Semrush and Otterly both serve marketing teams serious about AI visibility, but they come from different directions. Semrush brings 15+ years of SEO expertise to the table and treats AI visibility as part of a broader SEO workflow. Otterly was built specifically for GEO with detailed on-page audits.
Two solid options, two different philosophies.
How the pricing works
Semrush's AI Toolkit costs $99/month per domain and includes 25 prompts across 5 AI surfaces (ChatGPT, AI Mode, AI Overviews, Perplexity, Gemini). Need more domains? That's another $99/month each. Extra prompts are sold as add-ons. Since 2026, Semrush's main plans also include AI prompts: Starter at $199/month (50 prompts), Pro+ at $299 (100) and Advanced at $549 (200).
Otterly's structure is different. Their Lite plan at $29/month gives you 15 prompts. Standard at $189/month includes 100 prompts with unlimited workspaces, plus API and MCP access. Premium at $489/month offers 400 prompts. The base covers ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity and Copilot; Gemini and AI Mode require add-ons ranging from $9 to $149/month, and Claude is an add-on too.
For single domain tracking at the entry level, Otterly's $29/month undercuts Semrush's $99/month significantly. But Semrush includes its 5 AI surfaces at base price while Otterly charges extra for some platforms. Otterly, on the other hand, includes Copilot, which Semrush's toolkit does not track.
Where Semrush stands out
Semrush's Prompt Research tool is genuinely useful. Think of it like keyword research, but for AI prompts. You can discover high-opportunity prompts, see AI search volume estimates, and understand the competitive landscape. Otterly doesn't have anything comparable.
If you're already tracking Google rankings in Semrush, having AI visibility in the same dashboard creates useful context. You can see how traditional SEO performance correlates with AI visibility over time.
Semrush also offers geographic targeting across 68,000+ locations worldwide. Otterly supports 50+ countries, which is solid, but Semrush's granularity goes deeper if regional variations matter to your strategy.
And its 5 AI surfaces are included at the base price. No add-on calculations required.
Where Otterly stands out
Otterly's GEO audits analyze 25+ on-page factors. They don't just tell you whether you're visible; they tell you why you're not and what to fix. That's actionable guidance Semrush doesn't provide in the same way.
For agencies managing multiple clients, Otterly's workspace organization at the Standard tier ($189/month) offers better value than paying $99 per domain with Semrush.
The $29/month entry point is also more accessible for testing whether AI visibility tracking is worth investing in.
Which one fits you?
Semrush makes sense if you already use Semrush for traditional SEO, the Prompt Research discovery tool would help your content strategy, you need 68,000+ location coverage for geographic targeting, you want Semrush's 5 AI surfaces included without calculating add-ons, and you're doing content strategy rather than just monitoring.
Otterly makes sense if GEO audits with specific on-page recommendations matter to your optimization work, you're managing multiple clients and workspace pricing works better than per-domain, you want a lower entry point ($29/month vs $99/month), you're focused specifically on GEO rather than full-stack SEO, and daily monitoring frequency is essential.
The bottom line
Semrush brings research depth. Their Prompt Research tool helps you discover opportunities, not just track existing ones. But the per-domain pricing adds up fast for agencies.
Otterly brings audit depth. Their 25+ on-page factor analysis helps you fix problems, not just identify them. And workspace pricing is more practical for managing multiple clients.
Neither is wrong. It depends on whether you need research tools (Semrush) or optimization guidance (Otterly).
Looking for something simpler? Mentionable offers AI visibility tracking with a 7-day free trial, prompt suggestions and an AI assistant that explains your data on every plan. Try before committing, upgrade if you need more.
