Google AI Mode is the conversational search tab where roughly 93% of queries end without a click — far higher than AI Overviews’ ~43%. When the answer is the destination, the only visibility that counts is being named or cited inside it. This ranking scores seven tools on tracking exactly that, with every price verified in June 2026.
Quick answer
Otterly.AI leads at 84/100 for dedicated AI Mode coverage in a clean, affordable dashboard. If you would rather track AI Mode inside a full SEO platform — next to keyword positions and audits — SE Ranking (82) launched a dedicated AI Mode tracker on top of its standard suite. If you want the deepest prompt-level view of why you appear in AI Mode answers, Peec AI (81) is the analytical pick.
The ranking
| Rank | Tool | Best for | Entry price (verified) | SR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Otterly.AI | Dedicated AI Mode coverage, value | $29/mo Lite (AI Mode add-on) | 84 |
| 2 | SE Ranking | AI Mode inside a full SEO suite | $103/mo Core (annual) | 82 |
| 3 | Peec AI | Deepest prompt-level AI Mode data | $95/mo Starter | 81 |
| 4 | Semrush AI Toolkit | AI Mode + SEO stack | $99/mo add-on | 80 |
| 5 | AthenaHQ | Credit-based multi-platform GEO | $295/mo Starter | 78 |
| 6 | Scrunch AI | Agency multi-brand AI Mode tracking | $250/mo Core | 74 |
| 7 | Writesonic GEO | AI Mode tracking + content | $249/mo Professional | 70 |
Methodology
Weights sum to 100. AI Mode coverage and accuracy lead because the surface is new and tools vary widely in whether they capture it faithfully.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 32 | Whether the tool captures genuine AI Mode responses (not just AI Overviews), sampling depth, refresh cadence. |
| Capability vs. claims | 23 | Mention vs. citation tracking, competitor share, recommended actions. |
| Value for money | 20 | Entry price, prompt caps, add-on costs for AI Mode. |
| Support & docs | 15 | Onboarding, documentation, trial. |
| Transparency | 10 | Published pricing and disclosed limits. |
Coverage carries 32 because the failure mode here is silent: a tool that quietly reports AI Overviews data labeled as AI Mode is worse than no tool. We weighted faithful capture above everything.
Otterly.AI — 84/100
Otterly.AI (otterly.ai/pricing) explicitly supports Google AI Mode alongside ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot. Pricing: Lite $29/mo, Standard $189/mo, Premium $489/mo, Pro $989/mo — but AI Mode (like Gemini) is a paid add-on, roughly $9–$149/mo depending on tier, so budget for it. A free trial is available.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 86 | 32 | 27.5 |
| Capability vs. claims | 80 | 23 | 18.4 |
| Value for money | 84 | 20 | 16.8 |
| Support & docs | 80 | 15 | 12.0 |
| Transparency | 88 | 10 | 8.8 |
| Total | 100 | 83.5 |
Trade-off: AI Mode is an add-on, not included — the headline $29 is not the AI Mode price.
SE Ranking — 82/100
SE Ranking (seranking.com) launched a dedicated AI Mode tracker that records brand mentions, link citations and average-position trends inside AI Mode responses, all within its broader SEO suite. Core is ~$103/mo (annual, $129 monthly), Growth ~$223/mo, Enterprise custom. The integration with keyword tracking and audits is the draw.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 82 | 32 | 26.2 |
| Capability vs. claims | 82 | 23 | 18.9 |
| Value for money | 80 | 20 | 16.0 |
| Support & docs | 84 | 15 | 12.6 |
| Transparency | 84 | 10 | 8.4 |
| Total | 100 | 82.1 |
Trade-off: AI Mode tracking is one module of a general SEO tool, so the dedicated AI features are less granular than a pure-play tracker.
Peec AI — 81/100
Peec AI (peec.ai/pricing) tracks AI Mode among Google AI surfaces with strong prompt-level analytics and the used-vs-cited distinction. Starter $95/mo (50 prompts, unlimited users), Pro $245/mo. Extra models are add-ons.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 82 | 32 | 26.2 |
| Capability vs. claims | 84 | 23 | 19.3 |
| Value for money | 80 | 20 | 16.0 |
| Support & docs | 78 | 15 | 11.7 |
| Transparency | 86 | 10 | 8.6 |
| Total | 100 | 81.8 |
Trade-off: 50 prompts on Starter limits how many AI Mode query sets you can monitor.
