I tested the top 6 AI mode SEO rank tracking tools for 2026 (here’s my verdict)

The way brands gain visibility on search engines is evolving. Instead of solely aiming for the top of traditional search results, a new goal is to be featured in AI-generated answers like Google AI Overviews or ChatGPT. This is the new digital storefront, and if your product isn't on the shelf, you're less visible.

However, many standard SEO tools were not designed to track visibility within these AI models, creating a data gap for content strategists. This makes it difficult to know if a content strategy is effective.

This article reviews several AI mode SEO rank tracking tools designed to provide visibility data for this new search landscape. It also explores a content creation tool designed to help rank in AI answers from the start. After all, you can't track what you haven't created.

What are AI mode SEO rank tracking tools?

It all starts with features like Google AI Overviews, which are the AI-generated summaries appearing at the top of many search results. They pull information from different sources to give you a direct answer.

Unlike traditional SEO where you track your position in a list (like #3 or #7), AI mode SEO rank tracking tools measure a completely different set of metrics that are more nuanced:

• Inclusion: Is your brand or website even mentioned in the AI's answer?

• Citation: Is your site linked as a source for the information? This is a key metric.

• Share of Voice: How much of the AI's answer was shaped by your content compared to your competitors?

You need specialized tools for this because classic rank trackers can't "see" inside these AI-generated boxes. They are still looking for a simple list of links, but the game has moved on to conversational, synthesized answers.

Criteria for selecting the best AI mode SEO rank tracking tools

To put this list together, I didn't just skim through feature lists. With the cost of SaaS tools going up every year, I wanted to find options that deliver real value for the money. Here’s the simple checklist I used for my review:

• AI Engine Coverage: Does the tool only look at Google AI Overviews, or does it also cover other big players like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini? The more, the better.

• Data Accuracy (Scraping vs. API): Is the tool pulling data from an API, or is it scraping the real answers that users see? As the team at Surfer SEO notes, scraping real answers is more accurate because it shows you what people actually see.

• Actionable Insights: Does it just dump a bunch of data on you, or does it help you figure out what to do next? I looked for tools that guide your strategy, not just fill up a dashboard.

• Overall Value: Simply put, how does the price stack up against the features and insights you get?

Comparison of top AI mode SEO rank tracking tools

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of each tool, here’s a quick table to see how they compare at a glance.

The 6 best AI mode SEO rank tracking tools

Alright, let's dive into the details. Here’s my breakdown of each tool after taking them for a spin.

1. eesel AI blog writer

Before you can track your rank in AI answers, you need content that is built to be cited by AI. The eesel AI blog writer is a content platform that turns a single keyword into a complete, AEO-optimized (Answer Engine Optimization) blog post.

• Pros: It produces a structured article with AI-generated images, infographics, and relevant Reddit quotes. Its context-aware research aims to match search intent, which can improve the content's chances of being used by answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. The tool is entirely free to try, so you can see the quality for yourself.

• Cons: This is a content creation tool, not a rank tracker. After you publish the blog it generates, you’ll need one of the other tools on this list to see how it’s performing in AI search results.

• Pricing:

  • Free to try.
  • Paid plans include the Early Bird plan at $99/month for 50 blog generations.

2. SE Ranking

SE Ranking is a comprehensive platform that blends a traditional SEO toolkit with its dedicated AI Search Toolkit. It keeps an eye on your brand’s presence across five of the top answer engines: AI Overviews, ChatGPT, AI Mode, Perplexity, and Gemini. This allows users to see how their classic SEO efforts and AI-driven strategies connect in one dashboard.

SE Ranking is probably the most well-rounded AI SEO checking tool I’ve used so far. It doesn’t just track if you’re mentioned in AI Overviews, but also breaks down how often, in what format (inline vs block), and what type of content Google is pulling. Super useful if you're trying to figure out how to optimize content for LLM visibility.

Reddit

• Pros: The deep integration is a significant advantage. You don’t have to switch between different tools to get the full picture of your visibility. The platform lets you monitor brand mentions and links triggered by your prompts and even track what your competitors are up to. You can see how often rivals are showing up in AI answers and use that intel to find gaps and opportunities.

• Cons: While the core features are strong, getting access to its full AI tracking capabilities means you need their Pro plan or have to buy the AI Search add-on. The add-on starts at $89/month for 200 prompts, which can make it more expensive than some of the more specialized tools.

• Pricing:

  • The Pro plan, which includes basic AI tracker access, starts at $95.20/month when billed annually.

3. Rankscale.ai

Rankscale was built from the ground up for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). It was designed specifically to analyze and track brand presence across an extensive list of AI search engines. It supports over 10 platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot. This makes it one of the most comprehensive trackers available today.

