking
- Standalone toolkit tracks only 25 prompts; no trial on it
- Measures visibility but does not prescribe specific actions
Best for: SEO teams already in the Semrush ecosystem who want AI visibility alongside keyword workflows.
Full comparisonAhrefs Brand Radar
AI visibility add-on for the Ahrefs SEO platform
Ahrefs Brand Radar layers a prompt database the vendor puts at up to 475M+ monthly prompts over the Ahrefs SEO suite; reaching it costs a base Ahrefs subscription plus $199/mo per AI index, or $699/mo for all of them.
Key features
- Largest organic-prompt database in the category (vendor claim)
- Integrated with the full Ahrefs SEO toolkit
- YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit surfaces (free while in beta)
- Grok index included on the all-platforms bundle
Limitations
- No Claude prompt database (custom prompts only, at 8x check cost)
- Chatbot indexes refresh monthly
- Data only: no recommendations, briefs, or sentiment
Best for: Teams already using Ahrefs who want AI visibility data in their existing SEO workflow.
Full comparisonGoodie AI
Full-stack AEO platform with execution agents and commerce tracking
Goodie AI is the only tool in this roundup tracking Amazon Rufus and Walmart Sparky at the SKU level, pairing up to 12 engines with execution agents from a $399/mo entry tier that covers 3 of them.
Key features
- AI shopping-engine coverage: Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, SKU-level
- Execution agents: content writer, outreach, technical repair, social
- MCP server access on all tiers
- Revenue attribution via Google Analytics
Limitations
- $399/mo entry covers only 3 engines, 100 prompts, and 10 metered actions/mo
- Claude, AI Mode, Grok, and the full API are Enterprise-only, with unpublished pricing
Best for: Commerce and enterprise brands that want AI shopping-engine coverage and built-in agents.
Full comparisonKnowatoa
AI search visibility with unlimited domains
Knowatoa includes unlimited tracked domains on every plan, with ChatGPT, AI Overviews, and Google AI Mode at $59/mo and all 7 services including Claude and Meta AI at $199/mo.
Key features
- Unlimited domains on every plan
- Google AI Mode tracking from the cheapest tier
- Accuracy monitoring for wrong AI claims about your brand
- API, MCP, and Looker Studio on Growth
Limitations
- Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Meta AI require Growth ($199/mo)
- Question caps are no longer published
- No content readiness scoring or structured recommendations
Best for: Teams with many domains who want AI Mode tracking from day one.
Full comparisonRankscale
Credit-based AI visibility tracker with user-set check schedules
Rankscale is the cheapest entry in the category at $20/mo, a credit-based tracker from a bootstrapped Austrian team covering 10 platforms through 17+ engine configurations, with check schedules from bi-hourly to monthly.
Key features
- Check schedules from bi-hourly to monthly, tuned against a credit budget
- White-label dashboards, Looker Studio, and a management API for agencies
- 240+ countries
- Free engine test with no registration
Limitations
- Credit-metered usage needs planning
- Audit-driven recommendations; your team implements the fixes
- Technical learning curve noted by reviewers
Best for: Technical SEOs and agencies that want budget-tunable tracking with white-label reporting.
Full comparisonGumshoe AI
Persona-driven AI visibility audits
Gumshoe AI reverse-engineers the prompts a brand's buyer personas would ask and audits 11 claimed model families against them, with 3 free report runs, plans from $99/mo, and pay-as-you-go pricing at $0.20 per conversation.
Key features
- Persona-first prompt generation
- Full conversation transcripts for every tested prompt
- Per-client agency workspaces with cross-client benchmarking
- Pay-as-you-go option with no subscription
Limitations
- Recurring tiers monitor narrow snapshots between monthly full audits
- No GA4 integration or traffic attribution
Best for: Agencies and consultants doing project-based audit work.
Full comparisonBrandlight AI
Enterprise AI visibility governance with an AI ads product
Brandlight AI has raised $36M to sell AI visibility governance to large enterprises and launched an AI-native Ads product in 2026; it publishes no pricing, and third-party estimates put contracts around $3,000 to $15,000+/mo.
