SurfacedBy vs Otterly AI
Similar starting prices, different approaches. Here's an honest look at how SurfacedBy and Otterly AI compare for AI visibility monitoring.
The Quick Verdict
SurfacedBy and Otterly AI are close in entry price ($25/mo vs $29/mo), but differ significantly in approach. SurfacedBy includes all AI platforms by tier with no add-on fees, provides 8 research-backed recommendation types that tell you exactly what to fix, and offers a free audit to evaluate before paying. Otterly AI charges extra for Google AI Mode, Gemini, and Claude on top of the base price, and provides GEO auditing with fix suggestions rather than structured action plans. Otterly has strong advantages for agencies: 40+ country support, Looker Studio connector, a public API and MCP server, free GEO tools, and a rebuilt AI Readiness audit with 13 scoring categories. The trade-off is cost-per-platform: Otterly now tracks Claude, but as a paid add-on ($29 - $439/mo) rather than included, so the more platforms you track the wider the price gap.
Feature Comparison
How the two platforms compare across monitoring, analytics, pricing, and integrations.
| Feature | SurfacedBy | Otterly AI |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring | ||
| AI platforms monitored | 5 included by tier (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, AI Mode) | 4 base + 3 paid add-ons (AI Mode, Gemini, Claude) |
| Claude (Anthropic) tracking | All paid plans | Paid add-on ($29 - $439/mo) |
| Google AI Mode | Professional+ | Paid add-on ($9 - $149/mo) |
| Prompts tracked | Up to 350 | Up to 400 |
| Check frequency | Daily Check + Full Check | Daily (weekly refresh cycle) |
| Multi-country tracking | 12 countries (per-prompt) | 40+ countries |
| Analytics & Insights | ||
| AI Visibility Score | ||
| Citation tracking | ||
| Sentiment Analysis | Full breakdown | Enthusiastic / cautious / dismissal |
| AI Content Readiness Score | Automated on every scan (30 to 250 pages per domain) | Manual GEO audits you trigger (1K to 10K quota per month) |
| Readiness audits run automatically | ||
| Quota for on-demand page checks | 50 to 1,000 per day by plan (separate from automated) | Shared with automated quota (1K to 10K per month total) |
| AI Prompt Discovery | Ongoing (after each check) | AI Prompt Research tool |
| Actionable recommendations | 8 types with specific action steps | GEO audit fix suggestions |
| Executive Brief | ||
| Weekly Action Brief | ||
| Competitor intelligence profiles | AI-synthesized (Professional+) | |
| Read actual AI responses | ||
| Competitor auto-discovery | ||
| Per-domain extras beyond prompts | Brand Themes with sentiment, Google AIO, on-page audit, competitor profiles, executive brief | GEO audit |
| Pricing & Access | ||
| Starting price | $25/mo | $29/mo |
| Free audit (no sign-up) | ||
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days (50 prompts) |
| Engine add-on costs | All included by tier | $9 - $149/mo per engine |
| Integrations & Extras | ||
| GSC + GA4 integration | GSC + GA4 | |
| Automated weekly reports | Email (Professional+) | |
| Looker Studio connector | Standard+ | |
| Semrush integration | ||
| Free GEO tools (no account) | llms.txt generator + bot checker | Content Audit, Creator, Crawlability Check |
| Data exports | CSV | |
| API access | Professional (read), Agency (read + write). On-demand scans for anyone via SurfacedBy Console. | Public API + MCP server (Standard plan and up) |
Monitoring
AI platforms monitored
Claude (Anthropic) tracking
Google AI Mode
Prompts tracked
Check frequency
Multi-country tracking
Analytics & Insights
AI Visibility Score
Citation tracking
Sentiment Analysis
AI Content Readiness Score
Readiness audits run automatically
Quota for on-demand page checks
AI Prompt Discovery
Actionable recommendations
Executive Brief
Weekly Action Brief
Competitor intelligence profiles
Read actual AI responses
Competitor auto-discovery
Per-domain extras beyond prompts
Pricing & Access
Starting price
Free audit (no sign-up)
Free trial
Engine add-on costs
Integrations & Extras
GSC + GA4 integration
Automated weekly reports
Looker Studio connector
Semrush integration
Free GEO tools (no account)
Data exports
API access
Pricing Comparison
SurfacedBy starts at $25/mo. Otterly AI starts at $29/mo. But watch out for add-on costs.
