3 Profound Alternatives Under $100

Profound’s entry plan costs $99/mo. For that, you get 50 prompts tracked on ChatGPT only. No Perplexity. No Google AI Overviews. No Claude. Just ChatGPT—with a prompt limit that most active teams will exhaust in days.

That’s the core problem with Profound at the $100 price point: you’re paying enterprise-tier prices for starter-tier functionality. The platform is genuinely powerful at higher tiers, but the $99/mo Starter is designed to get you in the door, not to run a real AEO program.

These three alternatives all cost under $100/mo and each covers more platforms, more prompts, or more use cases than Profound’s Starter plan. If you’re trying to prove the value of AI visibility tracking before committing to Profound’s $399/mo Growth tier, any of these is a better starting point.

What are the best Profound alternatives under $100?

The top 3 Profound alternatives under $100 are Airefs, Knowatoa, and Superlines.

Airefs starts at $24/mo and tracks prompts on ChatGPT by default (other LLMs available on request), with Reddit keyword monitoring that no Profound plan includes. Knowatoa costs $59/mo, uses a proprietary BISCUIT Framework to track 7 AI platforms, and includes a dedicated account rep even on its entry plan. Superlines starts at EUR 74/mo (annual) and tracks 10+ platforms using real live AI interface data—not API calls.

Top Profound alternatives under $100 — Comparison table

1. Airefs: Most affordable Profound alternative with Reddit monitoring

Profound’s $99/mo Starter tracks 50 prompts on ChatGPT. Airefs’ $24/mo Lite plan tracks 25 prompts on ChatGPT by default—and adds Reddit keyword monitoring, a feature Profound doesn’t offer at any price tier. Other LLMs (Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews) are available upon request.

The difference in philosophy is meaningful. Profound focuses on measurement—showing you what’s happening in AI results. Airefs is built around what to do next: which Reddit threads to join before they become established sources, which content your competitors have that you don’t, and which sources AI models cite consistently in your category.

The Pro plan at $49/mo adds daily refresh, 3 domains, 60 prompts, and a 7-day free trial. For teams that want full hands-on support, the done-for-you tier at $249/mo includes content creation and community participation on your behalf—something that sits outside Profound’s product model entirely.

Key features

• ChatGPT-first prompt tracking: Prompts tracked on ChatGPT by default—where the bulk of AI search demand is. Other LLMs (Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews) available upon request
• Reddit keyword monitoring: Track up to 3-30 keywords (plan-dependent) to catch relevant conversations early
• AI Search Analytics: See real AI-referred traffic and monitor AI crawler activity on your site
• Competitor source analysis: Identify sources your competitors are cited in that you’re missing
• Content gap identification: Surface specific articles and discussions that AI relies on in your market
• Done-for-you service: Agency tier with content creation and community engagement on your behalf

Pricing

All plans reflect yearly pricing.

• Lite: $24/mo — 1 domain, 3 competitors, 25 prompts, 2-day refresh, 7-day analytics history, 3 Reddit keywords
• Pro: $49/mo — 3 domains, 5 competitors, 60 prompts, daily refresh, 90-day history, 10 Reddit keywords, 2 seats, 7-day free trial
• Expert: $83/mo — Unlimited domains, 10 competitors, 150 prompts, 30 Reddit keywords, 10 seats, AEO strategist access
• Done-for-you: $249/mo+ — Monthly calls, content creation, discussion participation

Pros & cons

Pros:

• Tracks prompts on ChatGPT by default at $24/mo, with other LLMs available on request—vs Profound’s $99/mo for ChatGPT only
• Reddit monitoring has no equivalent in Profound at any price point
• Transparent pricing with a self-serve free trial—no sales call required
• Done-for-you tier converts tracking into actual content and community work

Cons:

• Profound’s prompt volume data (showing AI search demand) has no equivalent in Airefs
• No AI content generation feature comparable to Profound Agents
• Smaller platform and customer base than Profound

Customers

Airefs serves 100+ teams across startups, B2B SaaS, agencies, and content teams in North America and Europe. It holds a 5.0/5 rating.

Airefs really helped me understand my presence in ChatGPT results. The ‘Sources’ feature proved extremely powerful for finding content ideas to create or replicate.

— Thibault M, Founder, Genlook

2. Knowatoa: Best Profound alternative for teams that want daily tracking and support

Most AEO tools at the $59/mo price point give you basic tracking and a dashboard to figure out yourself. Knowatoa gives you daily data refreshes, a dedicated account rep, Slack and email support, and a proprietary framework called BISCUIT—all on its entry plan. Profound’s $99/mo Starter gives you none of those support structures.

The BISCUIT Framework is Knowatoa’s technical differentiator. Described as “like PageRank for AI,” it reverse-engineers how AI systems make recommendations across commercial queries—giving you a structured model for why AI models recommend competitors and what changes would shift that. It’s a more analytical approach than most monitoring tools, which primarily show you what’s happening without a framework for why.

