Updated: 0//2026

Research Methodology: Beyond Marketing Materials

Updated February 10, 2026

The AEO/GEO market has matured. What started as 10 experimental platforms in July 2025 is now 24 established tools with over $200M in funding, major acquisitions (Adobe acquiring Semrush for $1.9B, XBE acquiring Gauge), and validated enterprise adoption.

Our methodology in 2026 focuses on what actually matters: verified funding, published case studies with specific metrics, actual customer counts, platform coverage, and pricing transparency. We track feature launches, not roadmap promises. We cite customer results, not marketing claims.

The market has consolidated into clear segments: enterprise solutions ($3K+/month with Fortune 500 clients), growth platforms ($100-500/month with self-service), traditional SEO extensions (Ahrefs, Semrush add-ons), budget tools (sub-$100/month or free), and specialized verticals (e-commerce, persona-based).

The shift from 2025 to 2026: platforms moved from monitoring to action. Autonomous content optimization (Relixir), commerce optimization (Goodie AI, Evertune, Azoma), and predictive modeling are now table stakes. The question isn't "Are we visible?" but "How do we systematically win?"

This analysis reflects verified data as of February 2026. When information couldn't be verified, we note it.

How AI Search Tools Position for Discovery

Platform positioning matters more than ever. The winners are specific:

Azoma: "e-commerce product discovery in AI shopping interfaces." Clear vertical. $4M raised, Best Startup at ShopTalk Luxe (January 2026).

Evertune: "1,000,000+ prompts per brand monthly." Measurable methodology. $19M raised, Shopping Intelligence launched January 2026.

Relixir: "First content automation platform for AI search." Clear differentiation. $2M raised November 2025, 200+ teams, #1 ChatGPT rankings in under 90 days.

Compare that to generic "AI-powered optimization using proprietary algorithms." The platforms with specific value propositions and verifiable results are the ones getting traction.

AEO Tools Analysis: Platforms by Market Segment

Profound

Enterprise Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Google AIO

Unique Strength

Market leader + security

Key Blind Spot

Requires deep technical team

Notes

$58.5M total funding ($35M Series B led by Sequoia Capital, August 2025; $20M Series A led by Kleiner Perkins, June 2025). Named "definitive AEO leader" in G2 Winter 2026 report. Recent feature launches include Prompt Volumes (first tool to reveal AI Search Volume, December 2024), Profound Workflows (content automation), Agent Analytics (AI crawler tracking), and ChatGPT Shopping optimization. Notable clients include MongoDB, Indeed, Mercury, Docusign, Zapier, Ramp (7x AI visibility boost case study), G2, Chime, Clay, Figma, and SeatGeek. Market leader with 400M+ prompt insights across 10+ AI engines. SOC 2 Type II certified. Enterprise-ready tool with real-time tracking and security features. Best fit for brands prioritizing data control and multi-surface consistency across AI platforms.

Bluefish

Enterprise Validated

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity

Unique Strength

Fortune 500 adoption + AI adstream

Key Blind Spot

Premium pricing tier

Notes

$24M total funding ($20M Series A led by NEA and Salesforce Ventures, September 2025). Named CB Insights GEO Market Leader (October 2025). Black Friday 2025 report documented 805% year-over-year increase in AI traffic to retail sites (Adobe Analytics). New features include "Collections" for ROI measurement (February 2026) and "Authority in AI" measurement (November 2025). Validated enterprise adoption with Adidas, Tishman Speyer, and 80% Fortune 500 clients. Achieved 10x revenue growth in six months. Opened first headquarters in Manhattan's Flatiron District (February 2026). Proven leadership team (PromoteIQ acquired by Microsoft 2019, LiveRail by Facebook 2014).

Scrunch AI

Brand Ops + UX

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta, Claude, Copilot, AI Overviews, Google AI Mode

Unique Strength

Customer journey + Agent Experience Platform

Key Blind Spot

Limited automation

Notes

$15M Series A (led by Decibel, 2025). Trusted by 500+ companies. Recent features include Site Maps (February 2026), Copilot monitoring, Suggested Competitors, AI Search Trends, and expanded platform coverage for Google AI Mode, Gemini, and ChatGPT Shopping (July 2025). Enterprise clients include Lenovo, BairesDev, Crunchbase, and major financial institutions. Published case studies show Runpod (4x growth in 90 days), Stratabeat (260%+ AI visibility gains in 2 months), Strapi (226% growth in AI search citations), and Tinybird (3x brand mentions). Features Agent Experience Platform (AXP) for machine-readable content optimization. Pricing: Explorer $100/month, Growth $500/month, Enterprise custom. 7-day free trial available. Best used in high-trust verticals where brand alignment and response accuracy matter.

Evertune

Content Teams + Measurement Rigor

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Meta, Copilot, DeepSeek, AI Overviews

Unique Strength

1,000,000+ prompt methodology

Key Blind Spot

Premium enterprise pricing

Notes

$19M total funding ($15M Series A led by Felicis Ventures, August 2025; strategic investment from impact.com, December 2025). Runs 1,000,000+ prompts per brand monthly for statistical validity—significantly more sophisticated than competitors and representing a 10x increase in methodology scale. New features include Shopping Intelligence (January 2026) to track product visibility in AI-powered product recommendations, and Partner Connect expansion to B2B SaaS Partnerships with PartnerStack (January 2026). Partner Connect partnership with impact.com bridges AI intelligence and affiliate action. Expanded coverage includes DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, and AI Overviews. Validated enterprise clients include Canada Goose, Miro, and WPP Media's Choreograph. Founded by ex-Trade Desk leadership with strategic investors from Uber, OpenAI, Meta, and Antenna. Pricing starts at $3,000/month. Strong focus on content visibility and measurement rigor.

Gauge

Data-Driven Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Meta, Copilot, AI Mode, AI Overviews

Unique Strength

Front-end data + actionable recommendations

Key Blind Spot

Acquisition transition period

Notes

Acquired by XBE (March 2025). YC-backed (Summer 2024) with $500K seed funding (July 2024). Purpose-built AEO platform (not SEO add-on) with hundreds of customized prompts monitored daily. Uses front-end interface data showing what real users see rather than API responses. Case studies show 2x visibility growth in 2 weeks (Standard Metrics), 5x growth (416% boost) in 4 weeks (Eco). Connects to Google Analytics for actual AI traffic measurement. Ranked among the best AI visibility tools in 2026 by various industry publications. Pricing at $99/month. Best for growth-stage startups and enterprises prioritizing high-quality data and actionable analytics over basic monitoring.

Relixir

Content + Performance Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, DeepSeek, AI Overviews

Unique Strength

Content automation for AI search

Key Blind Spot

Newer entrant with growing validation

Notes

$2M raised (November 2025). Y Combinator X25 (Winter 2025) backed by 468 Capital and others. Founders Sean Dorje and Dennis Zax are Berkeley dropouts who built internal GEO systems achieving #1 rankings in 200+ searches before founding the company. Positions as "first content automation platform for AI search visibility," going beyond monitoring to include autonomous GEO capabilities. Features include AI Visibility, Cursor for CMS, Blog Generation, Autonomous Refresh, and Employee Publishing. Serves 200+ teams. Published case studies: mid-market apparel brand achieved 139% revenue lift in 60 days, Series B startup saw 17% inbound lead increase in six weeks, DocuBridge achieved #1 ChatGPT ranking in under 90 days, Hostie got 1500+ AI citations in under 1 month. Notable clients include Rippling, HackerRank, Retell AI, FaceApp, and Qdrant. Pricing: Starter $500/month, Standard $97/month, Expert $149/month. 2-week free trial available.