SurfacedBy
All platforms included by tier
1 domain , 15 prompts , 3 platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity) , Daily Check + Full Check
5 domains , 100 prompts , All 5 platforms (adds Claude + AI Mode) + AI Overviews , Content, community + outreach
10 fully monitored domains , 350 prompts , All 5 platforms + AI Overviews , Command center + read/write API
All plans include a 7-day free trial. Free audit with 30 real AI checks across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.
Otterly AI
Base price + engine add-ons
15 prompts , 4 base engines , 1 workspace , 1K GEO audits/mo
100 prompts , Unlimited workspaces , Looker Studio , 5K GEO audits/mo
400 prompts , All features , 10K GEO audits/mo , Priority support
Google AI Mode and Gemini are paid add-ons ($9-$149/mo each). Free trial available.
SurfacedBy includes all platforms by tier. Otterly charges extra for AI Mode and Gemini.
Where SurfacedBy leads
Claude Monitoring Included
SurfacedBy monitors Claude (Anthropic) on all paid plans at no extra cost. Otterly tracks Claude only as a paid add-on ($29 to $439/mo). Claude is one of the most important AI platforms for brand recommendations.
No Hidden Add-On Costs
All AI platforms are included by tier. No surprise fees for Google AI Mode or Gemini. What you see on the pricing page is what you pay.
Closes the Loop on AI Visibility
SurfacedBy does not just recommend. It helps you act with content briefs and drafts, human-approved replies in AI-cited conversations, and publisher outreach, then re-measures whether the published work moved your AI visibility. Otterly's GEO audit gives page-level fix suggestions but stops at the suggestion.
Audits Run Automatically
Every scan audits 30 to 250 pages per domain with zero clicks. Otterly's GEO Audit is user-triggered, and every audit you run eats into your monthly quota. Your on-demand budget stays free for competitor research and pre-publish checks.
Where Otterly AI leads
40+ Country Coverage
Otterly supports multi-country and multi-language AI search tracking across 40+ regions. SurfacedBy currently focuses on English-language responses.
Agency-Friendly Reporting
Looker Studio connector, Semrush integration, a public API and MCP server (Standard plan and up), unlimited workspaces, and GEO URL auditing with 25+ on-page factors. Strong toolset for agencies managing multiple clients.
Which one should you choose?
Choose SurfacedBy if...
- You want all AI platforms included in your plan with no add-on fees
- You want Claude monitoring included, not billed as a paid add-on
- You want actionable recommendations, not just visibility data
- You prefer a free audit before committing to a trial
- You want executive briefs and weekly action plans after each check
- You need competitor auto-discovery (no manual setup)
Choose Otterly AI if...
- You need multi-country tracking across 40+ regions
- You want Looker Studio integration for custom reporting
- You need detailed page-level GEO auditing with 13 scoring categories
- You use Semrush and want an integrated workflow
- You want a public API or MCP server from a mid-tier plan
- You manage multiple client workspaces as an agency
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
Does Otterly AI monitor Claude?
Yes, but only as a paid add-on. Otterly added Claude (Anthropic) tracking at $29 to $439/mo on top of the base plan price, alongside the Google AI Mode and Gemini add-ons. SurfacedBy includes Claude on all paid plans at no extra cost, so the more platforms you track the wider the price gap.
Are Google AI Mode and Gemini included in Otterly's price?
No. Otterly AI charges an additional $9 to $149/mo per engine for Google AI Mode and Gemini as add-ons on top of the base plan price. SurfacedBy includes these platforms by tier with no extra fees. Gemini is included from the $25/mo Starter, and Google AI Mode from Professional ($179/mo).
Does SurfacedBy have GEO auditing like Otterly?
Both tools help you optimize for AI, but they work differently. SurfacedBy runs content readiness audits automatically on every scan, covering 30 to 250 pages per domain (by plan) without anyone clicking a button. Otterly's GEO Audit is user-triggered: you open the tool and launch audits yourself, and each audit eats into your monthly quota (1K to 10K runs per month depending on plan). With SurfacedBy you also get a separate on-demand Content Checker budget (50 to 1,000 per day) for ad-hoc checks on any URL. Different workflows, different trade-offs.
Which tool is better for agencies?
Otterly AI has stronger agency features: unlimited workspaces, Looker Studio connector, Semrush integration, and free GEO tools that require no account. SurfacedBy is better suited for individual brands and SaaS companies who want actionable recommendations, executive briefs, and weekly action plans. If you manage many clients and need custom reporting across 40+ countries, Otterly may be the better fit.
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