Key features
- AI Ads intelligence for ad measurement in AI environments
- Agentic Commerce module for product visibility where AI agents buy
- Enterprise HQ view for multi-brand, multi-region portfolios
- SOC 2 Type II
Limitations
- No public pricing, self-serve signup, or free trial
- Platform count not published (6+ engines named on-site)
Best for: Large enterprises that need AI visibility governance and AI advertising intelligence.
Full comparisonNightwatch
SEO rank tracker with built-in LLM visibility tracking
Nightwatch joins AI visibility to 13 years of rank-tracking data: every plan from EUR 79/mo includes LLM prompt tracking across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity, mapped back to the search rankings that feed AI citations.
Key features
- Citation Intelligence maps AI citations to keyword rankings
- Rank tracking, AI visibility, GSC, and GA in one dashboard
- Sentiment on every AI mention, refreshed daily
- Unlimited seats and unlimited white-label reports
Limitations
- AI module is young, with modest quotas (50 prompts on the entry tier)
- 4 to 5 LLM platforms; no Grok, DeepSeek, or Meta AI
- No AI-referral traffic attribution
Best for: SEO teams that want AI visibility joined to their existing rank-tracking workflow.
Our methodology
We verified every price, platform count, and free-tier claim on this page against each vendor's own pricing and product pages, and we re-check the full list on a recurring schedule (the date in the pill above is the last full pass). Where a vendor publishes no pricing, we label third-party estimates as estimates. We evaluated on platform coverage, depth of actionable insights, pricing transparency, and ease of getting started. We did not receive compensation from any tool listed here.
SurfacedBy is our own product. We've done our best to represent competitors accurately based on their public pricing pages and documentation as of June 2026. We encourage you to try each tool yourself. Pricing and features may have changed since publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best AI visibility tool in 2026?
It depends on what you need the tool to do. SurfacedBy is the strongest pick for teams that want to act on their visibility, with recommendations, briefs, and an approval-gated action loop from $25/mo. Profound leads for enterprise prompt volume data, Rankscale is the cheapest tracker at $20/mo, Goodie AI is unique for AI shopping engines, and AthenaHQ has the best free plan. The comparison table above shows all 15 side by side.
How much do AI visibility tools cost?
The verified range in this roundup runs from $20/mo (Rankscale) to third-party-estimated $15,000+/mo enterprise contracts (Brandlight). Most self-serve tools land between $25/mo and $300/mo for a single brand. Watch the pricing model, not just the sticker: several tools meter usage by credits or sell AI platforms as per-engine add-ons, so the effective price can be well above the entry price.
Are there free AI visibility tools?
Several tools in this list have a free way in: SurfacedBy runs a free audit with real AI checks and no signup, AthenaHQ has a genuinely free plan with 300 response credits per month, Gumshoe AI gives 3 free report runs, Rankscale offers a free engine test, and Semrush and Ahrefs both provide basic free checkers. None of the free options replace paid monitoring, but they are enough to see where a brand stands today.
What does an AI visibility tool actually do?
It asks AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Mode, and others) the questions your buyers ask, then records whether your brand is mentioned, how it is described, which competitors appear, and which sources the AI cites. The better tools also tell you what to change to show up more often, and the best ones measure whether those changes worked.
How is AI visibility different from SEO rank tracking?
Rank tracking measures where a page sits in a search results list. AI visibility measures whether a brand appears inside a generated answer, which depends on citations, sources, and how the model describes you. Some SEO suites (Semrush, Ahrefs, Nightwatch) bolt AI tracking onto rank tracking, while dedicated tools query the AI platforms directly with real prompts. Both approaches appear in this roundup, labeled as such.
Related comparisons
See how SurfacedBy stacks up against other AI visibility tools.
SurfacedBy vs Peec AI
Peec AI uses a 'choose 3 platforms' model and charges extra for more. See how our all-inclusive tiers and actionable recommendations compare.
SurfacedBy vs Evertune
Evertune samples each prompt 100 times but starts at $800/mo behind a sales demo. See what daily checks plus an action loop deliver for $25/mo.
SurfacedBy vs Otterly AI
Similar entry prices, different strengths. Compare our included platforms and actionable recommendations to Otterly's GEO auditing and multi-country coverage.
SurfacedBy vs AthenaHQ
AthenaHQ pairs monitoring with an Action Center task queue at a credit-metered $295/mo. Compare our flat $25/mo entry and closed action loop.
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