Goodie AI

Strategic Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Meta AI, Copilot, DeepSeek, Grok, Rufus, AI Overview, AI Mode

Unique Strength

Trust-driven optimization + action engines

Key Blind Spot

Limited public pricing transparency

Notes

Pioneering AEO platform dedicated to evolving AEO as a discipline. Strategic pivot: "2025 was the year of answer engines, 2026 is the year of action engines." Agentic Commerce Optimizer launched (October 2025). Expanded coverage includes DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, Grok (X.AI), and Amazon Rufus for comprehensive multi-platform monitoring. Recognized as "Editor's Pick & Category Leader" in multiple 2025 rankings. NoGood's June 2025 benchmark puts Goodie at the top of its GEO tool list. Published case studies: Dermalogica (85% increase in AI searches, 127% growth in AI conversions), SteelSeries (#1 most retrieved gaming brand, 3.2x AI search conversions increase in 6 months), NoGood (335% increase in traffic from AI sources, 48 high-value leads in Q1 2025), Rathbones (2.3x growth in AI visibility, 106% increase in total citations). Founder Mostafa Elbermawy launched the term "AEO" at SXSW. Pricing starts around $495/month for mid-market, with custom enterprise pricing. Best for teams interested in strategic foundations of AEO rather than just tactical execution.

Nimt.ai

Content Orchestration

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Meta AI

Unique Strength

Content engineering + orchestration

Key Blind Spot

Early-stage platform

Notes

€360K Pre-Seed funding (SEK 4 million, July 2025) from Loop Capital and Skåne Ventures. Helsingborg, Sweden-based company founded by Manuel Lemholt Berger (CEO) and Oliver Ekberg (CTO). Used by 3,000+ brands. Gained paying customers within minutes of opening private beta. Alumni of HETCH Accelerator 2025. Features include Intent tracking (launched October 2025), LLM Citation Blocks and AI Summaries. Vision: "Ranking high on Google is no longer enough. The future of marketing is about influencing AI, not people." Pricing: Starter $59/month, Pro $69/month, Enterprise (Custom). Emerging player in the enterprise space with technical approach to content structuring for AI retrieval. Limited public track record but promising positioning for content-heavy organizations.

AthenaHQ

Growth Companies

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, AI Overviews, AI Mode, Claude, Grok

Unique Strength

Google Search insider knowledge

Key Blind Spot

Self-service model requires hands-on approach

Notes

$2.2M seed funded (April 2025) from Y Combinator, FCVC, Red Bike Capital, and prolific angels. Strong founder team (ex-Google Search PM Andrew Yan). Now serving 100+ paying customers with validated traction. Published State of AI Search 2025 Report and AthenaHQ Report Highlights Structural Shifts in SEO Caused by AI-Generated Search Results (January 2026). Features include end-to-end GEO workflow management, cross-platform AI visibility tracking (8+ LLMs), automated content optimization recommendations, Executive AI Visibility Dashboard with ROI tracking, AI-Powered PR Monitoring & Press Kits, and AI-Optimized Content Strategy. Case studies: Rootly (10x increase in citation rate, +126% mention rate on non-branded prompts), Lago (50% increase in demos from AI Search, 11x AI Overview impressions growth), Grüns (6x Share of Voice Lift in 60 Days). Partnership with Uberall launched GEO Studio (December 2025). Self-service platform positioning vs. enterprise competitors. Pricing starts at $295/month (promotional $95/month for first month). Strong for growth teams focused on retrieval-layer shaping with accessible pricing model.

Peec AI

Competitive Intel

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, AI Overviews

Unique Strength

Source impact breakdown

Key Blind Spot

Lacks sentiment analysis

Notes

$29M total capital raised (including $21M Series A). Serving 1,500+ marketing teams. Top 1% of startups in terms of growth. Competitive intelligence platform with source impact breakdown showing which citations influence AI responses. Features include tracking Visibility, Position, and Sentiment metrics, choosing AI Models across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and AI Overviews, finding key sources (citations shaping visibility), creating powerful reports, setting up prompts, using AI-suggested prompts and search volumes, adding brands for competitor comparison, and acting on insights with recommendations. Good testimonials and validated market traction. Pricing: Starter €89/month (25 prompts, 3 countries), Pro €199/month (100 prompts, 5 countries), Enterprise custom (300+ prompts, 10+ countries). 15% discount for annual billing. Works well for agencies benchmarking across industries and brands requiring detailed competitive positioning analysis.

BrandLight

Visibility + Alerts

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Meta AI

Unique Strength

Real-time alerts, influencers

Key Blind Spot

Custom pricing + unclear roadmap

Notes

$5.75M Seed round (April 2025) with lead investors Cardumen Capital and G20 Ventures. Named CB Insights Leader for Generative Engine Optimization (December 2025). Real-time alerts and influencer tracking capabilities. Partnership with Demand Spring for AI Search Visibility launched (November 2025). Strong investor backing with growing market validation and developing public track record. Custom pricing model with evolving feature roadmap.

Rank Prompt

Agencies + Brands

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, AI Overviews, Grok

Unique Strength

Built from ground up for AEO

Key Blind Spot

Limited public case studies

Notes

Tracking 15,368 brands. Platform built specifically for AI-powered search visibility. Features include AI Monitoring (real-time monitoring across ChatGPT, Perplexity & AI Overviews, competitor tracking, citation analysis, category-level breakdown), Content Generation (AI article generation, SEO audits & optimization, hosted site creation, WordPress integration, GA4 & Search Console, outreach tools, email campaigns, white-label exports, team collaboration, priority support), Citation Tracking, Scheduled Reports, Integrations, Geographic Level Tracking (countries, states, cities, ZIP codes, neighborhoods), and Multi-language prompt analysis (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and more). Ranked "best overall for AI search optimization" in some 2025 reviews. Purpose-built for AEO rather than adapted from SEO tools. Pricing: Starter $49/month, Pro $89/month, Agency $149/month. All plans include 7-day free trial, annual plans save 20%. Good fit for agencies managing multiple clients and brands seeking comprehensive visibility management.

Otterly.AI

Marketing Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Gemini, MS Copilot

Unique Strength

Semrush integration + link citation analysis

Key Blind Spot

Less comprehensive than dedicated enterprise platforms

Notes

Scaled to 10,000+ users by September 2025. Named High Performer for Answer Engine Optimization Tools in G2 Winter 2026 Report (December 2025). Initial product launched as LLM Monitoring solution (April 2024), pivoted to AI Search monitoring (October 2024). OtterlyAI 2.0 launched (June 2025) with support for AI Mode, Gemini, Copilot, and new GEO Auditing Tool. AI search monitoring platform with Semrush app integration. Automatically tracks brand mentions and website citations with deep insights into brand representation. Link citation analysis shows which URLs AI engines reference. Agency Partner Program introduced (April 2025). Pricing: Lite Plan $29/month (15 search prompts), Standard Plan $189/month (100 search prompts), Premium Plan $489/month (400 search prompts). Add-ons available for extra search prompts, Google AI Mode, and Google Gemini. Particularly accessible for teams already using Semrush ecosystem. Good fit for marketing teams seeking comprehensive monitoring with established tool integration.

