Comparison · 6 min read
AI visibility (GEO) tools: how to compare them
Measuring whether ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity cite you: what a good AI visibility tool should do, the criteria to compare, and the main options.
Published October 6, 2026 · by Alexandre
In short
A good AI visibility tool asks assistants your customers' real questions (with web search), shows whether you're cited and in what position, lists competitors and the sources used, re-tests over time, and helps you fix things. Specialized tools (like Otterly.AI) track mentions; CoolSEO adds a site audit and step-by-step fixes.
AI visibility (GEO) is recent, and tools are multiplying. Rather than a ranking, here are the criteria that really matter, then the options.
7 criteria to compare
- Real questions: does the tool ask questions phrased like your customers, including local ones (“near me”, a city)?
- Web search enabled: answers without search reflect the model's frozen knowledge, not what it says today.
- Several assistants: Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude don't cite the same sources.
- Sources: knowing which pages the AI read tells you where to get mentioned.
- Tracking over time: answers vary; a single measurement isn't enough.
- Cited competitors: your share of recommendations against them.
- Help to act: a dashboard isn't enough; you need to know what to change on your site.
The main options
| Tool | Approach | Entry price |
|---|---|---|
| CoolSEO | Site audit + real question to Gemini with search, competitors, sources, weekly tracking, step-by-step fixes | $29/month (launch); free test |
| Otterly.AI (Lite) | Tracking mentions in AI answers | $29/month |
| SEO suites (Semrush, etc.) | AI features added to a complete SEO suite, depending on plans | Semrush SEO: €134/month |
What CoolSEO does, concretely
CoolSEO asks Gemini, with Google Search enabled, the question a customer would ask, then reads the answer: are you cited, in what position, which competitors are recommended and which sources the AI looked at. With the subscription, up to 10 questions are re-tested every week, and a leaderboard shows your share of recommendations. ChatGPT and Perplexity are already built in and will be turned on soon.
What to watch out for
- Promises of a “guaranteed first place in ChatGPT”: nobody can guarantee it.
- Measurements without web search, presented as AI's current opinion.
- Opaque scores without the real answers behind them.
To understand SEO vs GEO, read our guide, and to act, how to get recommended by ChatGPT.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best AI visibility tool?
It depends on your need: to track mentions only, a specialized tool is enough; to know what to fix on your site as well as measure, a tool combining audit and AI visibility like CoolSEO is more useful.
Can I measure my ChatGPT visibility for free?
Yes, by asking the questions yourself regularly; CoolSEO's free audit test does it automatically with Gemini.
How much does an AI visibility tool cost?
From $29 per month for Otterly.AI's Lite plan to $29 for CoolSEO Solo, which also includes the audit and site tracking (prices as of October 6, 2026).
Go further
Does AI cite your business?
The free audit checks your site on Google and asks Gemini a real question about your market, in a minute.