How Cited compares to other AI search optimization tools
Eight platforms, compared on what each one actually does: which AI platforms it tracks, what it costs, and whether it stops at reporting or hands your team something to act on.
Pricing and features checked against each vendor's own pricing page on August 28, 2026.
Where Cited sits in the market
Most of these tools cluster on the tracking side. Searchable and AthenaHQ have moved furthest toward execution. Cited sits furthest along that axis while staying self-serve.
Positions reflect each vendor's own product and pricing pages, checked August 28, 2026.
The execution pipeline
Most tools on this page stop at tracking, and a handful add analysis on top. Cited is built to carry that through to the change you make on the site.
See what’s happening
Monitor your brand across up to seven AI platforms with custom prompts and weekly refresh.
Understand the WHY
Narrative Intelligence reads how AI describes your brand, Perception Gap analysis shows where that differs from your own positioning, and Source Influence mapping names the sources feeding it.
Get specific actions
Prioritized recommendations and content briefs aimed at the specific gaps the analysis found, ranked so your team knows what to do first.
See what’s happening
Monitor your brand across up to seven AI platforms with custom prompts and weekly refresh.
Understand the WHY
Narrative Intelligence reads how AI describes your brand, Perception Gap analysis shows where that differs from your own positioning, and Source Influence mapping names the sources feeding it.
Get specific actions
Prioritized recommendations and content briefs aimed at the specific gaps the analysis found, ranked so your team knows what to do first.
Detailed comparisons
Profound has the largest conversation dataset in the category. Cited puts its weight into the step after the dashboard.
Read comparison →Peec is a clean, fast tracking dashboard. Cited adds prioritized recommendations and content briefs on top of the same tracking.
Read comparison →Searchable runs an AI agent that drafts the recommendations for you. Cited explains why AI answers look the way they do first.
Read comparison →Otterly has the cheapest entry plan in the category and six free diagnostic tools. Cited is built for the work that comes after monitoring.
Read comparison →AthenaHQ covers the widest set of AI platforms and carries SOC 2 Type 1. Cited charges a fixed price per plan instead of metering credits.
Read comparison →Brand Radar sits inside Ahrefs and reads a 250M prompt dataset. Cited runs your own prompts live against the AI platforms every week.
Brandlight is an enterprise suite sold through procurement, with Mastercard and Estée Lauder on its client list. Cited sells the same category self-serve.
Semrush is the standard for traditional SEO and most teams keep it. Cited covers the AI platforms it does not track natively.
Quick comparison
Key capabilities across the platforms compared here. Prices and plan details were checked against each vendor's own pricing page on August 28, 2026. Rows named after a Cited feature use our name for it; several of these platforms cover parts of the same ground under a different name.
| Feature | Cited | Profound | Peec | Searchable | Otterly AI | AthenaHQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $109/mo | $99/mo | $95/mo | $125/mo | $29/mo | $295/mo |
| AI platforms | 3–7 | 1–10 | 3 of 7 | 3 + add-ons | 6 | 10+ |
| Narrative Intelligence | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Perception Gap | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Recommendations + Briefs | ✓ | Agent credits | Directional | AI agent | — | Action Center |
| AI Readiness Score | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Free tools | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Self-serve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| India market data | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Team seats | Unlimited | 1–3 | Unlimited | By plan | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| INR pricing | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
See where your brand actually stands
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