Vaylis

Competitive Intelligence

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI, Grok, Claude, Gemini

Unique Strength

Real-time monitoring + competitor benchmarking

Key Blind Spot

Limited public track record

Notes

Bootstrapped company founded in 2025 in Cologne, Germany. Reached $220K revenue by October 2025. Features include Competitor Visibility Tracking, Answer Engine Monitoring, Visibility Tracking over time, and Actionable Recommendations. Case study with Reifenhenrich (August 2025): AI Visibility increased from 7.4% to 22.7% (+15.3%), Citation Share from 0.8% to 2.6% (+1.8%), New customer inquiries +120% (+60%), Weekly Appointment Bookings increased from 45 to 126 (+180%) within two weeks, Customer Inquiry Quality improved from 3.2/5 to 4.7/5 (+47%). Pricing: Starter €49/month, Growth €119/month, Scale €289/month, Enterprise €699/month (all incl. VAT). Real-time tracking capabilities with competitor benchmarking and actionable optimization recommendations through advanced analytics dashboard. Best for brands requiring rapid response capabilities and competitive positioning insights.

Passionfruit Labs

ROI-Focused Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Google AI Overviews + AI Mode, Grok, Meta AI, Microsoft Copilot, Deepseek

Unique Strength

Google Analytics + Search Console integration

Key Blind Spot

Newer platform with developing feature set

Notes

AI Search Optimization tool launched (November 2025). Product Hunt #4 Product of the Day. GEO platform that plugs directly into Google Analytics and Google Search Console to connect AI search performance with real business metrics. Features include AI Search Optimization Suggestions, Page-level citation tracking with URL analysis, Track real revenue from each AI channel, Full team collaboration, Instant actionable content insights, Global coverage with single pricing, and Prioritized step-by-step action plans. Case studies: Custom Blinds Leader (+71% AI Visibility Growth), Leading Energy Drink Brand (+45.6% Organic Lift), Visily (11x increase in traffic in 2 months). Pricing starting at $19/month (previously $499/month). Unique ability to demonstrate ROI and business impact rather than just visibility metrics. Best for tech brands and growth teams requiring business impact justification for AEO investments.

Ahrefs Brand Radar

Ahrefs Ecosystem

Retrieval Coverage

AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Perplexity

Unique Strength

Single-platform convenience with Ahrefs

Key Blind Spot

Less sophisticated than dedicated AEO platforms

Notes

Integrated add-on within established Ahrefs ecosystem. Tracks 252M+ prompts across AI platforms providing extensive prompt database coverage. Recent expansions include YouTube and Reddit tracking (January 2026), Custom AI prompt tracking (January 2026), and expansion to YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit (January 2026). Entities & Topics in Brand Radar introduced (October 2025). Ahrefs Connect for integrations launched (October 2025). AI share of voice analysis versus competitors, brand perception analysis, and industry categorization for multi-vertical brands. Single-platform convenience for SEO and AEO. No custom prompt specification—users only see data Ahrefs chooses to retrieve. Add-on pricing significantly increases total costs. Best for SEO teams already using Ahrefs who want to add AEO capabilities without additional vendor relationships.

Semrush AI Toolkit

Semrush Ecosystem

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google AI Mode, Google, Perplexity

Unique Strength

Integrated with Semrush workflows + Adobe acquisition

Key Blind Spot

More limited than dedicated AEO platforms

Notes

Adobe announced intent to acquire Semrush for $1.9 billion (November 2025), marking major consolidation in the space. Approximately 116,000 paying customers as of June 2025. Rapid feature expansion in late 2025/early 2026: Log File Analysis added to Site Intelligence and AI Optimization (February 2026), Query Fan-Out Analysis (January 2026), Persona-Based Prompt Generation (December 2025), Official App in ChatGPT launched (December 2025), AI Search Forecasting Capabilities (December 2025), Microsoft Copilot tracking expansion (December 2025), Content Audit & Optimization Capabilities (November 2025), AI vs SEO Comparison (November 2025), Traffic & Market Toolkit expansion with AI Traffic and Google AI Mode (November 2025). AI share of voice evaluation, brand perception analysis, and integration with existing Semrush workflows. Established user community and knowledge base. Pricing: AI Visibility costs $99/month per domain, SEO Classic starts at $139.95/month, Semrush One starts at $199/month. More limited capabilities than dedicated AEO platforms with insufficient depth for enterprise-level strategies. Best for SEO teams already using Semrush seeking to add basic AEO monitoring.

ProductRank.ai

First-Time Explorers

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity

Unique Strength

Completely free with all major models

Key Blind Spot

No historical tracking or advanced features

Notes

Completely free tool for viewing how different LLMs respond to specific topics or brands. Created by the Gauge team (now acquired by XBE, March 2025) as a free entry point to AI visibility checking. Each model receives queries and returns key citations and rankings. Shows how each model describes brands for basic sentiment and positioning checks. Uses API responses rather than front-end data. No historical tracking over time. Perfect starting point for understanding what AI models say about your brand before investing in comprehensive platforms.

Hall

Small Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot

Unique Strength

Freemium, simple dashboards

Key Blind Spot

Weak advanced modeling

Notes

$2M pre-seed funded freemium platform with working dashboard and public pricing. Ideal for solo marketers or early-phase testing before committing to comprehensive platforms. Simple dashboards for quick brand visibility checks across major AI platforms. Limited advanced modeling capabilities but accessible entry point for small teams exploring AEO.

ZipTie.dev

Growing Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews

Unique Strength

Practical insights + CSV export

Key Blind Spot

No API access yet

Notes

Focused tracking platform for AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. Provides practical insights to boost visibility with CSV export capabilities for data analysis. Recent feature additions include automatic query categorization. Positioned between free basic tools and comprehensive enterprise platforms. Good fit for growing teams needing straightforward AI search tracking without extensive enterprise features.

GPTrends

Budget Solo Ops

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok

Unique Strength

Cost-effective monitoring

Key Blind Spot

Thin documentation

Notes

Budget monitoring tool with basic outputs. Useful as a starter layer for teams exploring AI visibility without significant investment, but has limited platform depth—don't expect it to surface or synthesize insights across systems. Best for solo operators or small teams needing cost-effective basic monitoring before scaling to more sophisticated platforms.

Am I on AI?

Quick Checks

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT (primary focus)

Unique Strength

Reputation and sentiment monitoring

Key Blind Spot

Limited platform coverage

Notes

Simplified approach focused on monitoring business visibility on AI platforms, especially ChatGPT. Tracks negative sentiment and reputation issues, enabling businesses to identify and respond to problems before they spread. Good for businesses wanting quick AI visibility checks and reputation monitoring rather than comprehensive optimization. Useful for periodic brand health checks and crisis detection without the complexity of full-featured platforms.

Azoma

Ecomm Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, Perplexity, Google AI Mode, Claude

Unique Strength

Shopping-specific focus + digital twin simulation

Key Blind Spot

Narrow vertical scope

Notes

$4M Pre-Series A funding (December 2025) from eBay Ventures and other investors. Named Best Startup at ShopTalk Luxe (January 29, 2026). Founded by former Amazon executive Max Sinclair. E-commerce-focused platform specializing in product discovery optimization across AI shopping interfaces. Features include digital twin simulation that predicts how AI models will represent a brand, and new GEO tools for additional AI platforms launching in 2026. Two patents related to innovative technology. Published case studies: Ruroc (14x increase in site traffic from ChatGPT), Perfect Ted (+532% year-over-year revenue growth across all channels), unnamed client (5x increase in mentions from Amazon Rufus, +32% conversion increase in Amazon split-testing). SaaS model with per-use pricing for brands and by-category pricing for retailers. Pricing is higher than self-serve AEO platforms. Hosting the world's first Agentic Commerce Optimization event in London (March 12, 2026). Clear vertical positioning: "e-commerce product discovery in AI shopping interfaces." Best for e-commerce brands with strong product catalogs and schema implementation seeking AI shopping visibility.

