3 Peec AI Alternatives Under $50

AI search optimization doesn’t require enterprise budgets. While platforms like Peec AI start at $89/mo, several powerful alternatives deliver comprehensive AI visibility tracking at under $50/mo.

Peec.ai has gained traction with $30M+ in funding and customers like Wix and Glide. But for startups, SMBs, and budget-conscious teams, there are affordable Peec AI alternatives that provide robust tracking without the premium price tag.

According to Gartner’s 2025 research, 50% of traditional search traffic will be replaced by generative AI by 2028. Early-stage companies and small teams need cost-effective ways to track their AI visibility without sacrificing essential features.

This guide evaluates the 3 best Peec AI alternatives under $50 for 2026. Each platform delivers serious AEO capabilities at startup-friendly prices. Whether you’re bootstrapping your first product or managing a lean marketing budget, these tools help you track AI mentions without overspending.

What are the best Peec AI alternatives under $50?

The top 3 affordable Peec AI alternatives are Airefs, Promptmonitor, and RankScale.

Airefs starts at just $24/mo with ChatGPT-first focus and software + agency support. Promptmonitor offers indie-built tracking at $29/mo with unique publisher contact extraction for outreach.

RankScale provides the most affordable entry at EUR 20/mo (~$22/mo) with a flexible credit-based system and 4.8/5 rating on SourceForge.

Top affordable Peec AI alternatives — Comparison table

1. Airefs: The action-oriented AEO platform

Airefs is a software + agency platform that helps brands become the recommended solution in ChatGPT and other AI search engines. Unlike tools that only show data, Airefs combines AI visibility tracking with expert marketing support.

The platform focuses on ChatGPT first (where most AI search demand actually is), similar to how SEO focuses on Google rather than spreading effort across every search engine.

Airefs combines two tracking methods: Prompt Tracking (runs user-like prompts and records brand mentions) and AI Search Analytics (analyzes AI crawlers visiting your site). This reveals not just if you’re mentioned, but why—and which sources AI models rely on.

The platform highlights specific actions to take: Reddit threads to join, articles to create, and sources your competitors use that you don’t. This proactive approach helps you spot new conversations early, before AI models start using them as sources.

Key features

• Visibility tracking across all LLMs: Track when AI crawls your site’s content and see your total visibility trend over time
• Performance across priority queries: Monitor the prompts that matter to your business with daily refresh and track mention percentage
• Competitor analysis: Track up to 3-5 competitors (plan-dependent) and understand which sources they leverage
• Reddit keyword monitoring: Monitor up to 3-10 Reddit keywords (plan-dependent) to find fresh conversations to join early
• AI Search Analytics: Track real visitors coming from AI search and monitor AI crawler activity on your pages
• Content opportunity identification: Identify specific articles, posts, and discussions that AI relies on in your market
• Expert support: Supported by marketers and SEO practitioners who help with strategy, not just tool usage
• Done-for-you option: Agency package available for teams wanting full content creation and engagement support

Pricing

All plans include yearly pricing with 20% discount applied.

• Lite: $24/mo (1 domain, 3 competitors, 25 prompts, refresh every 2 days, 7 days AI analytics history, 3 Reddit keywords)
• Pro: $49/mo (3 domains, 5 competitors, 60 prompts, daily refresh, 90 days AI analytics history, 10 Reddit keywords, unlimited countries, 2 seats, 7-day free trial)

Pros & cons

Pros:

• Most affordable AEO platform at $24/mo (Lite plan) with 7-day free trial on Pro plan
• ChatGPT-first focus (where most AI search traffic is) rather than spreading thin across many platforms
• Proactive Reddit monitoring helps you join conversations early before they become established sources
• Software + agency model with Done-for-you package available for scaling support
• Expert marketing support included, not just tool support
• Budget-friendly pricing designed specifically for startups and SMBs

Cons:

• ChatGPT-focused approach means less emphasis on other LLMs compared to enterprise platforms
• Lite plan limited to 1 domain and 3 competitors
• Newer platform (100+ teams) vs established alternatives

Customers

Airefs serves 100+ teams including startups, SMBs, content marketers, SEO professionals, and agencies. The platform has a 5.0/5 rating and is used across North America and Europe.

Users particularly value the Reddit keyword monitoring that helps them spot and join conversations early — turning AI search from a black box into a list of concrete actions.

Without Airefs we would have zero insight into how Ravenna shows up in searches across LLM’s. Now we can take actionable steps toward visibility.

— TJ, Owner, Ravenna

2. Promptmonitor: The indie-built platform with publisher outreach

Promptmonitor is an indie-built AEO platform founded by Yogesh that delivers comprehensive AI tracking at $29/mo. What sets it apart is its unique publisher contact extraction feature—automatically pulling author emails and social profiles from AI-cited sources for direct outreach.

