Short answer: Most local businesses should start with a free check to see whether AI assistants mention them at all. If the result raises questions, a one-time report gives you the full evidence and a fix-it plan without a monthly bill. Monthly tracking tools like Otterly, Peec, or Profound make sense once you (or your agency) are actively working on AI visibility and need to watch many prompts across several AI engines over time.
Full disclosure: we make one of the tools on this list. We’ve tried to describe every option, ours included, by what it actually does and costs. That includes our limitations.
Prices and features were checked on October 10, 2026, from each vendor’s own website unless noted. They change often, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
What does an “AI visibility tool” actually do?
These tools ask AI assistants questions, the kind your customers might ask, and record whether your business is mentioned, how it’s described, and which sources the AI cites. The tools differ in five main ways:
- Which AI engines they query (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, Google AI Overviews, and others), and whether they query the real engine or simulate it.
- Whether they use live web search or only the model’s built-in knowledge.
- How many prompts they track, and how often.
- Who they’re built for: national brands and marketing teams, or local businesses.
- How you pay: free, monthly subscription, or one-time.
For a local business, points 2 and 4 matter most. Local recommendations depend on current information like hours, reviews, and new competitors, which a model without live search may not have.
Why should a local business care about this in 2026?
In BrightLocal’s 2026 survey of 1,002 US consumers, 45% had used an AI tool to find a local business in the past 12 months, up from 6% the year before (BrightLocal). ChatGPT was the most-used tool for this, followed by Google’s AI Mode. That’s a real shift in how customers discover businesses, and your normal search rankings don’t show how you appear in those answers.
Free AI visibility checkers
Ahrefs Free AI Visibility Checker
You enter a brand name. Ahrefs queries ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, Google AI Overviews, and AI Mode with “search-backed prompts.” Cost: Free, no signup. Full Brand Radar product starts at $199/month. Best for: Brands with recognizable names. Local caveat: Built for brand names, not “best [category] in [city]” queries.
Locan Free AI Visibility Checker
Built for local businesses. Runs 12 buyer-intent questions. Important: Uses simulations of ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI (one model answering as each). Locan calls it “a strong directional signal rather than a live crawl.” Cost: Free, no account.
Cognitive Authority Free Check (us)
For local businesses. Powered by Google Gemini with live web search (real engine, not simulated). Runs 8 customer-intent questions for your category and city. Gives score, grade, 4 dimensions, top competitors recommended instead. Cost: Free, no account. Limitation: One engine only (Gemini); doesn’t test ChatGPT or Perplexity.
Monthly AI visibility tracking tools
Otterly.ai
Monthly tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Monitors custom keywords, competitors, and sources. Built for brands and agencies managing multiple clients. Pricing: Starts at $49/month (1 project, 500 AI queries/month). Business tier $249/month (10 projects, 5,000 queries).
Peec.ai
Tracks visibility across multiple AI platforms, built for marketing teams. Monitors brand mentions, citations, and competitor positioning. Pricing: Plans start around $99/month based on number of tracked keywords and queries.
Profound
Enterprise-focused platform for tracking AI visibility at scale. Monitors multiple AI engines and provides analytics dashboards. Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing, typically $500+/month depending on scope.
One-time AI visibility report
Cognitive Authority Full Report (us)
What it covers: Up to 16 customer questions across 7 intent clusters, each with AI’s verbatim answer and sources. Includes competitor comparison (2–3 same-city businesses on same questions), 90-day action plan, evidence appendix, ready-to-use sample content. Engine: Powered by Google Gemini with live web search. Pricing: $69 one-time (launch price; regular $99). No subscription. See an anonymized sample report for the layout and depth. Best for: Business owners who want the full picture once, with a clear to-do list. Limitation: One engine (Gemini), one snapshot in time.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Free Checker | Free | Branded businesses, multi-engine quick check |
| Locan Free | Free | Local businesses, directional signal (simulated) |
| Cognitive Authority Free | Free | Local businesses, real Gemini results |
| Otterly | $49–249/mo | Ongoing monitoring, multi-engine |
| Peec | ~$99/mo | Marketing teams, keyword tracking |
| Profound | $500+/mo | Enterprise, large-scale tracking |
| Cognitive Authority Full | $69 one-time | Full report with action plan, no subscription |
Which kind of tool do you need?
- Start with a free check (ours, Locan, or Ahrefs) to see if you’re mentioned at all.
- Get a one-time report if you want the full evidence, competitor comparison, and fix-it plan without monthly billing. Preview the structure in the sample report.
- Use a monthly tracker (Otterly, Peec, Profound) if you’re actively working on AI visibility, need multi-engine tracking, or manage multiple clients.
Run your free AI visibility check →
Results are a snapshot of model API responses at the time of testing and may differ from consumer-facing AI products due to model versions, personalization, location, and timing. These recommendations do not guarantee results for your business.
Last updated: October 10, 2026 · By the Cognitive Authority Team