Gumshoe

Persona-Driven Teams

Retrieval Coverage

ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude

Unique Strength

Persona-focused visibility analysis

Key Blind Spot

API-based data (lower quality), credit-based pricing

Notes

$2M pre-seed funding (April 29, 2025) led by Pioneer Square Labs, Hawke Ventures, OpenSky Ventures, and angel investors. Provides persona-focused visibility analysis, allowing brands to examine performance across different buyer segments. Features include Brand Visibility, Competitive Rank, Persona Visibility, Topic Visibility, Model Visibility, and Cited Sources tracking. Offers tactical recommendations for targeted optimization guidance by persona alongside standard AEO tracking. Uses provider APIs resulting in lower data quality compared to front-end scraping. Credit-based prompt execution makes daily tracking expensive. Best for businesses with clearly defined buyer personas requiring persona-specific optimization, though added complexity may not benefit businesses with straightforward segments.

IMPLEMENTATION REALITY

AI platforms change their algorithms, data sources, and response patterns constantly. ChatGPT gets updated. Perplexity shifts how it weights sources. Google's AI Overviews evolve monthly. Your optimization work could become obsolete overnight.

The lack of measurement standards across interfaces creates ongoing confusion. There's no industry consensus on what "AI search performance" even means, let alone how to measure it reliably. The divide between front-end data collection (Gauge) and API-based approaches (Gumshoe, ProductRank.ai) reflects this lack of standardization—there's no agreed-upon methodology for what constitutes accurate measurement.

But the market has matured significantly. Adobe announced intent to acquire Semrush for $1.9 billion (November 2025), marking the first major consolidation in the space. XBE acquired Gauge (March 2025). These exits validate that enterprise buyers see lasting value beyond the hype cycle.

Third-party validation accelerated through 2025. G2 named Profound the "definitive AEO leader" in their Winter 2026 report. CB Insights recognized BrandLight and Bluefish as GEO Market Leaders (October and December 2025). Otterly.ai was named High Performer for Answer Engine Optimization Tools in G2 Winter 2026 Report (December 2025). These analyst endorsements from established firms confirm the category has moved beyond vendor claims to independent verification of platform capabilities and market potential.

Bluefish's Black Friday 2025 report documented 805% year-over-year growth in AI traffic to retail sites using Adobe Analytics data—providing third-party confirmation of the channel's rapid growth beyond vendor claims. AthenaHQ's State of AI Search 2025 Report and similar thought leadership pieces demonstrate platforms building credibility through research rather than just product marketing.

The tools with published case studies at least demonstrate they can measure something that correlates with business outcomes: Profound's 7x visibility for Ramp, Relixir's 139% revenue lift for a mid-market apparel brand, Azoma's 532% year-over-year revenue growth for Perfect Ted, Gauge's 416% visibility boost for Eco in under 30 days, Scrunch AI's 260%+ AI visibility gains for Stratabeat in 2 months. Causation remains difficult to prove in such a rapidly evolving environment, but the pattern is consistent across multiple vendors.

The pace of new feature launches indicates active product development responding to real customer needs rather than vaporware. Profound launched Prompt Volumes (December 2024), Workflows, and Agent Analytics. Evertune increased methodology scale 10x to 1,000,000+ prompts per brand monthly and launched Shopping Intelligence (January 2026). Goodie AI launched Agentic Commerce Optimizer (October 2025) and pivoted strategy toward "action engines" for 2026. Bluefish launched Collections for ROI measurement (February 2026) and Authority in AI measurement (November 2025). Scrunch AI added Site Maps (February 2026). Semrush launched 10+ new features between November 2025 and February 2026 including an official ChatGPT app.

The $200M+ invested in market leaders by top-tier VCs (Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins, NEA, Felicis, Salesforce Ventures) suggests institutional investors believe this is real and lasting. The Fortune 500 adoption (Bluefish at 80% Fortune 500 clients, Profound serving Fortune 100 brands) demonstrates sophisticated enterprises with rigorous vendor evaluation are committing resources.

But fundamental challenges remain: no measurement standards, constantly evolving AI platforms, and uncertainty about which interfaces will dominate. The difference between 2025 and 2026 isn't that these problems are solved—it's that we now have proof the opportunity is large enough to justify working through them.

SELECTION FRAMEWORK AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Start Here:

Use ProductRank.ai's completely free tool to see how major LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity) currently describe your brand. Zero cost, zero barrier to entry, perfect for initial exploration.

If that reveals opportunities, move to Hall's free tier to establish baseline AI visibility tracking with historical data.

For proven enterprise features with documented results:

Profound (G2 Winter 2026 "definitive AEO leader," market leader, $58.5M funding including $35M Series B from Sequoia, thousands of Fortune 100 marketers, 7x visibility increase for Ramp, recent launches include Prompt Volumes, Workflows, Agent Analytics, ChatGPT Shopping)

Bluefish (CB Insights GEO Market Leader, 80% Fortune 500 clients including Adidas, $24M funding, 10x revenue growth in 6 months, 805% YoY AI traffic increase documented, founding team with two previous exits to Microsoft and Meta, Collections for ROI measurement launched February 2026)

Evertune (1,000,000+ prompts per brand monthly methodology - 10x increase, $19M+ funding, ex-Trade Desk leadership, Canada Goose and Miro customers, Partner Connect with impact.com, Shopping Intelligence launched January 2026, DeepSeek and Copilot coverage, pricing starts at $3,000/month)

Scrunch AI (500+ companies, $15M Series A, published case studies showing 4x growth (Runpod), 260%+ visibility gains (Stratabeat), 226% citation growth (Strapi), Site Maps launched February 2026, Copilot monitoring, pricing: Explorer $100/month, Growth $500/month, Enterprise custom, 7-day free trial)

Gauge (acquired by XBE March 2025, documented 2x-5x visibility growth including 416% boost for Eco, front-end data collection, Y Combinator-backed, Google Analytics integration, $99/month)

Relixir ($2M raised November 2025, Y Combinator X25, content automation with 139% revenue lift case study, #1 ChatGPT rankings in under 90 days, serves 200+ teams, clients include Rippling and HackerRank, pricing: Starter $500/month, Standard $97/month, Expert $149/month, 2-week free trial)

Goodie AI (strategic pivot to "action engines" for 2026, Agentic Commerce Optimizer launched October 2025, published case studies: Dermalogica 85% increase in AI searches, SteelSeries #1 gaming brand with 3.2x conversions, NoGood 335% traffic increase, Rathbones 2.3x visibility growth, pricing starts around $495/month)

For e-commerce specifically:

Azoma ($4M pre-Series A December 2025, Best Startup at ShopTalk Luxe January 2026, purpose-built with Amazon Rufus/Walmart Sparky optimization, published case studies: Ruroc 14x traffic increase, Perfect Ted 532% revenue growth, 5x mentions increase from Amazon Rufus, digital twin simulation, hosting world's first Agentic Commerce Optimization event March 2026)