The platform tracks 8 major AI platforms: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, AI Overview, AI Mode, DeepSeek, Grok, and Perplexity. It uses direct interface tracking (not API-based) for more accurate real-world results.

With 1,300+ newsletter subscribers and a growing community, Promptmonitor positions itself as 44% cheaper than competitors like SE Ranking while offering agency-specific features. The platform includes a free Agency plan ($0/mo) for pitching prospective clients, making it particularly attractive for consultants and agencies.

For teams focused on link building and PR outreach, Promptmonitor’s ability to extract contact information from cited sources is a game-changer. Instead of just knowing which sites AI models cite, you can immediately reach out to those publishers for backlinks, partnerships, or content opportunities.

Key features

• Publisher contact extraction: Unique feature that automatically pulls author emails and social media profiles from AI-cited sources for direct outreach
• Multi-platform tracking: Monitors 8 AI platforms using direct interface tracking (not API) for accurate real-world results
• AI visibility score: Track your brand’s overall presence across all monitored platforms with a single metric
• Citation & source intelligence: Discover which pages and domains AI models cite when mentioning your brand or competitors
• AI crawler analytics: Real-time monitoring of AI bot visits to your site with detailed access logs
• SEO metrics on cited sites: View domain rating, backlinks, and authority metrics for all cited sources
• Privacy-friendly analytics: GDPR-compliant with no cookies required for tracking
• 2-minute onboarding: Quick setup process gets you tracking AI visibility immediately

Pricing

• Starter: $29/mo (Basic tracking and publisher contact extraction)
• Growth: $39/mo (Extended features)
• Pro: $129/mo (Advanced analytics and higher limits)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (contact sales@promptmonitor.io)
• Agency (Free): $0/mo (Free plan for pitching prospective clients with limited features)
• Free trial: 7 days

Pros & cons

Pros:

• Unique publisher contact extraction feature (author emails + social profiles) not available in other tools
• Most affordable entry at $29/mo, 44% cheaper than comparable platforms
• Free Agency plan for pitching clients reduces risk for consultants and agencies
• Privacy-friendly analytics (GDPR-compliant, no cookies required)
• Direct interface tracking provides more accurate results than API-only competitors
• Fast 2-minute onboarding with immediate value

Cons:

• Solo/small indie team may limit development speed and 24/7 support availability
• No third-party reviews or G2 presence yet for independent validation
• Newsletter (1,300+ subscribers) is primary support channel vs dedicated help desk
• Limited public case studies or named customer testimonials

Customers

Promptmonitor serves agencies, consultants, and small teams looking for affordable AI visibility tracking with unique outreach capabilities. One agency user noted it as “an absolute game changer for our agency” after 2+ months of tracking ChatGPT and Perplexity mentions.

The platform’s publisher contact extraction feature is particularly valuable for link builders and PR teams who need to convert AI citations into relationship opportunities. Instead of manually researching contact information, users can immediately reach out to publishers whose content AI models are citing.

An absolute game changer for our agency.

— Agency user (2+ months tracking ChatGPT and Perplexity)

3. RankScale: The most affordable credit-based AEO platform

RankScale offers the lowest entry price in the AEO market at just EUR 20/mo (~$22/mo), making it the most accessible platform for budget-conscious teams. Founded by Mathias Ptacek, it uses a flexible credit-based system that charges per prompt/model/run, giving data-savvy users granular control over spending.

The platform tracks 7 major AI platforms: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Mistral, Grok, and AI Overviews. It has earned a 4.8/5 rating on SourceForge and serves 1,000+ brands and agencies.

RankScale is described as a “DIYer’s dream” for professionals comfortable with data-rich analytics. While it has a learning curve and is “pretty technical,” this makes it ideal for SEO specialists, growth marketers, and agencies who want maximum control at minimum cost.

The credit-based model means you only pay for what you use. The Essentials plan includes 120 credits (480 AI responses/mo), Pro includes 1,200 credits (4,800 responses/mo), and Enterprise scales to 12,000 credits (48,000 responses/mo). Additional credits can be purchased 100 at a time as needed.

