Something interesting is happening in the SEO tool market. It's splitting into two camps, and depending on which camp you choose, you'll end up with a very different view of your online visibility.
On one side, the established players, Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, are bolting AI features onto their existing platforms. On the other, a new wave of AI-native tools is being built from scratch to track visibility across LLMs. Both approaches have merit. Neither covers everything. And choosing the wrong one for your situation wastes both money and attention.
Here's how to think about the landscape and which tools make sense for different needs.
The Great Split
For over a decade, "SEO tools" meant tools that helped you rank on Google. Keywords, backlinks, technical audits, SERP tracking. The entire category was built around one search engine and its algorithm.
That world still exists, and it still matters. Google isn't disappearing. But a parallel universe has emerged where AI platforms answer the same queries your customers used to search for on Google, and the rules of visibility are fundamentally different.
Traditional SEO tools are responding by adding AI features. AI-native tools are being built to ignore Google entirely and focus on LLM visibility. The result is a fragmented landscape where no single tool gives you the complete picture.
Traditional SEO Platforms with AI Features
Semrush
Semrush has been aggressive about adding AI capabilities. Their platform now includes AI visibility tracking alongside traditional keyword rankings, and their content tools incorporate AI optimization suggestions.
The strength is integration. If you're already tracking Google rankings, backlinks, and technical health in Semrush, having AI visibility data in the same interface eliminates context-switching. One dashboard, both worlds.
The weakness is cost and focus. Semrush subscriptions start at $129/mo and go up from there. AI visibility features are layered on top. For someone who primarily needs AI visibility tracking, you're paying for a lot of functionality you may not use.
Best for: Marketing teams already invested in Semrush who want to add AI visibility without adopting a new tool.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs has taken a more measured approach to AI features, integrating them gradually into their backlink-focused platform. Their strength has always been link analysis and competitive research, and their AI features extend that competitive lens to AI platforms.
The content explorer and site auditor now include signals relevant to AI visibility, like content comprehensiveness and topical authority indicators.
Best for: SEO professionals who value deep backlink data and want emerging AI insights within their existing workflow.
Moz
Moz has been integrating AI features into their platform with a focus on accessibility. Their traditionally user-friendly interface extends to their AI visibility features, making them approachable for smaller teams and beginners.
Best for: Small businesses and SEO beginners who want a gentle learning curve and don't need the depth of Semrush or Ahrefs.
AI-Native Visibility Tools
These tools were built specifically to track and improve visibility across AI platforms. They don't track Google rankings at all, and they don't pretend to.
Mentionable
Built specifically for solopreneurs and small teams who want to track AI visibility without the complexity or cost of enterprise platforms. Monitors all five major LLMs (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, Gemini, Claude), generates relevant prompts automatically from your URL, and tracks changes over time.
Starting at €29/mo with a 7-day free trial, it's positioned as the entry point for businesses that want AI visibility data without a significant investment.
Best for: Solopreneurs and consultants who want dedicated AI visibility tracking and don't need traditional SEO features bundled in.
Otterly.ai
More feature-rich AI visibility tracking with detailed analytics on citations, sentiment, and competitive positioning. The depth of analysis is greater than simpler tools, with trade-offs in complexity and price (starting around $99/mo).
Best for: Marketing teams wanting detailed AI visibility analytics.
Profound
Competitive intelligence focused on AI visibility. Maps who gets recommended for which queries across AI platforms, with a strategic rather than tactical orientation.
Best for: Brands and agencies making strategic decisions based on AI visibility data.
The Convergence Question
Will traditional SEO tools eventually cover AI visibility completely? Will AI-native tools expand to cover traditional SEO? The honest answer: probably both, eventually. But right now, each type does its primary job significantly better than the other does their secondary job.
Semrush's AI features are useful but not as deep as dedicated AI visibility tools. And AI-native tools don't give you the backlink analysis or technical auditing you'd get from Ahrefs.
This means the real question isn't "which single tool should I use?" It's "do I need both, and if so, which combination makes sense?"
Building Your Stack: Three Scenarios
Scenario 1: Traditional SEO Is Your Priority
If Google still drives 90% of your traffic and AI is a curiosity rather than a channel, keep your existing SEO tool and add a lightweight AI visibility tracker on the side. You'll get a baseline understanding of AI visibility without disrupting your workflow.
Stack: Your existing SEO tool + a basic AI visibility tracker
Scenario 2: AI Visibility Is Your Priority
If you're in a category where AI recommendations directly drive leads (consulting, SaaS, professional services), AI visibility may matter more than Google rankings. Prioritize a dedicated AI visibility tool and use free or low-cost SEO tools for basics.
Stack: A dedicated AI visibility tool + Google Search Console (free) + a basic SEO tool
Scenario 3: Both Matter Equally
If your business gets meaningful traffic from both Google and AI platforms, you need coverage across both. This usually means two tools, but the combined cost doesn't have to be excessive if you're strategic about what you pick.
Stack: A mid-tier SEO tool + a dedicated AI visibility tool
What Matters Beyond the Tools
The tools are evolving fast. Whatever you choose today will look different in twelve months. A few principles that remain true regardless of which tools you use:
Content quality matters everywhere. Comprehensive, authoritative, well-structured content performs well on both Google and AI platforms. This hasn't changed and won't change.
Tracking creates accountability. Whether it's Google rankings or AI mentions, the act of measuring creates focus. You optimize what you track.
Don't spread too thin. It's better to track one channel well than three channels poorly. Pick the channel that matters most for your business right now, invest there, and expand when you've built a rhythm.
The tool landscape will consolidate. Until it does, be deliberate about what you need, match your tools to those needs, and resist the urge to buy everything just because the category is new and exciting.