For growth companies:

AthenaHQ (Google Search insider knowledge, $2.2M seed, 100+ paying customers, State of AI Search 2025 Report, published case studies: Rootly 10x citation rate, Lago 50% demo increase, Grüns 6x Share of Voice lift, transparent pricing starting at $295/month, broadest platform coverage including 8+ LLMs)

Rank Prompt (tracking 15,368 brands, transparent pricing $49-$149/month, agency-friendly, no hidden fees, 7-day free trial, 20% discount on annual plans)

Nimt.ai (rapid customer acquisition, €360K funding, European presence, used by 3,000+ brands, paying customers within minutes of beta launch, pricing: Starter $59/month, Pro $69/month, Enterprise custom)

For validated mid-market platforms:

Peec AI ($29M total raised, 1,500+ marketing teams, top 1% startup growth, competitive intelligence focus, pricing: Starter €89/month, Pro €199/month, Enterprise custom)

BrandLight ($5.75M seed April 2025, CB Insights Leader December 2025, real-time alerts and governance, Demand Spring partnership November 2025)

Otterly.ai (G2 High Performer Winter 2026, 10,000+ users by September 2025, Semrush integration, Agency Partner Program launched April 2025, pricing: Lite $29/month, Standard $189/month, Premium $489/month)

Vaylis (bootstrapped, reached $220K revenue by October 2025, published case study: Reifenhenrich 22.7% AI visibility, 180% appointment booking increase, pricing: Starter €49/month, Growth €119/month, Scale €289/month, Enterprise €699/month)

Passionfruit Labs (Product Hunt #4 Product of the Day, Google Analytics and Search Console integration, published case studies: Custom Blinds Leader 71% visibility growth, Energy Drink Brand 45.6% organic lift, Visily 11x traffic increase in 2 months, pricing starting at $19/month, previously $499/month)

Already using SEO tools?

Ahrefs Brand Radar (252M+ prompts tracked, YouTube/TikTok/Reddit tracking added January 2026, Custom AI prompt tracking launched January 2026, Entities & Topics introduced October 2025) or Semrush AI Toolkit (Adobe announced $1.9B acquisition November 2025, 116,000+ paying customers, official ChatGPT app launched December 2025, $99/month add-on pricing) offer convenient add-ons, though less sophisticated than dedicated platforms. Accept reduced customization and higher total costs for vendor consolidation.

For content automation beyond monitoring:

Relixir positions uniquely with end-to-end platform including autonomous content automation capabilities (AI Visibility, Cursor for CMS, Blog Generation, Autonomous Refresh, Employee Publishing)

For ROI tracking and business metrics:

Passionfruit Labs' Google Analytics and Search Console integration connects AEO performance to business outcomes, launched November 2025

For persona-specific analysis:

Gumshoe ($2M pre-seed April 2025, Pioneer Square Labs, Hawke Ventures, OpenSky Ventures) if you have clearly defined buyer personas requiring segmented optimization, features include Brand Visibility, Competitive Rank, Persona Visibility, Topic Visibility, Model Visibility

For growing teams needing practical tools:

ZipTie.dev (CSV export, automatic categorization) bridges gap between free tools and enterprise platforms

Use caution:

• Tools with undisclosed funding and limited team information (Vaylis, Passionfruit Labs, Am I on AI?, ProductRank.ai, GPTrends, Rank Prompt). Most new entrants fall here—may indicate bootstrapping while proving fit, or may signal lack of traction
• Annual contracts with unproven platforms lacking published case studies or customer validation
• Custom pricing without clear value justification—18 of 24 tools hide pricing, creating evaluation friction
• Tools using API data rather than front-end scraping (Gumshoe, ProductRank.ai)—explicitly noted as lower quality but may be acceptable for specific use cases like persona analysis or free exploration
• Credit-based pricing models where daily tracking could become expensive—calculate actual costs before committing
• Early-stage platforms without customer validation—while Nimt.ai's 3,000+ brands and Gauge's case studies show promise, verify public proof before committing

Watch for:

• Limited public customer case studies—Profound, Bluefish, Scrunch AI, Gauge, Relixir, Goodie AI, Azoma, AthenaHQ, Vaylis, and Passionfruit Labs have published quantifiable results; others lack specific metrics
• Vague technical documentation without methodology disclosure
• "Contact for pricing" without transparent feature comparison—indicates either customized enterprise pricing or market immaturity
• Claims about "comprehensive monitoring" without explaining methodology—front-end vs API, prompt volume, and measurement approach matter significantly
• Platform coverage claims—verify which AI systems are actually monitored versus marketing claims
• Add-on pricing for SEO platforms—total costs for Ahrefs Brand Radar and Semrush AI Toolkit significantly exceed base subscription prices

Geographic considerations:

North American focus: 15 of 24 tools primarily serve US/Canadian markets

European presence: Nimt.ai (Sweden, 3,000+ brands) and Peec AI (Germany, $29M, 1,500+ teams) represent growing European market

Australian presence: Hall ($2M pre-seed, Blackbird Ventures) demonstrates Asia-Pacific opportunity

Global capability: Established SEO platforms (Ahrefs, Semrush with 116,000+ customers) have international user bases

The search queries that brought you here reflect a market that has moved beyond "is this real?" to "which platform fits my needs?" With $200M+ invested by top-tier VCs, Adobe's $1.9B Semrush acquisition, and Fortune 500 companies committing resources, the category is validated. The question is which tools can deliver results as interfaces continue evolving.

Update (February 10, 2026): AI browser adoption remains in early stages despite launches throughout 2025 (Perplexity Comet beta, Opera Neon, Brave Search AI, OpenAI browser in development). Mass consumer adoption has not materialized. The market remains in early adopter phase with significant barriers including premium pricing and user habits. However, the underlying shift to AI-mediated search is accelerating across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and other established platforms. For ongoing tracking of AI browser adoption trends, see our weekly AI Browser Market Share report that monitors North American usage patterns.

We acknowledge this is an evolving market and we are happy to include additional data and/or make corrections. Reach out at [email protected].

REFERENCES

[1] Independent Research Analysis: AEO Tools Market Assessment, July 2025; Updated October 12, 2025; Updated January 4, 2026; Updated February 10, 2026

PROFOUND

[2] Profound Series A Announcement: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/series-a (June 18, 2025, $20M led by Kleiner Perkins)

[3] Profound Series B Announcement: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/series-b; PR Newswire https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/profound-raises-35m-series-b-as-ai-search-becomes-the-next-platform-shift-302527764.html (August 12, 2025, $35M led by Sequoia Capital, total funding $58.5M)

[3a] Profound G2 Winter 2026 Leader Recognition: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/g2-winter-2026-definitive-aeo-leader (December 3, 2025)

[3b] Profound Workflows Launch: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/profound-workflows (December 11, 2025)

[3c] Profound Agent Analytics Launch: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/agent-analytics-wordpress-gcp (December 2, 2025)

[3d] Profound GPT-5.2 Support: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/gpt-5-2-support (December 14, 2025)

[3e] Profound ChatGPT Shopping Integration: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/chatgpt-shopping (November 13, 2025)

[3f] Profound Zero Click NYC Summit: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/zero-click-nyc-summit (November 17, 2025)

[3g] Profound HIPAA Compliance: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/hipaa-compliance (November 14, 2025)

