Best GEO Tools Compared (2026)

The definitive, neutral comparison of every AI visibility platform. Pricing, features, engine coverage, and honest assessments.

Last updated: February 2026 · 2,800 words · 12 min read

Quick Answer: The GEO tools market divides into three categories: (1) Monitoring-only tools like Otterly and Profound that track AI visibility, (2) Optimization tools like Peec and Writesonic that help improve content for AI, and (3) Full-loop platforms like Trustable that combine monitoring with optimization. For agencies managing multiple brands, Otterly offers the best multi-brand features at $99/mo. For enterprise analytics, Profound leads at $149/mo. For budget-conscious teams, Searchable ($79/mo) or free tiers (Knowatoa, Trustable) provide entry points. The right choice depends on whether you need monitoring only, optimization only, or both.

Contents

Master Comparison Table

This table compares every major GEO and AI visibility tool as of February 2026. Data sourced from public pricing pages, product documentation, and verified user reports.

Tool Category ChatGPT Perplexity Claude Gemini AI Overviews Starting Price Free Tier Best For
Otterly.ai Monitoring $99/mo Agencies, multi-brand
Profound Monitoring $149/mo Enterprise analytics
Searchable Monitoring $79/mo Startups, SMBs
AthenaHQ Monitoring $129/mo Trial Google AI focus
Scrunch Monitoring $69/mo Budget monitoring
Promptmonitor Monitoring $89/mo Developer-focused
Knowatoa Monitoring $29/mo Free entry point
Peec AI Optimization $49/mo Trial Content optimization
Writesonic Optimization $19/mo AI content creation
ZipTie Optimization $59/mo AI Overviews focus
Rankscale Optimization $79/mo Trial SEO + GEO combined
Goodie Full-loop $119/mo Mid-market brands
Trustable Full-loop $49/mo Monitoring + optimization

Tool Categories Explained

The GEO tools market has evolved into three distinct categories. Understanding these categories is essential for choosing the right tool.

Monitoring-Only Tools

These platforms track how your brand appears in AI responses. They answer: "Where do we stand?" Key metrics include citation frequency, sentiment, competitive share, and query coverage. They do NOT provide optimization recommendations or content guidance.

Examples: Otterly, Profound, Searchable, AthenaHQ, Scrunch, Promptmonitor, Knowatoa

Best for: Brands that already have content/SEO teams and just need visibility data.

Optimization Tools

These platforms help improve content for AI discoverability. They answer: "How do we improve?" They provide content recommendations, AI-friendly formatting guidance, and sometimes AI content generation. They typically do NOT provide comprehensive visibility monitoring.

Examples: Peec AI, Writesonic, ZipTie, Rankscale

Best for: Content teams focused on creation and optimization.

Full-Loop Platforms

These combine monitoring with optimization recommendations. They answer both "Where do we stand?" and "How do we improve?" This category is newer and less mature but addresses the gap between knowing your visibility and improving it.

Examples: Goodie, Trustable

Best for: Teams wanting an integrated approach without using multiple tools.

For a deeper analysis of this distinction, see Monitoring vs Optimization in GEO.

Monitoring-Only Tools: Detailed Breakdown

Otterly.ai

From $99/month · Agency plans from $299/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Claude · Gemini

Otterly has emerged as the leading GEO monitoring platform, particularly for agencies. Key strengths include the broadest LLM coverage (4 major models), multi-brand management, white-label reporting, and a relatively fast onboarding process. Limitations include no optimization recommendations and API access only on higher tiers.

Key differentiator: Best multi-brand/agency features in the market.

Otterly alternatives · Otterly vs Profound

Profound

From $149/month · Enterprise custom pricing

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Gemini

Profound positions as an enterprise-grade analytics platform. Strengths include deep reporting, native CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot), custom report builders, and dedicated customer success for enterprise. Limitations include higher pricing, no Claude tracking, and steeper onboarding.

Key differentiator: Deepest analytics and enterprise integrations.

Profound alternatives · Otterly vs Profound

Searchable

From $79/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Claude

Searchable offers core citation tracking at a lower price point. The platform emphasizes simplicity and fast time-to-value. Notable for strong Claude coverage where some competitors lack it. Less suitable for enterprise needs or complex multi-brand scenarios.

Key differentiator: Best value for straightforward monitoring.

AthenaHQ

From $129/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Gemini · Google AI Overviews

AthenaHQ focuses heavily on Google AI Overviews alongside traditional LLM monitoring. Useful for brands where Google's AI features are a primary concern. The AI Overviews tracking is a differentiator many competitors don't offer.

Key differentiator: Strong Google AI Overviews coverage.

Scrunch

From $69/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity

Scrunch offers budget-friendly monitoring with limited engine coverage. Suitable for small teams testing the GEO monitoring concept before committing to larger platforms. Trade-off is fewer features and narrower LLM coverage.

Key differentiator: Lowest-cost dedicated GEO monitoring.

Promptmonitor

From $89/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Claude

Promptmonitor takes a developer-focused approach with strong API access and integration capabilities. More technical than competitors, suitable for teams wanting to build custom dashboards or integrate monitoring into existing systems.

Key differentiator: Developer-friendly API-first design.

Knowatoa

Free tier available · Paid from $29/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity

Knowatoa's free tier makes it the most accessible entry point for GEO monitoring. Limited query volume and features, but allows testing the concept without commitment. Good for understanding baseline visibility before investing in paid tools.

Key differentiator: Best free tier in the market.

Optimization Tools: Detailed Breakdown

Peec AI

From $49/month

ChatGPT · Google AI Overviews

Peec AI focuses on content optimization for AI discoverability. Rather than just monitoring, it provides specific recommendations for improving content structure, adding citations, and formatting for AI extraction. Based on research showing content optimizations can improve visibility 30-40%.

