What a small team actually needs
- Coverage of the engines your buyers use: ChatGPT and Google first, then Perplexity, Gemini and Claude.
- Your real buyer questions: 10 to 25 questions are enough to start.
- Reasons, not just scores: who AI recommends instead of you, why, and which sources it trusts.
- A price you can justify: ideally a free check before a monthly plan.
The tools
| Tool | Free option | Entry price (Oct 2026) | Engines | Good fit when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top of Answer | First check free, no card | Paid plans in beta | 6, including Google AI Overviews and AI Mode | You want a quick, complete baseline and clear next steps |
| Otterly.AI | Free trial | $29/month | 4 included | You track a few prompts on a tight budget |
| ZipTie | Free trial | Usage-based | Up to 7 | Your needs are irregular |
| Peec AI | Free trial | $95/month | 3 on Starter | You want daily monitoring of many prompts |
| Semrush AI Visibility | Free checker | $99/month per domain | Several | You already use Semrush |
| Ahrefs Brand Radar | Free checker | $199/month per platform | Per platform | You already use Ahrefs |
| Profound | Trial | Enterprise | Many | You have an enterprise budget |
How to pick in 15 minutes
- Write down 10 questions a buyer asks before choosing a product like yours.
- Run a free check to see whether AI mentions you at all, and who it picks instead.
- If you are missing, fix the basics first: a clear answers page, comparison pages, and listings on the sites AI cites.
- Only then pay for regular tracking, and measure whether the fixes moved your numbers.
FAQ
Rarely. AI answers vary day to day; tracking the same questions weekly shows the trend with less noise and lower cost.
Top of Answer's first check is free with no credit card. Semrush and Ahrefs also offer free checkers with narrower scope.
For most brands, ChatGPT and Google's AI answers reach the most buyers; Perplexity matters for research-heavy categories.
Related comparisons
- Otterly.AI alternatives for AI search visibility (2026)Comparing Otterly.AI alternatives for tracking your brand in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Google AI: what each tool covers, who it fits, and pricing as of October 2026.
- Peec AI alternatives for tracking your brand in AI search (2026)Peec AI alternatives compared: engine coverage, prompt limits, pricing as of October 2026 and which tool fits small teams, SEO teams and enterprises.
Product names belong to their owners. Prices and features are based on each vendor's public pages as of October 2026 and may change.