[3h] Profound Index Launch: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/profound-index (November 5, 2025)

[3i] Profound Prompt Volumes Launch: https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/prompt-volumes (December 16, 2024)

[4] Profound Customer Case Studies: 1840 & Co. (https://www.tryprofound.com/customers/1840-co-answer-engine-optimization-case-study); Ramp (https://www.tryprofound.com/customers/ramp-case-study)

[5] Profound G2 Partnership: https://company.g2.com/news/g2-profound-partnership (September 11, 2025)

[6] TechCrunch Profound Coverage: https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/13/move-over-seo-profound-is-helping-brands-with-ai-search-optimization/

[7] Profound 10M Search Study: https://padron.sh/blog/profound-10m-search-study/

BLUEFISH

[8] Bluefish $20M Series A: NEA Blog https://www.nea.com/blog/bluefish-the-ai-marketing-platform-for-the-agentic-era; PR Newswire https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bluefish-raises-20m-to-power-ai-marketing-for-the-fortune-500-302534342.html (September 1, 2025, led by NEA with Salesforce Ventures participation, total funding $24M)

[8a] Bluefish Black Friday 2025 Report: https://www.bluefishai.com/blog/black-friday-cyber-monday-ai-shopping-trends-2025 (December 2, 2025, 805% YoY AI traffic increase, Adobe Analytics data)

[8b] Bluefish CB Insights GEO Market Leader Recognition: CB Insights Market Report (October 27, 2025)

[8c] Bluefish AI Impact and Influence Analytics Launch: https://www.bluefishai.com/blog/ai-impact-influence-analytics (November 1, 2025)

[8d] Bluefish Collections Launch: https://www.bluefishai.com/blog/collections-roi-measurement (February 2, 2026)

[8e] Bluefish Manhattan HQ Opening: Commercial Observer https://commercialobserver.com/2026/02/bluefish-lease-315-park-avenue-south/ (February 9, 2026)

[9] AdExchanger Bluefish Coverage: https://www.adexchanger.com/marketers/ai-marketing-platform-bluefish-raises-19m-in-series-a-funding/

[10] Adweek Bluefish Pitch Deck: https://www.adweek.com/media/bluefish-pitch-deck-20-million-series-a-ai-search/

[11] Yahoo Finance Bluefish Interview: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bluefish-ceo-says-where-eyeballs-154600377.html

[12] Laconia Capital Bluefish Portfolio: https://www.laconiacapitalgroup.com/blog/portfolio-spotlight-bluefish

SCRUNCH AI

[13] Scrunch AI Company About Page: https://scrunch.com/about/

[14] Scrunch AI $15M Series A: TheSaasNews https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/scrunch-ai-raises-15-million-in-series-a; Finsmes https://www.finsmes.com/2025/07/scrunch-ai-raises-15m-in-series-a-funding.html; Axios https://www.axios.com/pro/retail-deals/2025/07/22/scrunch-15-million-brands-ai-search (July 22-23, 2025, led by Decibel)

[14a] Scrunch AI Site Maps Launch: https://scrunch.com/blog/site-maps-feature (February 2026)

[14b] Scrunch AI Copilot Support: https://scrunch.com/blog/microsoft-copilot-monitoring (2025)

[14c] Scrunch AI Case Studies: Runpod (4x growth in 90 days), Stratabeat (260%+ AI visibility gains in 2 months), AlchemyLeads (closed three major enterprise contracts in one quarter), Strapi (226% growth in AI search citations), Tinybird (3x brand mentions)

[15] Pulse2 Scrunch Coverage: https://pulse2.com/scrunch-ai-15-million-raised-for-improving-ai-search/

[16] MartechCube Scrunch Coverage: https://www.martechcube.com/scrunch-ai-raises-15-mn-series-a-to-rebuild-internet-for-ai-consumption/

[17] Tracxn Scrunch AI: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/scrunch-ai/\_\_YD-HNnICy36Jc7CvwqOaj2AKuZHLtMkH9BTlQ4JC14U

EVERTUNE

[18] Evertune $15M Series A: Yahoo Finance https://finance.yahoo.com/news/evertune-raises-15-million-series-170000394.html; VCNewsDaily https://vcnewsdaily.com/evertune/venture-capital-funding/nvjhcrvqrc (August 12, 2025, led by Felicis Ventures, total funding $19M)

[18a] Evertune 1M+ Prompt Methodology: https://www.evertune.ai/ (website update reflecting 1,000,000+ prompts per brand monthly, Q4 2025)

[18b] Evertune Shopping Intelligence Launch: https://www.prweb.com/releases/evertune-launches-shopping-intelligence-to-track-brand-visibility-in-ai-powered-product-recommendations-302661103.html (January 14, 2026)

[18c] Evertune Partner Connect with PartnerStack: https://www.evertune.ai/blog/partner-connect-partnerstack (January 29, 2026)

[18d] Evertune Partner Connect with impact.com: https://www.evertune.ai/blog/partner-connect-impact-com (December 16, 2025)

[18e] Evertune DeepSeek Support: Visible on platform homepage (December 2025)

[19] Evertune LinkedIn Announcements: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/evertune-ai\_were-excited-to-announce-that-weve-raised-activity-7361386071080771586-0Vaw; https://www.linkedin.com/posts/evertune-ai\_aisearchvisibility-geo-aiseo-activity-7369063028962598913-5mqm

[20] VentureFizz Evertune Podcast: https://venturefizz.com/insights/episode-394-brian-stempeck-ceo-co-founder-of-evertune/

ATHENAHQ

[21] AthenaHQ Company Website: https://athenahq.ai/; About Page https://athenahq.ai/about

[22] AthenaHQ Y Combinator Profile: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/athenahq

[23] AthenaHQ $2.2M Seed: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/athena-hq\_announcing-athenas-22m-seed-round-by-some-activity-7340801300562862080-jaJW; Finsmes https://www.finsmes.com/2025/06/athena-raises-2-2m-in-seed-funding.html (April 1, 2025)

[23a] AthenaHQ State of AI Search 2025 Report: https://athenahq.ai/state-of-ai-search-2025 (Q4 2025)

[23b] AthenaHQ 100+ Paying Customers: Verified customer count (Q4 2025)

[23c] AthenaHQ Case Studies: Rootly (10x citation rate), Lago (50% demo increase), Grüns (6x Share of Voice lift), Uberall partnership

[24] Andrew Yan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-yan-200

[25] AthenaHQ Jobs Page: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/athenahq/jobs/cIrEbKR-founding-engineer

PEEC AI

[26] Peec AI Website: https://peec.ai/

[27] Peec AI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peec-ai

[28] Peec AI Funding: Verified at $29M total raised (December 2025 update)

[28a] Peec AI Customer Metrics: 1,500+ marketing teams served (verified Q4 2025)

[28b] Peec AI Pricing: Starter €89/month, Pro €199/month, Enterprise custom (verified February 2026)

[29] Tracxn Peec AI: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/peec-ai/\_\_GI\_FO8uxvVQx0mUWur5w1N6bN2IRPrMwDPBUUvg283U

[30] Marius Meiners LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/in/mariusmeiners

[31] WriteSonic AEO Tools Review: https://writesonic.com/blog/answer-engine-optimization-tools

[32] Nick Lafferty Profound vs Peec Comparison: https://nicklafferty.com/blog/profound-vs-peec-ai/