The Starter plan covers ChatGPT, AI Mode, and AI Overviews with 30 tracked questions and 2,790 AI answers per month. The Growth plan ($199/mo) adds Claude, Gemini, Meta AI, and Perplexity alongside API access and Looker Studio integration for teams that need more platforms and custom reporting.

Key features

• BISCUIT Framework: Proprietary methodology that reverse-engineers AI recommendations—explains why AI models recommend competitors, not just that they do
• Daily data refreshes: Both plans include daily tracking updates (Profound’s $99/mo Starter doesn’t specify refresh frequency)
• Dedicated account rep: Included on both Starter and Growth—unusual at this price point
• Competitor gap analysis: Identify which prompts competitors appear in that you don’t
• Source opportunities: Surface the specific sources and pages you need to be cited in
• Multi-language and location tracking: Both plans support global monitoring
• Free AI visibility audit: No-signup tool for initial brand assessment before committing

Pricing

• Starter: $59/mo — 30 questions, 2,790 AI answers/mo, ChatGPT + AI Mode + AI Overviews, daily refreshes, competitor gap analysis, dedicated account rep, CSV exports, 7-day free trial (no credit card)
• Growth: $199/mo — 100 questions, 21,700 AI answers/mo, adds Claude, Gemini, Meta AI, Perplexity, API access, Looker Studio, Ninja Cat integrations

Pros & cons

Pros:

• Dedicated account rep included on the $59/mo plan—Profound doesn’t offer this below enterprise tier
• Daily refresh on all plans vs Profound Starter’s ambiguous update cadence
• BISCUIT Framework provides an analytical model for AI recommendations, not just a dashboard
• Free AI visibility audit with no signup required lowers the barrier to try before committing
• 7-day free trial with no credit card

Cons:

• Starter is limited to 3 AI platforms (ChatGPT, AI Mode, AI Overviews)—need $199/mo Growth for Claude and Perplexity
• Relatively early-stage platform (5,029 audits completed suggests limited scale vs Profound’s enterprise customer base)
• No G2 reviews or third-party category recognition yet
• Only 2 pricing tiers with a significant gap ($59 to $199)

Customers

Knowatoa serves teams across B2B SaaS, content, and agency segments. Ross Hudgens, Founder of Siege Media, describes it as “rank tracking for AI search services like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.” Craig Hewitt from Castos calls it “not just a tool, it’s a smarter way to approach visibility.”

Not just a tool, it’s a smarter way to approach visibility in AI search.

— Craig Hewitt, Castos

3. Superlines: Best Profound alternative for 10-platform coverage under $100

Profound tracks 10+ platforms, but that requires the Growth plan at $399/mo. Superlines tracks 10+ platforms starting at EUR 74/mo (annual)—ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, AI Overviews, AI Mode, Gemini, DeepSeek, Claude, Mistral, and Grok. For teams where breadth of platform coverage is the primary requirement, Superlines delivers more for less.

The methodology distinction is important: Superlines uses real live AI interface data rather than API calls. Most AEO tools query AI platforms via API and report what comes back programmatically. Superlines scrapes the actual live interfaces—the same view a real user sees. This is the same approach Peec AI uses and for the same reason: it produces results that reflect what users actually experience.

The technical angle extends further. Superlines offers an enterprise MCP server for agentic workflow integration—letting teams pipe AI visibility data directly into their own AI workflows. This is unique positioning in the under-$100 tier. The platform also includes an in-app AI agent and tracks unlimited brands and domains on all plans.

Founded in 2024 as part of Google for AI Startups Cloud Program, Superlines is primarily used in Europe with customers like Tallink Silja, Supabase, and Tietoevry, but supports English, Swedish, and Finnish.

Key features

• 10+ platform tracking: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, AI Overviews, AI Mode, Gemini, DeepSeek, Claude, Mistral, and Grok
• Real live AI interface data: Tracks actual UI results—not API responses—for accurate real-world visibility
• Unlimited brands and domains: No per-brand pricing caps on any plan
• Enterprise MCP server and API: Pipe AI visibility data into your own agentic workflows
• In-app AI agent: Built-in AI assistance for interpreting visibility data and identifying opportunities
• Share of voice tracking: Brand impression percentage across all monitored AI platforms
• Sentiment and citation analysis: Monitor how AI describes your brand and which sources it cites
• Content opportunity identification: Surface gaps in your coverage across AI platforms

Pricing

• Starter: EUR 89/mo (EUR 74/mo annual, ~$80/mo) — 7-day free trial
• Growth: EUR 379/mo (EUR 315/mo annual) — 7-day free trial
• Agency Growth: EUR 299/mo
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Pros & cons

Pros:

• 10+ platform coverage at ~$80/mo vs Profound’s 1 platform at $99/mo
• Real live AI interface tracking produces more accurate results than API-only competitors
• Unlimited brands and domains on all plans—no scaling penalty for agencies or multi-product teams
• MCP server support for agentic workflow integration (unique at this price point)
• Google for AI Startups recognition and 4.8/5 rating across 50 reviews

Cons:

• EUR-based pricing adds currency uncertainty for US teams (EUR 74/mo ≈ $80/mo, but fluctuates)
• European customer base and time zone may mean slower support response for US teams
• English, Swedish, and Finnish only—limited language support vs Profound’s enterprise multi-language capabilities
• No GA4 or Google Search Console integrations listed

Customers

Superlines serves teams across Europe and beyond including Tallink Silja, Elo, Tietoevry, Finnlines, Supabase, and Taito AI. Markku Nykanen, Head of SEO at Tulos, says: “Amongst the available GEO solutions in the market, Superlines stands as the leader.”

Superlines turned AI Search from a mystery into a measurable channel for us.

— Axel Lindell, CEO, Ilona Works

Frequently asked questions

Why is Profound’s $99/mo plan so limited compared to these alternatives?

Profound’s Starter plan is intentionally constrained—50 prompts, ChatGPT only—to push teams toward the $399/mo Growth plan where the platform’s real value lives. This is a common enterprise SaaS pattern. If you’re evaluating Profound, the $99/mo plan is not representative of what the product actually does. These three alternatives give you significantly more functionality at the same or lower price point.

Is 50 prompts per month enough for AI visibility tracking?

For most B2B SaaS or marketing teams, no. If you’re tracking 10 competitors across 5 core queries, you’ve already used 50 prompts for a single week. Meaningful AI visibility programs typically need 50-200 prompts tracked daily or weekly. Airefs Lite (25 prompts, 2-day refresh), Knowatoa Starter (30 questions, 2,790 answers/mo), and Superlines Starter (plan-dependent) all provide more practical tracking volumes for active programs.

How do these platforms compare to Profound for accuracy?

Profound uses a proprietary AI crawler. Superlines and Peec AI use real live UI scraping—tracking what users actually see rather than API-programmatic responses. Knowatoa uses its BISCUIT Framework to reverse-engineer AI recommendation patterns. Airefs uses prompt-based tracking. None of the major AEO platforms have published independent accuracy benchmarks, but UI scraping approaches generally produce more representative results than pure API calls.

Which platform is best if I need to track more than 3 AI platforms?

Superlines covers 10+ platforms from its Starter tier at EUR 74/mo annually—the broadest coverage at the lowest price point of any platform in this comparison. Airefs covers 5 platforms from its Lite plan. Knowatoa’s Starter covers 3 platforms, with 7 available on Growth ($199/mo). If platform breadth is your primary requirement, Superlines is the clear choice under $100.

Can I upgrade to Profound later if I outgrow these tools?

Yes, and that’s actually a reasonable path. Start with one of these platforms to establish baseline AI visibility data, prove ROI internally, and understand which metrics matter for your business. Once you’ve validated that AI visibility drives measurable outcomes, the case for Profound’s $399/mo Growth plan becomes easier to justify. Knowatoa’s BISCUIT Framework data and Airefs’ Reddit monitoring provide insights that would transfer directly into a Profound implementation strategy.

Do any of these platforms offer agency features?

Airefs supports unlimited domains on its Expert plan ($83/mo) and offers a done-for-you agency tier at $249/mo. Superlines includes unlimited brands and domains on all plans and has a dedicated Agency Growth plan (EUR 299/mo). Knowatoa’s Growth plan adds API access and Looker Studio integration for client reporting. All three scale for agency use—Superlines most naturally given its per-plan pricing model rather than per-domain charges.

Conclusion: Choosing your Profound alternative under $100

Profound is worth its price at the Growth tier ($399/mo) and above. Below that, you’re paying $99/mo for a platform that’s deliberately limited to create upgrade pressure. These three alternatives give you real AEO functionality under $100.

For teams that want maximum platform coverage immediately, Superlines at EUR 74/mo (annual) tracks 10+ AI platforms using real live interface data—the same breadth Profound charges $399/mo to access. The MCP server support and unlimited brands make it particularly strong for technical teams and agencies.

For teams that want structured analytical support alongside tracking, Knowatoa at $59/mo provides daily refresh, a dedicated account rep, and the BISCUIT Framework for understanding why AI models make the recommendations they do. The support model at the entry tier is unusual and genuinely valuable for teams new to AEO.

For teams that want the lowest cost of entry with Reddit monitoring, Airefs at $24/mo covers 5 platforms, surfaces actionable opportunities, and offers a done-for-you path when you’re ready to scale from tracking to execution.

None of these will replace Profound at full scale for enterprise programs. But for proving AI visibility ROI before you commit $399/mo or more, all three are better starting points than Profound’s own Starter plan.

Track AI visibility across 5 platforms for less than $25/mo. Start your free trial with Airefs and see where your brand stands in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews today.