Key features

• Website AI readiness audits: Comprehensive audits scoring your site’s optimization for AI crawlers with single-page or multi-page crawl options
• Credit-based flexible system: Pay per prompt/model/run with granular control over spending and usage
• Sentiment tracking: Monitor how AI models describe your brand (positive, negative, neutral) across all platforms
• Competitor benchmarking: Track competitor visibility, sentiment, and citation frequency compared to your brand
• Brand dashboard: Centralized view of your AI visibility metrics across all tracked platforms
• Multi-platform tracking: Covers 7 AI engines including Mistral (less common in competing tools)
• On-demand tracking: Credit-based system enables on-demand queries rather than fixed monthly schedules

Pricing

• Essentials: EUR 20/mo (~$22/mo) - 120 credits (480 AI responses/mo), limited brand dashboards
• Pro: EUR 99/mo (~$109/mo) - 1,200 credits (4,800 AI responses/mo), more dashboards
• Enterprise: EUR 780/mo (~$858/mo) - 12,000 credits (48,000 AI responses/mo), unlimited dashboards
• Additional credits: Available 100 at a time for flexible scaling
• Custom plans: Available for specific needs

Pros & cons

Pros:

• Absolute lowest entry price at EUR 20/mo (~$22/mo), cheaper than any competitor
• Granular credit-based control lets you optimize spending (pay per prompt/model/run)
• Flexible for data-savvy users who want maximum control (“DIYer’s dream”)
• 1,000+ brands and agencies demonstrate product-market fit
• Covers Mistral alongside standard platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Grok)
• On-demand tracking model vs rigid monthly schedules

Cons:

• “Pretty technical” with learning curve—not beginner-friendly or plug-and-play
• EUR-based pricing may be less convenient for US customers
• SourceForge 4.8/5 rating but no G2 presence for independent validation
• Credit model can be confusing (120 credits = 480 AI responses requires math)
• Solo founder (Mathias Ptacek) may limit development speed and support availability

Customers

RankScale serves 1,000+ brands and agencies, primarily data-savvy marketers, SEO specialists, and technical growth teams comfortable with analytics-heavy platforms. The platform appeals to DIY users who prioritize control and cost-efficiency over simplicity.

Andrew C., an SXO & Content Strategist, notes: “Rankscale makes it easy to identify actionable improvements to my website for AI optimization and general SEO. I love the UX of this tool more than others.” Michael S., CEO, reports: “It’s powerful and has helped us enter new markets. It’s well made software intuitive to use.” Piroska R., Founder, adds: “The things they measure, really matter.”

Rankscale makes it easy to identify actionable improvements to my website for AI optimization and general SEO. I love the UX of this tool more than others.

— Andrew C., SXO & Content Strategist

Frequently asked questions

Why choose a budget AEO platform under $50 instead of premium tools?

Budget platforms under $50 provide essential AI visibility tracking without enterprise overhead. For startups and SMBs, these tools deliver 80% of the value at 20% of the cost.

Premium platforms like Peec AI ($89/mo) and Profound ($99/mo+) offer more platforms and advanced features. But if you’re just starting with AEO, affordable options let you prove ROI before scaling investment. RankScale (EUR 20/mo), Airefs ($24/mo), and Promptmonitor ($29/mo) provide comprehensive tracking of major AI platforms at startup-friendly prices.

What features should I expect at the under-$50 price point?

At under $50/mo, expect core AI visibility tracking across 3-8 major platforms. Most affordable tools include brand mention monitoring, basic competitor tracking, sentiment analysis, and citation discovery.

RankScale Essentials (EUR 20/mo) offers 120 credits (480 AI responses) with flexible usage. Airefs Lite ($24/mo) provides 25 prompts with refresh every 2 days. Promptmonitor Starter ($29/mo) covers 8 AI engines with unique publisher contact extraction.

What you typically won’t get: daily refresh on all platforms, unlimited prompts, advanced integrations (GA4, BI tools), or dedicated account support. These features appear at higher tiers ($100-300/mo).

Can these budget tools scale as my business grows?

Yes, all three platforms offer clear upgrade paths. RankScale scales from Essentials (EUR 20/mo) to Pro (EUR 99/mo) to Enterprise (EUR 780/mo) with flexible credit add-ons.

Airefs grows from Lite ($24/mo) to Pro ($49/mo) to Expert ($83/mo) to Done-for-you ($249/mo+). Promptmonitor expands from Starter ($29/mo) to Growth ($39/mo) to Pro ($129/mo) to Enterprise (custom).

The key is starting with a budget tier to establish baseline tracking and prove ROI. Once you demonstrate that AI visibility drives traffic or conversions, it’s easier to justify scaling to higher tiers with more prompts, daily refresh, and advanced features.

How do these affordable platforms compare to Peec AI?

RankScale (EUR 20/mo), Airefs ($24/mo), and Promptmonitor ($29/mo) are significantly cheaper than Peec AI’s $89/mo starting price—saving $60-70/mo.

Feature-wise, all three budget platforms provide brand tracking, competitor monitoring, and citation analysis. Peec AI’s advantages include UI scraping technology and 115+ language support. But for English-language tracking of major AI platforms, budget alternatives deliver comparable core functionality.