BRANDLIGHT

[33] BrandLight $5.75M Seed: Jewish Business News https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2025/04/16/brandlight-launches-with-5-75m-to-help-companies-shape-brand-representation-in-ai-models/ (April 2025, led by Cardumen Capital and G20 Ventures)

[33a] BrandLight CB Insights Leader for GEO Recognition: CB Insights Market Report (December 2025)

[33b] BrandLight Demand Spring Partnership: Verified partnership announcement (November 2025)

[34] Tony Weisman LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tonyweisman\_thrilled-to-see-brandlight-a-company-im-activity-7318610598487855104-V0WP

[35] Plate Lunch Collective BrandLight Comparison: https://www.platelunchcollective.com/brandlight-vs-evertune-aeo-platform-comparison/

[36] BrandLight Messaging Drift Article: https://sat.brandlight.ai/articles/brandlight-isolates-messaging-drift-and-ai-rankings

[37] BrandLight vs Profound Comparison: https://sat.brandlight.ai/articles/brandlight-vs-profound-for-share-of-voice-in-search

HALL

[38] Hall Company Page: https://usehall.com/company

[39] Hall $2M Pre-Seed: Startup Daily https://www.startupdaily.net/topic/funding/ai-marketing-startup-raises-2-million-pre-seed-for-post-google-seo-solutions/; Business News Australia https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/blackbird-tips--2m-into-sydney-startup-that-measures-brand-performance-in-ai-search.html (July 28, 2025, led by Blackbird Ventures)

[40] AEO Tools Space Hall Profile: https://www.aeotools.space/tool/hall

[41] Hall Reviews: SourceForge https://sourceforge.net/software/product/Hall/; Slashdot https://slashdot.org/software/p/Hall/

[42] Hall LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/usehall

GPTRENDS

[43] GPTrends Website: https://gptrends.io/

[44] Dak Kaufman LinkedIn Launch: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kaufmandak\_gptrends-activity-7310711789648797697-XQBZ

[45] GPTrends Blog Variability Article: https://gptrends.io/blog/variability-in-ai-search/

[46] AEO Tools Space GPTrends: https://www.aeotools.space/tool/gptrends

AZOMA

[47] Azoma About Page: https://www.azoma.ai/about

[47a] Azoma $4M Pre-Series A: Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/azoma-geo-ai-search-funding-pitch-deck-2025-12; UK Tech News https://www.uktech.news/ai/azoma-becomes-latest-ai-search-startup-to-secure-funding-20251205; Finsmes https://www.finsmes.com/2025/12/azoma-raises-4m-in-pre-series-a-funding.html (December 2025, eBay Ventures and other investors)

[47b] Azoma Best Startup Award: Retail Tech Innovation Hub https://retailtechinnovationhub.com/home/2026/1/29/azoma-bags-best-startup-award-at-retail-technology-show-shoptalk-luxe-in-abu-dhabi (January 29, 2026, ShopTalk Luxe)

[47c] Azoma Case Studies: Ruroc (14x increase in site traffic from ChatGPT), Perfect Ted (+532% year-over-year revenue growth), unnamed client (5x increase in mentions from Amazon Rufus, +32% conversion increase)

[47d] Azoma Agentic Commerce Optimization Event: https://www.azoma.ai/ (March 12, 2026, London)

[48] Max Sinclair LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai

[49] Shoptalk Europe Max Sinclair Speaker: https://shoptalkeurope.com/speakers/max-sinclair

[50] Crunchbase Ecomtent (Azoma): https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/ecomtent

[51] LinkedIn Seb Johnson Azoma Founder Feature: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/seb-johnson\_meet-the-founder-max-sinclair-of-azoma-activity-7369715999895363585-R9ba

[52] AI Chronicles Podcast Max Sinclair: https://aichronicles.castos.com/episodes/max-sinclair-the-future-of-geo-getting-your-brandxod

[53] Azoma OpenAI CEO Insights: https://www.azoma.ai/insights/openai-new-ceo-of-applications-ecommerce-signals

GAUGE

[54] Gauge Team Page: https://www.withgauge.com/team

[55] Gauge Resources and Case Studies: https://www.withgauge.com/resources/10-best-answer-engine-optimization-aeo-tools-2025

[55a] Gauge Acquisition by XBE: PitchBook https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/277120-81 (March 26, 2025)

[55b] Gauge ProductRank.ai Connection: https://productrank.ai/ (Created by Gauge team as free entry point)

[55c] Gauge Case Studies: Eco (416% visibility boost in less than 30 days), Standard Metrics (2x visibility growth in 14 days)

[56] Gauge Funding: Tracxn https://tracxn.com/d/companies/gauge/\_\_bxIzy-FZ2ErdPrJzXjnn9bgec2bufISkCFNwiyi8izQ/funding-and-investors; Crunchbase https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/gauge-6d0f; PitchBook https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/601536-79 ($500K seed, July 2024, Y Combinator)

RELIXIR

[57] Relixir YC Journey and Funding: https://relixir.ai/blog/relixir-yc-x25-journey-funding-product-roadmap-geo-customers; LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/y-combinator\_relixir-just-raised-2m-to-build-an-inbound-activity-7394433815286493184-h7nX ($2M raised November 12, 2025)

[57a] Relixir Client Roster: https://relixir.ai/ (Rippling, HackerRank, Retell AI, FaceApp, Qdrant, 200+ teams, Q4 2025)

[58] Relixir Case Studies: https://relixir.ai/case-studies; 139% Sales Growth https://relixir.ai/blog/case-study-139-percent-sales-growth-on-shopify-after-adopting-generative-engine-optimization; Hostie (1500+ AI citations in under 1 month); DocuBridge (#1 ChatGPT ranking in under 90 days); Reframe (38% MoM increase in leads)

[59] Y Combinator Relixir: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/relixir

[60] Tracxn Relixir: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/relixir/\_\_YkoePFOq2Y9S4um9eh1YXYr0wAfwGlyL4t0r6Xnlxk0

[61] PitchBook Relixir: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/863161-30

GOODIE AI

[62] Goodie AI About Page: https://www.higoodie.com/about-us

[62a] Goodie AI Agentic Commerce Optimizer Launch: https://www.higoodie.com/blog/agentic-commerce-optimizer (October 8, 2025)

[62b] Goodie AI 2026 Strategic Pivot: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/goodie-ai\_2025-was-the-year-of-answer-engines-2026-activity-7420480502106681345-nrgM (2026)

[62c] Goodie AI Expanded Platform Coverage: https://www.higoodie.com/ (DeepSeek, Copilot, Grok, Rufus, AI Overview, AI Mode added Q4 2025)

[62d] Goodie AI Case Studies: Dermalogica (85% increase in AI searches, 127% growth in AI conversions), SteelSeries (#1 most retrieved gaming brand, 3.2x AI search conversions increase in 6 months), NoGood (335% increase in traffic from AI sources, 48 high-value leads in Q1 2025), Rathbones (2.3x growth in AI visibility, 106% increase in total citations)

[63] Tracxn Goodie AI: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/goodie-ai/\_\_Ohw5iyqJ-avYwDMYTppDKdISCZqH9x47JgSRBjaIL-Y

[64] Crunchbase Goodie AI: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/goodie-ai

[65] Goodie AI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodie-ai

RANK PROMPT

[66] Rank Prompt Pricing: https://rankprompt.com/pricing/

[67] Rank Prompt Platform: https://rankprompt.com/platform/

[68] Rank Prompt Website: https://rankprompt.com/ (tracking 15,368 brands as of February 2026)

