What are the best AI visibility tools for a small business?
Six ways to see whether ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity name your business, from free to $139 a month. We make one of them, so we've tried hard to say plainly where the others are the better choice.
Key takeaways
- Start free. Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools already show some AI visibility.
- Pick a paid tool by what you need next. A to-do list, mention tracking, or a full SEO suite.
- Prices run from $12 to $139 a month for the first paid plan.
- The habit matters more than the tool. Small weekly steps are what get you named.
The short answer
Start with the free reports in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Then pick a paid tool by what you need next: a weekly to-do list (Mandalytics, from $12 a month), mention tracking (Otterly from $29, Peec AI from $95), or a full SEO suite with AI tracking built in (Ahrefs from $129, Semrush from $139).
We make Mandalytics, so read this knowing that. Every competitor price comes from that company's own pricing page.
What does an AI visibility tool actually do?
It asks AI tools the questions your customers ask, such as "best bakery in London" or "how do I fix a slow website", and records whether your business is named or linked in the answer. Run every week or every day, that shows whether you're gaining or losing ground.
- Which AI tools
- ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, Google's AI answers. Coverage varies a lot.
- How many questions
- From a handful to hundreds of tracked prompts.
- Data or advice
- Some only count mentions. Others also tell you what to change.
You don't need the biggest tool to start
Begin with the free reports. Add a paid tool when you know what you want from it. Most small businesses never need the most expensive option.
How do the six options compare?
| Option | Starts at | Best for | What it leaves to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools | Free | Seeing how often you already appear in Google's AI answers and Microsoft Copilot | Everything else: no ChatGPT or Perplexity, no advice |
| Mandalytics | $12 a month | Owners and small teams who want a short weekly to-do list for Google and AI search | Fewer tracked questions (3 to 25), checked weekly, not daily; no dashboard to explore |
| Otterly.AI | $29 a month (15 prompts) | Tracking mentions and cited sources across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Copilot | Deciding what to do about the numbers; Gemini is an add-on |
| Peec AI | $95 a month (50 prompts) | Marketing teams who want more prompts and engines, including Gemini and Google AI Mode | Advice and Google rankings; Perplexity only on Enterprise |
| Ahrefs | $129 a month (Lite) | SEO specialists who want deep backlink and keyword data, with 150 AI prompt checks included | A learning curve; full Brand Radar AI is an add-on from $199 a month |
| Semrush | $139 a month (SEO plan) | Specialists and agencies who want a full SEO toolbox with AI search tracking included | A learning curve, and working out the priorities yourself |
Prices checked on each company's own pricing page on 4 November 2026, in US dollars, before tax.
Which one should I choose?
Find the sentence that sounds most like you:
| If this sounds like you | Choose |
|---|---|
| "I want to know what to do, not read charts." | Mandalytics. The few tasks that will bring the most visitors, in plain steps, by email every week. |
| "I know SEO and want to watch AI mentions closely." | Otterly for a small budget, Peec AI for more prompts and engines. |
| "I or my agency do SEO every day." | Semrush or Ahrefs. Both are excellent, and both now track AI answers too. |
| "I'm just curious." | The free reports, and ask ChatGPT about your business yourself once a month. |
Is it worth paying for AI visibility at all?
If customers find businesses like yours by asking AI tools, yes. AI answers lean on the same signals as Google: clear pages, a consistent description of your business, and mentions on other trusted sites. Our guide on how AI tools decide which sites to name explains how they pick.
A tool helps you see progress and keeps you going, but the work is the same either way.
A small step every week, such as one clearer page or one fixed link, is what moves you into the answers. Compare in detail: Mandalytics vs Semrush and Mandalytics vs Ahrefs.
Is there a free AI visibility tool?
Yes. Google Search Console shows impressions in AI Overviews and AI Mode, and Bing Webmaster Tools has an AI Performance report for Copilot. Neither covers ChatGPT or Perplexity.
Which AI tools matter most for a small business?
ChatGPT and Google’s AI answers reach the most people. Perplexity and Gemini matter more in some fields, so a tool that checks several is safer.
Do I need an SEO suite to be seen in AI search?
No. The basics that get you into AI answers are the same as good SEO, and you can do them without a suite.
How often should AI visibility be checked?
Weekly is enough for most small businesses. AI answers vary from day to day, so a weekly trend tells you more than a single daily check.
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