AI Visibility Tools Comparison 2025
Looking for an Otterly AI alternative? Compare Surmado Signal vs Otterly, Peec AI, Profound, Writesonic, and more.
Updated December 2025: Honest breakdown of AI optimization (AIO / AEO / GEO) tools for small businesses.
The Market at a Glance
Signal
$25-50 one-time
About 15 minutes
Persona-based testing
For owners, agencies & developers
Otterly AI
$29/month
Hours
Generic prompts
For marketers
Rankscale AI
$20/month (credits)
Days
Generic prompts
For SEO pros
Peec AI
$90-99/month
Days
Generic prompts
For enterprise
Writesonic
$99+/month
Days
Big data analytics
For enterprise teams
Profound
$99-399/month
Weeks
Generic prompts
For enterprise
Notice the pattern: Every other tool uses generic prompts. Only Signal tests as your actual customer.
The difference isn't price. It's methodology. Generic testing = fantasy data. Signal = what your customers actually see.
AI Visibility: Annual Costs vs. One-Time
| Tool | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Profound Growth | $4,788/year | 3 engines; billed yearly. Starter $1,188 for ChatGPT only |
| Writesonic Advanced | $4,788/year | Billed annually |
| Gumshoe | $0.10/conversation | Can add up: ~$3,600/year standard usage |
| Surmado Signal | $25 one-time | Persona-based, 7 platforms. Re-run anytime. |
Persona-based testing across 7 AI platforms. Not just ChatGPT. One-time payment.
$25 one-time vs. $1,188 to $4,788/year subscriptions.
Proof: 0% → 67% in 30 Days
El Tianguis (San Diego)
Before: 0% visibility for "celiac-safe" queries. Completely invisible.
After: 67% visibility, #1 in category. How: Signal identified the gap, Solutions provided the roadmap.
Why Signal Is Different
Persona-Based = Real
They test "best pizza in Boston." We test as your actual customer. This is the only way to get real data.
Accessible, Not Cheap
$25-50 one-time for accurate data beats $240-348/year for dashboard subscriptions.
Solutions, Not Dashboards
Otterly shows problems. We fix them. Diagnostic + roadmap via Signal + Solutions.
Built for Business Owners
Not SEO pros or marketing teams. You get a report with answers, not a dashboard you need to interpret.
Why Switch from Otterly, Peec AI, or Profound?
Otterly AI Alternative
Otterly charges $29/month for generic prompt testing. That's $348/year for data that doesn't reflect how your customers actually ask questions.
Signal: $25-50 once. Persona-based. Real customer scenarios.
Peec AI Alternative
Peec AI runs $90-99/month for enterprise dashboards. Great if you have a team to interpret the data. Most small businesses don't.
Signal: PDF report with clear action items. No interpretation needed.
Profound Alternative
Profound starts at $99/month and goes to $399+. Built for Fortune 500 with Fortune 500 pricing.
Signal: Same AI platforms, fraction of the cost, built for real businesses.
The pattern: Subscription dashboards need you to keep paying. One-time reports give you the answer and let you move on.
The Choice Is Simple
You can pay $300+/year for fantasy data. Or $25 to $50 once for the truth you can resell and automate.