Semrush AI Toolkit — 80/100
Semrush (semrush.com/pricing) covers Google AI Mode in its AI Toolkit ($99/mo-per-domain add-on on a paid base from $139.95/mo). Best when AI Mode tracking sits in your existing SEO workflow.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 80 | 32 | 25.6 |
| Capability vs. claims | 82 | 23 | 18.9 |
| Value for money | 74 | 20 | 14.8 |
| Support & docs | 88 | 15 | 13.2 |
| Transparency | 84 | 10 | 8.4 |
| Total | 100 | 80.9 |
Trade-off: true cost is base + add-on.
AthenaHQ — 78/100
AthenaHQ (athenahq.ai/plans) covers Google AI surfaces on credits — Starter $295/mo (3,600 credits, eight-plus platforms), $95 intro first month. Strong benchmarking; AI Mode is part of broad multi-engine coverage.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 78 | 32 | 25.0 |
| Capability vs. claims | 80 | 23 | 18.4 |
| Value for money | 74 | 20 | 14.8 |
| Support & docs | 80 | 15 | 12.0 |
| Transparency | 78 | 10 | 7.8 |
| Total | 100 | 78.0 |
Trade-off: credit burn makes high-frequency AI Mode tracking costly.
Scrunch AI — 74/100
Scrunch AI (scrunch.com/pricing) tracks AI surfaces across client portfolios: Core $250/mo, Agency Core $500/mo (250 prompts, three brand workspaces). Built for agencies.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 76 | 32 | 24.3 |
| Capability vs. claims | 74 | 23 | 17.0 |
| Value for money | 70 | 20 | 14.0 |
| Support & docs | 74 | 15 | 11.1 |
| Transparency | 76 | 10 | 7.6 |
| Total | 100 | 74.0 |
Trade-off: priced for multi-brand agencies.
Writesonic GEO — 70/100
Writesonic (writesonic.com/pricing) tracks Google AI surfaces from the $249/mo Professional tier and bundles content drafting. Best for measure-and-write in one place.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Mode coverage & accuracy | 70 | 32 | 22.4 |
| Capability vs. claims | 72 | 23 | 16.6 |
| Value for money | 70 | 20 | 14.0 |
| Support & docs | 74 | 15 | 11.1 |
| Transparency | 76 | 10 | 7.6 |
| Total | 100 | 71.7 |
Trade-off: AI Mode tracking is secondary to the writing product.
How to re-weight
- Coverage-purist (AI Mode coverage 45). Otterly.AI and SE Ranking pull ahead; bundled tools drop.
- Integration-first (Capability 30). SE Ranking or Semrush rises for unified workflow.
The rubric is editable. Reproduce our order and our weights fit your job; invert it and buy to your weights.
Verification
- Otterly.AI — otterly.ai/pricing; AI Mode support and add-on pricing confirmed via rankability.com review.
- SE Ranking — seranking.com; AI Mode tracker confirmed via search coverage and arvow.com review.
- Peec AI — peec.ai/pricing.
- Semrush AI Toolkit — semrush.com/pricing.
- AthenaHQ — athenahq.ai/plans.
- Scrunch AI — scrunch.com/pricing.
- Writesonic GEO — writesonic.com/pricing.
Related rankings
- Best AI Citation Tracking Tools 2026: 8 Scored
- Best AI Search Optimization Tools (2026): Ranked & Scored
- Best AI Share of Voice Tools 2026: 8 Scored
- Best ChatGPT SEO Tools 2026: 8 Platforms Scored
Frequently asked questions
- What is Google AI Mode and how is it different from AI Overviews?
- AI Overviews are the AI summary that appears above some standard results; AI Mode is a separate, fully conversational search experience with its own tab. AI Mode has a far higher zero-click rate — roughly 93% of AI Mode searches end without a click versus about 43% for AI Overviews — so being named or cited inside the answer is what matters.
- Can you track rankings in Google AI Mode?
- Not in the classic blue-link sense. There is no fixed list of ten positions. Tracking tools instead capture AI Mode responses for your prompts and record whether your brand is mentioned, whether your URL is cited, and how that trends over time and against competitors.
- Which AI Mode tracking tool ranks #1 in 2026?
- Otterly.AI (84/100) for dedicated AI Mode coverage across a clean dashboard at an accessible price. SE Ranking (82) is best if you want AI Mode tracking inside a complete SEO platform. Peec AI (81) offers the deepest prompt-level data.
- How much do these tools cost?
- From $29/mo (Otterly.AI Lite, with AI Mode as a paid add-on on lower tiers) to enterprise quotes. SE Ranking's AI Mode tracker rides on its $103/mo Core base; Peec AI starts at $95/mo; Semrush's AI Toolkit is a $99/mo add-on.
- Is AI Mode worth tracking separately from AI Overviews?
- Yes, because the surfaces behave differently and inclusion logic differs. A brand strong in AI Overviews can be absent from AI Mode. If AI Mode is gaining share in your category, it deserves its own prompt set and tracking.