There are dozens of GEO tools now. How do you evaluate which ones are actually worth paying for?

I’ve evaluated 15+ GEO tools for clients. Here’s my framework:

Tier 1: Must-Have Features

1. Multi-Platform Tracking Must cover ChatGPT, Perplexity, at minimum. Bonus: Gemini, Claude.

2. Brand Mention Monitoring Track when your brand is mentioned in responses.

3. Citation Tracking Track when your website is cited as a source.

4. Competitor Comparison See your share of voice vs. competitors.

5. Historical Trends Track changes over time, not just snapshots.

Tier 2: Important Features

6. Prompt Library Management Organize and test multiple prompts.

7. Alert System Get notified of significant changes.

8. Export/Reporting Create reports for stakeholders.

9. GA4 Integration Connect AI visibility to traffic data.

Tier 3: Nice-to-Have

10. Content Recommendations Suggestions for improving visibility.

11. Sentiment Analysis How AI describes your brand.

12. Advanced Analytics Deep-dive into citation patterns.

Evaluation approach:

Start with Tier 1 requirements. If a tool doesn’t have all 5, move on. Then evaluate Tier 2 based on your specific needs.

Let me share pricing reality:

Budget Categories:

Free/Freemium ($0-50/month):

• Basic monitoring
• Limited prompts tracked
• Manual processes
• Good for getting started

Entry-Level ($50-200/month):

• 20-50 tracked prompts
• Basic competitor comparison
• Weekly/monthly reports
• Suitable for small teams

Mid-Tier ($200-500/month):

• 100+ tracked prompts
• Full competitor analysis
• Real-time alerts
• Integrations
• Suitable for growth-stage companies

Enterprise ($500-2000+/month):

• Unlimited prompts
• Advanced analytics
• API access
• Dedicated support
• Custom features

My recommendation:

Start at entry-level. Prove value. Scale up if justified.

The jump from $0 to $100/month is usually worth it for the time savings alone. Manual monitoring is tedious.

The jump from $100 to $500/month needs to be justified by specific feature needs or scale requirements.

I’ll share my experience with Am I Cited specifically:

What I use it for:

• Track 50 prompts relevant to our industry
• Monitor brand mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini
• Compare our visibility to 3 key competitors
• Weekly reports for our marketing team

What works well:

• Easy setup (had tracking running in 30 minutes)
• Competitor comparison is genuinely useful
• Alerts when visibility changes significantly
• Historical trends help show progress

What I wish was different:

• Would like more prompt suggestions
• Some advanced features have learning curve
• Wish reports were more customizable

Is it worth the cost?

For us, yes. Before Am I Cited, we had no idea how we appeared in AI responses. Now we have data to guide our content strategy.

The ROI comes from knowing where to focus. Without data, we were guessing.

Comparison note:

I trialed 3 tools before choosing. Am I Cited had the best balance of features and usability for our needs. But different tools may suit different needs.

How to run effective trials:

Before the trial:

1. Define what success looks like
2. List your must-have features
3. Prepare test prompts
4. Note current manual baseline

During the trial (most are 7-14 days):

Day 1-2:

• Set up tracking for key prompts
• Add competitors
• Configure alerts

Day 3-5:

• Run manual verification tests
• Compare tool results to your tests
• Evaluate accuracy

Day 6-10:

• Assess reporting capabilities
• Test integrations if relevant
• Evaluate support responsiveness

Day 11-14:

• Make decision before trial ends
• Document pros/cons
• Compare to other trials if running multiple

Questions to answer:

• Does the data seem accurate? (compared to manual tests)
• Is the UI usable for your team?
• Are the features you need present?
• Is support responsive?
• Is the price justified by value?

Pro tip:

Run 2-3 trials sequentially, not simultaneously. Easier to evaluate properly.

Enterprise evaluation considerations:

Beyond features, evaluate:

1. Security & Compliance

   • SOC 2 certification?
   • GDPR compliant?
   • Data retention policies?
   • SSO support?

2. Scalability

   • Can it handle thousands of prompts?
   • Multi-brand support?
   • Team/role management?

3. Integration

   • API availability?
   • Integrations with your stack?
   • Data export formats?

4. Support

   • Dedicated account manager?
   • SLA for issues?
   • Onboarding support?
   • Training available?

5. Vendor Stability

   • How long in business?
   • Customer base size?
   • Funding/financial stability?

Enterprise pricing:

Expect negotiation room. Published prices are starting points.

Ask about:

• Annual vs. monthly pricing
• Volume discounts
• Multi-year deals
• Included services (setup, training)

Enterprise deals typically 20-40% below list price with negotiation.

This thread gave me a clear evaluation framework. Here’s my plan:

Feature Requirements (Tier 1 must-haves):

• Multi-platform (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini)
• Brand mention + citation tracking
• Competitor comparison
• Historical trends

Evaluation Process:

1. Shortlist (research phase)

   • Identify 3-4 tools that meet Tier 1 requirements
   • Check pricing fits budget ($100-300/month)

2. Trial Phase (sequential, 2 weeks each)

   • Set up same prompts across tools
   • Run manual verification tests
   • Document accuracy and usability

3. Decision Criteria

   • Accuracy (verified by manual testing)
   • Usability (can team actually use it?)
   • Features vs. price value
   • Support responsiveness

Budget Plan:

• Start entry-level (~$100-150/month)
• Prove value over 3 months
• Scale up if ROI justifies

Key insight:

Don’t overthink the decision. These tools are evolving fast. Pick something that meets core needs, start getting data, and switch later if needed.

Thanks everyone for the frameworks and real experiences!