The main trade-off is advanced features. Peec offers more language support and enterprise integrations. Budget platforms compensate with unique features: RankScale’s credit-based flexibility, Airefs’ Reddit monitoring, and Promptmonitor’s publisher contact extraction.

Which under-$50 platform is best for startups?

RankScale (EUR 20/mo) offers the absolute lowest entry price for bootstrapped startups willing to handle a more technical platform. Its credit-based system provides maximum cost control.

Airefs ($24/mo) is the best balance of affordability and ease-of-use. It focuses on ChatGPT (where most AI search traffic is) and includes expert marketing support—not just tool support. The Reddit monitoring feature (3 keywords on Lite) helps startups spot conversations early.

Promptmonitor ($29/mo) is ideal for startups focused on link building and PR. Its unique publisher contact extraction feature turns AI citations into outreach opportunities immediately.

Do I need a paid tool, or can I manually track AI visibility?

Manual tracking is possible but unsustainable. You’d need to run dozens of queries daily across ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, etc., manually recording mentions and citations. This quickly consumes 10-20 hours/week.

Paid tools automate this process, providing historical tracking, competitor comparisons, and sentiment analysis. At EUR 20-29/mo, these platforms cost less than 1-2 hours of employee time yet save 10-20 hours weekly.

The ROI becomes clear fast. Budget platforms report customers seeing measurable insights within their first month. Even one new customer or partnership discovered through AI visibility tracking justifies the annual investment.

Can I use free trials to evaluate these platforms?

Yes. Airefs offers a 7-day trial on the Pro plan. Promptmonitor provides a 7-day trial. RankScale’s trial terms aren’t publicly disclosed, but the EUR 20/mo entry price is low enough to test affordably.

Promptmonitor also offers a unique free Agency plan ($0/mo) for pitching prospective clients, letting agencies test before committing client budgets.

During your trial, focus on three key metrics: Are you being mentioned for target queries? What sources are AI models citing? How do you compare to competitors? Run 20-30 prompts related to your category and analyze the responses.

How quickly will I see results from budget AEO tools?

Most platforms report measurable changes within 2-3 months of consistent optimization. Budget tools help you identify quick wins within 1 month: outdated content, missing schema, citation gaps, and publisher outreach opportunities.

Actual citation growth takes longer. Airefs’ Techmap case study shows results in “just a few weeks” (went from invisible to consistently mentioned). RankScale customers report entering new markets successfully. Promptmonitor agencies note immediate value from publisher contact extraction.

The key is using budget tools to establish baseline tracking and identify opportunities. Then systematically execute: update content, engage in Reddit threads, fix technical issues, build quality backlinks. Budget platforms provide the roadmap; you execute the tactics.

Conclusion: Choosing your affordable Peec AI alternative

AI search optimization no longer requires enterprise budgets. These three platforms prove that effective AEO tracking is accessible to startups, SMBs, and bootstrapped teams.

While Peec.ai has established itself with $30M+ funding and enterprise customers, these budget alternatives deliver comprehensive tracking at significantly lower price points. They may better align with your team’s budget constraints while providing the essential data needed to improve AI visibility.

For data-savvy teams and DIY marketers seeking absolute lowest cost, RankScale at EUR 20/mo (~$22/mo) offers granular credit-based control over spending. Its flexible system charges per prompt/model/run, making it ideal for SEO specialists and technical growth marketers comfortable with analytics-heavy platforms. With 1,000+ brands using it, RankScale proves that professional AEO tracking can cost less than a streaming subscription.

For bootstrapped startups and early-stage companies, Airefs at $24/mo provides ChatGPT-first tracking with expert marketing support. Its Reddit monitoring helps you join conversations early before they become established sources, and the Done-for-you agency package provides a clear scaling path when you need more support.

For agencies, consultants, and link builders, Promptmonitor at $29/mo offers unique publisher contact extraction—automatically pulling author emails and social profiles from AI-cited sources. This turns AI tracking into immediate outreach opportunities. The free Agency plan ($0/mo) for pitching clients makes it particularly attractive for consultants testing the waters.

The shift from traditional search to AI-powered answers is accelerating. Gartner predicts 50% of traditional search traffic will be replaced by generative AI by 2028. Budget-friendly AEO tools ensure that startups and small teams can compete in this new landscape without breaking the bank.

Start with baseline tracking at under $30/mo. Prove ROI through identified opportunities and improved citations. Then scale your investment as AI visibility demonstrates measurable business impact.

Ready to start tracking AI visibility on a budget? Start your free trial with Airefs and discover exactly which sources AI models are using to recommend your competitors—all for less than a coffee subscription.