Short answer: We make one of the tools on this list, so read it with that in mind. Otterly.AI is a good tracker, and for a lot of teams the right move is to stay on it. People usually look elsewhere for one of three reasons: Gemini costs extra, the Lite plan has no API, or 15 prompts is too few and the next tier up is a big jump. Here is what each alternative does about those three, with prices as each vendor published them.
## why_people_switch
Why people look for an Otterly alternative
- Engine coverage: Gemini, Google AI Mode and Claude are paid add-ons, not included in the base plans. If your buyers use Google's AI, the price you compare should include the add-on ($9/mo on Lite for Gemini or AI Mode, more on higher plans).
- The step from Lite to Standard: Lite tracks 15 prompts at $29/mo. Standard tracks 100 at $189/mo, about six times as much. Teams that need 30 prompts pay for 100.
- API and MCP access: API and MCP access start on Standard ($189/mo). If you want the data in your own dashboard, or in an agent like Claude or Cursor, Lite won't do it.
## the_alternatives
The alternatives, side by side
| Tool | Entry plan | Engines | API / MCP | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otterly.AI (baseline) | $29/mo, 15 prompts | ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity, Copilot; Gemini, AI Mode and Claude extra | From Standard ($189/mo) | Small teams who want a simple weekly report |
| Peec AI | $95/mo, 50 prompts | 3 active models at a time from 6; extra models $30/mo | Not on Starter; higher plans | Marketing teams who want more prompts and competitor tracking |
| Profound | Free trial, then Enterprise (contact sales) | See their pricing page | See their pricing page | Large brands with a budget and a team to read it |
| AEO Toolkit (ours) | Free, 1 site, 3 questions | Perplexity, GPT, Gemini, through their APIs | MCP on the free plan | Testing whether tracking is worth paying for at all |
Prices change often in this category. Third-party reviews of Profound and Peec disagree with each other and with the vendors' own pages, and Otterly says its currency depends on your location. Figures here are from each vendor's pricing page as of 2026-11-08. Check each vendor's pricing page before you decide.
## peec
Peec AI: more prompts per dollar
Peec's Starter plan tracks 50 prompts at $95/mo, against 15 prompts at $29/mo on Otterly Lite, so the price per prompt is lower. The catches: only three of its six models can be active at a time, Perplexity is sold as an add-on, and API access is not on Starter. Extra models are $30/mo.
## profound
Profound: for enterprise budgets
Profound's pricing page shows a free trial and Enterprise packages through sales, with no published price. Ask them for a quote. If you want a price you can see before you talk to anyone, Profound is not that.
## aeo_toolkit
AEO Toolkit: free to start (ours)
Our free plan tracks one site and three buyer questions, asked every week in Perplexity, GPT and Gemini with web search on. It includes the free audit tools and our MCP servers, so Claude or Cursor can read the results. Three questions is small. It is enough to learn whether AI names you, not to track a whole category. Larger plans are sized to the number of sites and questions.
What it does not do
We check through each engine's API, not by screenshotting the consumer ChatGPT app, and API answers can differ from what a logged-in user sees. We don't estimate prompt volume. If you need either one, pick another tool.
## which_fits
Which one fits your team
| If you are | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| An agency tracking several clients | Peec or Otterly Standard | You need more prompts per client and API access to pull results into client reports |
| An in-house team with one brand and Google-heavy buyers | Otterly Lite plus the Gemini add-on, or Peec | Google's AI is where your buyers ask, so price the engine in, not just the plan |
| A large brand with an analyst and a budget | Profound | Enterprise contracts and a team to read the data. Get a quote first |
| Not sure tracking is worth paying for yet | A manual log, or the AEO Toolkit free plan | Prove there is a gap worth tracking before you buy a seat |
## test_before_switching
How to test an alternative before you switch
Switching costs you your history, so run the new tool next to the old one for two weeks before you cancel anything. Keep the test fair:
01Fix your questions
Write the ten questions a buyer types into ChatGPT the week before they pay: three "best [category] for [situation]", two "[competitor] alternatives", two "[your brand] review", two "[your brand] vs [competitor]" and one about price. Load the same ten into both tools.
02Match the engines
Compare engine to engine. If one tool checks Gemini and the other does not, leave Gemini out of the comparison or buy the add-on.
03Spot-check by hand
Once a week, ask three of the questions yourself in a logged-out private window. If a tool reports you as named and the live answer does not name you, trust the live answer and ask the vendor why.
04Decide on what changes your work
Pick the tool whose report changed a decision in those two weeks: a page you fixed, a list you got onto, a competitor you noticed. A prettier chart that changed nothing is not a reason to pay more.
## when_to_stay
When to stay on Otterly
Stay if Lite's 15 prompts cover your buyer questions, your buyers don't use Google's AI, and you read the report each week. Switching tools resets your history, and a tracker you already read beats a better one you don't. If you never open the report, the cheapest alternative is a spreadsheet: the same ten questions, asked logged out in a private window, once a week.
## faq
What is the cheapest alternative to Otterly.AI?
A free plan, or a manual log. The AEO Toolkit free plan tracks one site and three questions weekly in Perplexity, GPT and Gemini. A manual log costs nothing: ask the same buyer questions in a logged-out private window each week and record who gets named.
Does Otterly.AI track Gemini?
Not in the base plans. Otterly includes ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot; Gemini, Google AI Mode and Claude are add-ons. The Gemini add-on is $9/mo on Lite and $59/mo on Standard, per otterly.ai/pricing.
Is Profound cheaper than Otterly?
Profound publishes no price. Its pricing page shows a free trial and Enterprise packages through sales, so there is no number to compare. Ask for a quote.
How do I compare AI visibility trackers fairly?
Load the same fixed set of buyer questions into each tool, compare only the engines both tools check, and spot-check a few answers yourself in a logged-out private window each week. Run the tools side by side for two weeks before you cancel the old one, because switching resets your history.
Which Otterly alternative has an MCP server?
The AEO Toolkit includes MCP servers for Claude, Cursor and other agents on its free plan. Otterly offers API and MCP access from Standard ($189/mo). Peec's Starter plan has no API; it starts on higher plans. Check Profound's pricing page for theirs.
## sources
## related_guides
## want_it_done_for_you
Want this done and re-checked every month? Our monthly maintenance re-runs your buying questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google, ships the fixes that keep you out of the answers, and reports what moved. Or run the free check on your site first at advancelabs.dev/tools/audit.
See how it works