Key differentiator: Research-backed content optimization recommendations.

Writesonic

From $19/month · Free tier available

ChatGPT

Writesonic is primarily an AI content generation platform that has added GEO-focused features. Useful for creating AI-optimized content at scale. Less sophisticated monitoring than dedicated platforms, but strong content creation capabilities.

Key differentiator: AI content generation + basic GEO features.

ZipTie

From $59/month

Google AI Overviews

ZipTie specializes exclusively in Google AI Overviews optimization. Narrow focus but deep expertise in this specific area. Useful for brands where Google's AI features are the primary concern, less useful for broader LLM visibility.

Key differentiator: Deepest Google AI Overviews specialization.

Rankscale

From $79/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity

Rankscale attempts to bridge traditional SEO and GEO in one platform. Provides both search ranking data and AI visibility metrics. Useful for teams wanting a unified view, though may sacrifice depth compared to specialized tools.

Key differentiator: Combined SEO + GEO in one dashboard.

Full-Loop Platforms: Detailed Breakdown

Goodie

From $119/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Gemini

Goodie combines monitoring with basic optimization recommendations. Positioned for mid-market brands wanting both capabilities without enterprise pricing. Monitoring depth is less than Otterly/Profound, optimization less than Peec, but offers integrated workflow.

Key differentiator: Balanced monitoring + optimization for mid-market.

Trustable

Free tier available · Paid from $49/month

ChatGPT · Perplexity · Claude · Gemini · AI Overviews

Trustable combines visibility monitoring with research-backed optimization strategies. Differentiator is the measurement-first approach and regression gating — testing optimization impacts before full deployment. Broadest engine coverage including AI Overviews. Newer to market, building out enterprise features.

Key differentiator: Measurement + optimization with regression gating.

Engine Coverage Comparison

Different AI systems have different user bases and content requirements. Here's which tools track which engines:

Engine Market Share Tools That Track It
ChatGPT ~60% All tools
Perplexity ~15% Most tools (except ZipTie, Writesonic)
Claude ~10% Otterly, Searchable, Promptmonitor, Trustable
Gemini ~10% Otterly, Profound, AthenaHQ, Goodie, Trustable
Google AI Overviews ~5% AthenaHQ, Peec, ZipTie, Trustable

Key insight: ChatGPT coverage is table stakes. Differentiation comes from Claude, Gemini, and AI Overviews coverage. Brands targeting technical audiences may prioritize Claude; consumer brands may prioritize Gemini and AI Overviews.

Pricing Comparison

Price Range Tools What You Get
Free Knowatoa, Writesonic, Trustable Limited queries, basic monitoring, testing/evaluation
$19-49/mo Writesonic, Peec, Trustable Basic features, single brand, limited queries
$49-99/mo Scrunch, Rankscale, Promptmonitor, Searchable, Otterly (starter) Full monitoring, moderate query volume, standard support
$99-149/mo Otterly, AthenaHQ, Goodie, Profound Multi-brand, advanced features, priority support
$149+/mo Profound, Otterly Agency, Enterprise tiers Full features, API access, dedicated support, custom integrations

Which Tool for Which Use Case

For Agencies Managing Multiple Brands

Best choice: Otterly.ai — Purpose-built for multi-brand management with white-label reporting. Profound works for enterprise agencies willing to pay more for deeper analytics.

For Enterprise Single-Brand

Best choice: Profound — Deepest analytics, CRM integrations, dedicated support. Consider AthenaHQ if Google AI Overviews are critical.

For Startups/SMBs on Budget

Best choice: Searchable or Trustable — Searchable offers solid monitoring at $79/mo. Trustable's free tier allows testing before commitment.

For Content Teams

Best choice: Peec AI — Focus on content optimization rather than just monitoring. Combine with a monitoring tool for complete coverage.

For Technical/Developer Teams

Best choice: Promptmonitor — API-first design, integration-friendly, developer documentation.

For Google AI Overviews Focus

Best choice: ZipTie or AthenaHQ — Specialized coverage of Google's AI features that many tools don't track.

For Testing/Exploration

Best choice: Knowatoa or Trustable free tier — Understand your baseline before committing budget.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Detailed comparisons for specific tool pairings:

Otterly vs Profound

Agency vs Enterprise — which fits your model?

Best Otterly Alternatives

Options if Otterly isn't the right fit

Best Profound Alternatives

Enterprise alternatives to Profound

GEO vs SEO

Understanding the differences and overlap

Monitoring vs Optimization

The critical gap in GEO tooling

AI Citations vs Mentions

Understanding what to measure

Category Comparisons

Best GEO Tools (2026)

Complete GEO platform comparison

Best AEO Tools (2026)

Answer Engine Optimization platforms

Best AI Visibility Tools

All AI monitoring options compared

Methodology

This comparison is based on:

This comparison aims to be neutral and comprehensive. Trustable is included with honest assessment of its strengths (measurement + optimization, broad coverage) and limitations (newer to market, enterprise features developing). We believe the credibility of neutrality serves users better than promotional content.

Pricing and features change frequently. Verify current details with each vendor before making decisions.

Conclusion

The GEO tools market is maturing rapidly. The key decision is whether you need monitoring only, optimization only, or both. Most mature organizations will eventually need both capabilities — either through integrated platforms or combining specialized tools.

For most teams, we recommend:

  1. Start with free tiers to understand baseline visibility
  2. Choose based on primary need — monitoring vs. optimization
  3. Consider engine coverage — ensure tools track the AI systems your audience uses
  4. Plan for both capabilities — monitoring without optimization leaves half the job undone

For foundational understanding of GEO, see What is Generative Engine Optimization?