TL;DR
AI search is replacing Google for a lot of queries. These tools help you figure out if your brand actually appears in AI-generated answers.
Quick picks:
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Tight budget: Otterly AI ($29/mo) or HubSpot AEO Grader (free)
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Just getting started: Peec AI (€89/mo) or Searchable ($50/mo)
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Enterprise: Profound ($499/mo) or Evertune
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Want content creation too: Gauge ($100/mo+)
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Low brand authority or common name: friction AI (free tier)
What Are AI Visibility Tools?
Before diving in, it helps to understand the core metrics these tools measure: AI visibility, brand recognition, sentiment, and purchase intent.
These tools track how your brand shows up in AI-generated answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.
Here's the thing: when someone asks AI "what's the best project management tool?" the AI doesn't give you a list of 10 blue links. It gives one answer. Maybe two. Unlike Google where you can rank on page 1 and still get traffic, AI search is basically winner-take-all. If you're not in the answer, you don't exist.
These tools help you:
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See whether AI actually mentions your brand
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Track how often you show up vs competitors
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Measure sentiment (what AI says about you)
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Find gaps where you're missing from conversations you should be in
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Understand which sources AI pulls from when talking about your space
You'll also hear this category called AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) or GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Same thing, different names.
Why This Matters
Some numbers floating around the industry:
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37% of product discovery queries now start in AI interfaces
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LLM-driven traffic is up 800% year-over-year
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AI visitors apparently convert at 4.4x the rate of traditional organic visitors
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73% of brand mentions in AI happen without any trackable referral traffic
That last one is the kicker. Your brand could be getting mentioned (or not) in thousands of AI conversations and you'd have no idea. These tools give you visibilty into what's otherwise a complete black box.
What to Look For
When evaluating these tools, pay attention to:
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Platform coverage - Which AI models does it actually track? ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews?
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Metrics - Visibility, sentiment, citations, share of voice
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Pricing model - Some charge per prompt, others per brand, others flat rate
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Actionability - Does it just show you data, or does it help you do something about it?
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Data methodology - Are they using APIs or actually monitoring the real user interface? (This matters more than you'd think)
The Tools
1. Profound
Best for: Enterprise brands with budget
Profound positions itself as the enterprise leader here. They got named G2's Leader in the AEO category for Winter 2026, which is a pretty big deal for a new category.
What's good:
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Conversation Explorer that shows real-time AI search volume (this is unique)
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Monitors ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, Copilot
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Profound Index that ranks brands across 12 industries
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SOC 2 compliant if that matters to your security team
Pricing: Starts at $499/month for 200 prompts
The catch: That price puts it out of reach for most SMBs. Also it's monitoring only - they tell you what's happening but don't help you fix it.
2. Peec AI
Best for: Teams new to AI visibility
Peec AI is a Berlin-based startup that raised €21M in Series A. They've kept the interface simple which is actually refreshing in this space.
What's good:
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Tracks visibility, position, and sentiment
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Covers ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek
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Uses UI scraping so you see what real users see
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Unlimited seats (nice for teams)
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Solid competitor benchmarking
Pricing: Starts at €89/month (~$103) for 25 prompts
The catch: It's monitoring only. Shows you the problem but doesn't give you a playbook to fix it.
3. Otterly AI
Best for: Budget-conscious teams, Semrush users
Otterly AI has one of the lowest entry points in the category, and they've got a nice Semrush integration if you're already in that ecosystem.
What's good:
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Tracks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Copilot
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Brand mention tracking and citation monitoring
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Plugs right into Semrush
Pricing: Starts at just $29/month for 15 prompts
The catch: 15 prompts isn't much. You'll probably need to upgrade pretty quick. Feature set is more basic than the pricier options.
4. Evertune
Best for: Fortune 500 brands, retail and e-commerce
Evertune was started by early Trade Desk people and they've raised $19M. Big focus on shopping intelligence which makes sense given the background.
What's good:
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AI Brand Score benchmark
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Shopping Intelligence for tracking product recommendations
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Content analytics that shows which URLs are actually influencing AI
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Solid multi-platform monitoring
Pricing: Enterprise (you'll need to talk to sales)
The catch: Very much enterprise-focused. Probably overkill if you're a startup or SMB.