• Pros: The amount of detail you get is impressive. Rankscale gives you performance tracking over time, competitor benchmarking, citation analysis, and even sentiment analysis to show you how AI engines are talking about your brand. Its flexible, credit-based pricing is also suitable for agencies that need to scale tracking up or down based on client needs.

• Cons: Some users have said that the platform can be "pretty technical" and has a bit of a learning curve. It’s probably best for SEO professionals who are comfortable digging into data-heavy analytics.

• Pricing:

  • The Essentials plan starts at an affordable $20/month for 120 credits.

4. Surfer AI Tracker

For the thousands of marketers who already use Surfer SEO for content optimization, the Surfer AI Tracker is a logical extension. This paid add-on monitors your brand mentions across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode, directly connecting your AI visibility data to your content workflow. This creates a connection between writing and tracking.

• Pros: A key feature is its data collection method. Surfer has confirmed that it scrapes real, user-facing answers from the platforms it tracks, rather than just pinging an API. This provides a much more realistic picture of what your audience is actually seeing.

• Cons: It's a paid add-on, so it will increase the total cost of your Surfer subscription. And since it’s a newer tool (the beta launched in June 2026), it might have less historical data than more established platforms. This can make it a little harder to spot long-term trends right out of the gate.

• Pricing:

  • Starts at $95/month for 25 prompts as an add-on to any existing Surfer plan.

5. Nozzle

Nozzle is designed for large brands and agencies that need to track a high volume of keywords across different regions, languages, and devices. It’s a tool for large-scale rank tracking and has adapted to the new search landscape by adding detailed monitoring for SERP features, including Google AI Overviews.

Nozzle is great for large-scale tracking across regions and devices. It now supports AI-focused visibility tracking, this really makes it a strong contender if you’re monitoring thousands of keywords. The UI takes some getting used to, but the granularity is top-notch.

Reddit

• Pros: It offers a high level of data granularity. You can track unlimited competitors for free, a notable feature, and get unique metrics like "Pixels From Top" to understand on-page visibility. For agencies monitoring thousands of keywords for enterprise clients, Nozzle provides the detailed insights and data exports (including directly to BigQuery) needed for deep, custom analysis.

• Cons: This is an enterprise-grade tool, which means it may be too complex for smaller businesses or solo marketers. Its focus is also mostly on Google SERPs, so it doesn't offer the multi-engine AI tracking you'd get with tools like Rankscale or SE Ranking.

• Pricing:

  • Plans start at $49/month (billed yearly), but enterprise-level usage requires a custom quote from their sales team.

6. Profound

Profound is another enterprise-level GEO platform that provides monitoring and optimization features. It acts as a "read/write" optimization tool, using its AI Visibility Dashboard and Conversation Explorer to help large brands actively shape how they appear in AI search engines.

• Pros: It is a well-funded platform with case studies from Fortune 500 companies. For large organizations that need deep analytics, SOC 2 compliance, and API access (available on the Enterprise plan), Profound is a strong contender.

• Cons: The platform's features can be limited by plan. The Growth plan only tracks three engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews), with full coverage reserved for the custom-priced Enterprise tier. Some user reviews also mention a "steep learning curve" and occasional technical glitches.

• Pricing:

  • The Growth plan starts at $399/month.

How to choose the right AI mode SEO rank tracking tool

So, which one should you choose? The best tool really depends on your specific needs. There’s no single right answer for everybody.

To help you decide, the flowchart below walks you through a few key questions to find the right fit.

To figure it out, ask yourself a few questions:

• What’s your main goal? Are you trying to create AEO-optimized content from the ground up, or are you focused on tracking the performance of what you already have?

• Which AI engines matter most? Is your audience almost entirely on Google, or do you also need to know how you're showing up on ChatGPT and Perplexity?

• What’s your budget and team size? Are you a solo marketer looking for an affordable, easy-to-use tool, or are you part of an enterprise team that needs massive scale and deep analytics?

• Do you need an all-in-one suite or a specialist tool? Would you prefer a single platform that does it all, like SE Ranking, or a dedicated GEO tool like Rankscale to add to your existing SEO stack?

For a deeper dive into how to approach ranking in this new AI-driven landscape, the following video offers practical examples and strategies.

This video from Exposure Ninja explains how to rank in Google's AI Mode and how AI mode SEO rank tracking tools can help.

From tracking to ranking: Your next steps

The SEO landscape is evolving. Tracking visibility in AI-generated answers has become an important component of a comprehensive SEO strategy in 2026.

But remember, tracking is one part of the equation. A proactive strategy involves creating content that AI engines are more likely to cite, focusing on quality and relevance.

For those looking to create AEO-optimized content, the eesel AI blog writer offers a free trial to generate a publish-ready blog post and explore its features.