[69] Rank Prompt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rankprompt

OTTERLY.AI

[70] Otterly.AI Website: https://otterly.ai/

[70a] Otterly.AI G2 High Performer Recognition: G2 Winter 2026 Report https://www.g2.com/products/otterly-ai/reviews; Yahoo Finance https://finance.yahoo.com/news/otterlyai-celebrates-10-000-users-140000212.html (December 4, 2025, High Performer for Answer Engine Optimization Tools)

[70b] Otterly.AI 10,000+ Users Milestone: Yahoo Finance https://finance.yahoo.com/news/otterlyai-celebrates-10-000-users-140000212.html (September 2025)

[70c] Otterly.AI Agency Partner Program: https://otterly.ai/blog/geo-agency-partners/ (April 22, 2025)

[71] Tracxn Otterly.AI: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/otterly.ai/\_\_wEAJgSfWCyGM1xLopj3P9dGEGBQQznPce8YfS0ZrUPI

VAYLIS

[72] Vaylis Website: https://vaylis.ai/

[72a] Vaylis Revenue Milestone: GetLatka https://getlatka.com/companies/vaylis.ai ($220K revenue by October 2025, bootstrapped)

[72b] Vaylis Case Study: Reifenhenrich https://vaylis.ai/results/reifenhenrich-automotive-visibility (22.7% AI visibility, 180% appointment booking increase, August 2025)

[73] Luis Henrich-Bandis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luishenrich/

PASSIONFRUIT LABS

[74] Passionfruit Labs Website: https://www.getpassionfruit.ai/

[74a] Passionfruit Labs Product Hunt Recognition: https://www.producthunt.com/products/passionfruit-labs (Product Hunt #4 Product of the Day)

[74b] Passionfruit Labs Case Studies: Custom Blinds Leader (71% AI visibility growth), Leading Energy Drink Brand (45.6% organic lift), Visily (11x increase in traffic in 2 months)

[74c] Passionfruit Labs Pricing: Starting at $19/month, previously $499/month (November 2025)

ZIPTIE.DEV

[75] ZipTie.dev Website: https://ziptie.dev/

[76] ZipTie.dev Blog: https://ziptie.dev/blog/

[77] ZipTie.dev LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ziptiedev

AM I ON AI?

[78] Am I on AI? Website: https://www.amionai.com/

[79] Am I on AI? Product Page: https://www.amionai.com/product

[80] Tracxn Am I on AI?: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/amionai.com/\_\_4rAwQHpCLHOSqLi46FNBcElWDWWCqrNf2jEklS6OgB4

GUMSHOE

[81] Gumshoe $2M Pre-Seed: Blog Announcement https://blog.gumshoe.ai/gumshoe-raises-2m-pre-seed-to-help-marketers-navigate-ai-search/ (April 29, 2025, led by Pioneer Square Labs, Hawke Ventures, OpenSky Ventures)

[82] Yahoo Finance Gumshoe Coverage: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/marketers-panicking-chatgpts-impact-seo-134506379.html

[83] Tracxn Gumshoe: https://tracxn.com/d/companies/gumshoe/\_\_X5eIqQhUZftb-6ei3CzKUd1RteRyJ63reDwJdT1MdHM

[84] Crunchbase Gumshoe: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/gumshoe-ai

PRODUCTRANK.AI

[85] ProductRank.ai Website: https://productrank.ai/ (Completely free tool created by Gauge team, no disclosed funding)

NIMT.AI

[86] Nimt.ai €360K Pre-Seed: Öresund Startups https://oresundstartups.com/nimt-ai-gained-paying-customers-within-minutes-now-closes-first-funding-round/; TrySignalBase https://www.trysignalbase.com/news/funding/nimtai-secures-4m-pre-seed-to-transform-ai-driven-search-for-brands (July 9-11, 2025, Loop Capital and Skåne Ventures)

[86a] Nimt.ai Customer Metrics: Used by 3,000+ brands (verified Q4 2025)

[86b] Nimt.ai Intent Tracking Launch: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nimt-ai\_intent-tracking-is-now-live-in-nimtai-activity-7384112353983741953-U-1m (October 14, 2025)

[87] Nimt.ai Website: https://nimt.ai/

[88] Dealroom Nimt.ai: https://kenya.dealroom.co/companies/nimt\_ai

[89] Oliver Ekberg LinkedIn: https://se.linkedin.com/in/oliverekberg

[90] Nimt.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nimt-ai

AHREFS BRAND RADAR

[91] Ahrefs Brand Radar: https://ahrefs.com/brand-radar

[91a] Ahrefs Brand Radar 252M+ Prompts Database: https://ahrefs.com/brand-radar (verified Q4 2025)

[91b] Ahrefs YouTube and Reddit Tracking: Business Wire https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260106995102/en/Ahrefs-Adds-YouTube-and-Reddit-Tracking-to-Brand-Radar (January 7, 2026)

[91c] Ahrefs Custom AI Prompt Tracking: Yahoo Finance https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ahrefs-launches-custom-ai-prompt-051600618.html (January 20, 2026)

[91d] Ahrefs Entities & Topics Feature: https://ahrefs.com/blog/new-features-sep-2025/ (October 12, 2025)

[91e] Ahrefs Connect for Integrations: https://ahrefs.com/blog/new-features-sep-2025/ (October 12, 2025)

[92] Ahrefs Pricing: https://ahrefs.com/pricing (Bootstrapped, profitable company founded by Dmitry Gerasimenko)

SEMRUSH AI TOOLKIT

[93] Semrush AI Toolkit: https://www.semrush.com/ai-toolkit/

[93a] Semrush Adobe Acquisition: Multiple sources (November 2025, Adobe announced intent to acquire Semrush for $1.9 billion)

[93b] Semrush Official ChatGPT App Launch: Verified launch (December 2025)

[93c] Semrush AI Toolkit Pricing: $99/month add-on (verified Q4 2025)

[93d] Semrush Customer Count: 116,000+ paying customers (verified Q4 2025)

[94] Semrush Pricing: https://www.semrush.com/pricing/ (Public company NYSE: SEMR, March 2021 IPO)

MARKET ANALYSIS

[95] AI Browser Market Adoption Analysis, October 12, 2025; Updated February 10, 2026

[96] Bluefish Black Friday 2025 AI Shopping Trends Report: 805% YoY increase in AI traffic to retail sites (Adobe Analytics data), December 2025

[97] G2 Winter 2026 Report: Profound named "definitive AEO leader," December 2025

[98] CB Insights GEO Market Leaders Report: BrandLight and Bluefish recognized, October-December 2025

[99] G2 Winter 2026 Report: Otterly.ai named High Performer for Answer Engine Optimization Tools, December 4, 2025

[100] Independent Market Funding Analysis: Total disclosed funding $200M+ across 24 AEO/GEO platforms, February 2026

[101] Adobe Semrush Acquisition: Adobe announced intent to acquire Semrush for $1.9 billion, November 2025

[102] XBE Gauge Acquisition: XBE acquired Gauge, March 26, 2025

Note on Verification: References marked with letters (e.g., [3a], [8a]) represent updates verified through platform websites, press releases, LinkedIn announcements, or direct platform communications as of February 10, 2026. Where specific URLs are not yet published or announcements are pending, verification was conducted through multiple independent sources including company websites, platform homepages, LinkedIn company pages, and industry publications.