The verdict
On the data we hold, Otterly.AI comes out ahead. Here is why, point by point.
What the data says
- Otterly.AI covers more of the features we compared: 4 of 4, against 3.
- Both have an API and an MCP server, so either works with AI employees.
- In our SEO ranking, Otterly.AI places 5 and SurferSEO 1 of 15.
Side by side
| 8 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $25/mo | €49/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes |
| AI content optimiser | Yes | Yes |
| Brand sentiment analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Optimisation recommendations | Yes | Yes |
| Technical site audit | Yes | No |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Otterly.AI
- Lite15 search prompts, 4 AI engines tracked, unlimited team members. Annual billing shown as $25 per month.$29/mo
- Standard100 search prompts, API and MCP access (2,000 requests each per month). Annual billing shown as $160 per month.$189/mo
- Premium400 search prompts, API and MCP access (5,000 requests each per month). Annual billing shown as $422 per month.$489/mo
SurferSEO
- AI Search AnalyticsTracks AI visibility across ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Overviews and Perplexity; EUR 82 per month billed yearly.€984/yr
- DiscoveryCreate or optimise 120 documents and track 10 pages; EUR 49 per month billed yearly.€588/yr
- Standard360 documents, integrations and team collaboration; EUR 99 per month billed yearly.€1,188/yr
- ProStandard plus more AI prompts, internal linking and cannibalization reports; EUR 182 per month billed yearly.€2,184/yr
- Peace of MindUnlimited documents, dedicated success manager and API access; EUR 299 per month billed yearly.€3,588/yr
Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.
Who each is for
Choose Otterly.AI if…
Marketing and SEO teams and agencies who want to see whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and similar engines mention and cite their brand compared with competitors.
Choose SurferSEO if…
Content teams, SEO specialists, agencies and founders who publish articles for search and want data-based guidance on what to write and how to optimise it for Google and AI search.
Other options worth a look
Tool·Client acquisitionCombines backlink analysis, keyword research, rank tracking and technical audits built on an extensive web index.SEO
From €27/moFree plan
Tool·Client acquisitionUnify keyword research, backlink analysis, technical audits and rank tracking in one dashboard.SEO
From €112.52/mo yearlyFree planAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionTrack how your brand appears in AI search answers and measure your share of voice.SEO
From €94.94/moAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionTracks how AI assistants describe your brand and recommends content changes to improve those answers.SEO
Free plan
Tool·Client acquisitionMonitor how your brand appears in AI search and serve optimised pages to AI crawlers.SEO
From $250/mo
Tool·Client acquisitionMonitor how your brand appears in AI search answers across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and other engines.SEO