5. Gauge
Best for: Data-driven teams who want monitoring AND content
Gauge is trying to be more than just monitoring. They include content generation which is diferent from most tools in this list.
What's good:
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Monitors 7+ AI platforms
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Gives you content recommendations based on gap analysis
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Actually generates articles for you (included in plans)
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Uses real web experience monitoring, not just APIs
Pricing: Starts at $100/month (Starter) or $599/month (Growth with more content)
The catch: Higher price point. And AI-generated content quality can be hit or miss depending on your standards.
6. Searchable
Best for: Teams wanting the full stack - monitoring plus content
Searchable is UK-based and raised €3.4M at a €34M valuation. They've grown to 12,000+ users pretty quickly.
What's good:
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HubSpot and Salesforce integrations
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Technical SEO audits for AI crawlability
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AI agent that learns your brand voice
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Full-stack approach (monitoring + content)
Pricing: Starts at $50/month for 50 prompts
The catch: UK-based so support hours might not work great if you're in the US. No white-label option if you're an agency. Platform is still pretty new (founded 2025).
7. friction AI
Best for: SMBs and brands with low brand authority or common word names
friction AI takes a slightly different angle - they focus on brand recognition specifically. Not just "are you mentioned" but "does AI actually know who you are?"
What's good:
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Brand recognition scoring (does AI confuse you with something else?)
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Visibility, sentiment, purchase intent tracking
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Covers ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
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Has a free tier
Pricing: Free tier available, paid plans from $119/month
The catch: Newer platform with a dynamic smaller team than some of the enterprise players.
8. SE Ranking Visible
Best for: SEO teams already using SE Ranking
SE Ranking Visible bolted AI visibility tracking onto their existing SEO suite. Smart move.
What's good:
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AI visibility sitting alongside your traditional SEO metrics
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ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, AI Overviews coverage
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Fits into existing SEO workflows
Pricing: Starts at $99/month for 150 prompts
The catch: Really only makes sense if you're already using SE Ranking for SEO.
9. Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit
Best for: People already paying for Semrush
Semrush added AI visibility features to their platform. They also have a free checker tool anyone can use.
What's good:
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Free AI Search Visibility Checker (good for a quick look)
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Scans ChatGPT, Gemini, SearchGPT, Perplexity
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Enterprise option for deeper insights
Pricing: Free tool available. Enterprise pricing if you want the full thing.
The catch: The free tool is pretty basic. The good stuff requires a Semrush subscription.
10. HubSpot AEO Grader
Best for: Quick free check before you commit to anything
HubSpot's AEO Grader is free and gives you a decent snapshot.
What's good:
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Actually free
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Covers ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini
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Includes competitive analysis
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Sentiment scoring
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Source quality assessment
Pricing: Free
The catch: It's a one-time snapshot, not ongoing monitoring. Fine for a quick check but you'll need something else for continuous tracking.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Starting Price | Platforms | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profound | $499/mo | 4+ | Enterprise |
| Peec AI | €89/mo | 5+ | Beginners |
| Otterly AI | $29/mo | 6+ | Budget |
| Evertune | Enterprise | 5+ | Fortune 500 |
| Gauge | $100/mo | 7+ | Data + content |
| Searchable | $50/mo | Multiple | Full-stack |
| friction AI | Free tier | 4+ | SMBs, brand recognition |
| SE Ranking | $99/mo | 4+ | SEO teams |
| Semrush | Free + paid | 4+ | Semrush users |
| HubSpot | Free | 3 | Quick check |
So How Do You Choose?
Got enterprise budget: Profound or Evertune
Just starting out: Peec AI, Otterly AI, friction ai, or just use HubSpot's free tool first
Want monitoring AND content help: Gauge or Searchable
Have a common word name or low brand authority: friction AI (this is literally their focus)
Already paying for SEO tools: SE Ranking or Semrush depending on what you use
Final Thoughts
This is a new category and honestly things are moving fast. Most of these tools offer free trials so just test a few before you commit to anything.
The real mistake is not tracking at all. McKinsey reports only 16% of brands systematically track AI search performance. Whether you go with a premium platform or start with the free options, you should at least know how AI sees your brand. Because your customers are definitely asking.
Disclosure: friction AI is on this list. We tried to be fair and neutral across the board.