# Research & Analysis — CitedIndex > Source: https://citedindex.com/blog (curated, sourced, built to be cited) Data-driven reports on generative engine optimization and the tools that measure whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews see (and cite) your brand. 18 reports. Each links to its answer-first markdown twin. - [Leading AI Visibility and GEO Software: Which Do Both](https://citedindex.com/blog/leading-ai-visibility-and-geo-software-2026.md) (2026-08-15) — Of the 76 AI-visibility tools CitedIndex indexes, 44 also do generative engine optimization, and 15 of those track all six major engines. Re-derived 18 August 2026. - [Subscription or Nothing: How 72 AI-Visibility Tools Bill](https://citedindex.com/blog/ai-visibility-tools-billing-model-census-2026.md) (2026-08-12) — AI-visibility cost scales with usage. Billing doesn't: of the 69 tools where we could determine the model, 59 sell a subscription and one bills per unit consumed. - [Who Publishes a Price? 68 AI-Visibility Tools vs 11 Managed Services](https://citedindex.com/blog/price-transparency-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-08-12) — Four of the 68 AI-visibility software tools in our index sell only on a custom quote. Among managed GEO services, 6 of 11 do: the clearest split in the category. - [Which AI-Visibility Tools Show Their Work? A Methodology Census](https://citedindex.com/blog/methodology-transparency-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-08-06) — We checked 74 AI-visibility tools for a public methodology behind their accuracy claims. 36 claim precision with zero evidence. Only 6 show their work. - [What 'Free' Actually Means Across 74 AI-Visibility Tools](https://citedindex.com/blog/free-tier-vs-free-trial-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-08-04) — 17 tools have a real ongoing free tier, 31 offer only a time-limited trial, 18 offer nothing free. What each 'free' claim actually caps, from our own gated data. - [Prompt Volume, Seats or Credits: How AI-Visibility Tools Price](https://citedindex.com/blog/how-ai-visibility-tools-actually-price-2026.md) (2026-08-04) — Two tools quoting $99/month can mean 15 prompts or 100. We mapped six different pricing units across our index so a quote is comparable, not just a number. - [How to Choose an AI Visibility Tool: 7 Things to Check](https://citedindex.com/blog/how-to-choose-an-ai-visibility-tool-2026.md) (2026-07-30) — 36 of our 71 indexed software tools advertise a free trial; 17 offer nothing free at all. A checklist for choosing an AI-visibility tool, from our own gated data. - [Which AI Engines Do AI-Visibility Tools Track? The 2026 Census](https://citedindex.com/blog/engine-coverage-census-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-07-27) — Of the 75 AI-visibility tools where we could determine engine coverage, 74 track ChatGPT and just 31 track Microsoft Copilot — the engine most tools still skip. - [SSO and SOC 2 in AI-Visibility Tools: Included or Gated?](https://citedindex.com/blog/enterprise-security-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-07-24) — We checked 89 AI-visibility listings for SSO, SOC 2 and trust controls. Twenty-seven name one, and only Nightwatch puts SSO on a published price. - [Which AI-Visibility Tools Can Your Own AI Agent Actually Query?](https://citedindex.com/blog/mcp-server-support-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-07-23) — We checked all 89 listings in our index for MCP server support. 24 ship one — but only 10 don't gate it behind a paid tier, a subscription, or a sales call. - [First Page Sage vs iPullRank vs Omniscient Digital](https://citedindex.com/blog/first-page-sage-vs-ipullrank-vs-omniscient-digital.md) (2026-07-22) — Three GEO agencies, three theories of earning AI citations — reputation, technical fetchability, or pipeline-tied content. A side-by-side matrix and how to choose. - [GEO Agency or Software? How to Choose in 2026](https://citedindex.com/blog/geo-agency-or-software-2026.md) (2026-07-20) — 14 GEO agencies charge $1,597 to $24,000+ a month; software runs $29 to $399. A decision framework for which approach fits your team and budget. - [AI Search Statistics 2026: The Data Behind the Shift](https://citedindex.com/blog/geo-ai-search-statistics-2026.md) (2026-07-20) — Zero-click search hit 68% and AI Overviews cut organic clicks up to 60% — the sourced 2026 data on traffic, marketer budgets, and our own GEO tool index. - [Who's Backing Your GEO Stack? The 2025-2026 Money Wave](https://citedindex.com/blog/geo-tools-capital-and-consolidation-wave-2025-2026.md) (2026-07-20) — Three acquisitions — including Adobe's $1.9B Semrush deal — and $200M+ in funding hit seven tools in our index within 15 months. What each means for buyers. - [10 AI-Visibility Vendor Facts That Changed Since We Last Checked](https://citedindex.com/blog/vendor-claims-that-changed-since-we-last-checked.md) (2026-07-20) — Re-verifying listings before publishing caught 10 real pricing and feature drifts this month — what changed, why, and how to check a vendor's claims yourself. - [Peec vs Profound vs Scrunch vs Otterly: How to Choose](https://citedindex.com/blog/choosing-an-ai-visibility-platform-2026.md) (2026-07-19) — Four AI-visibility platforms span $29/month self-serve to custom enterprise. A side-by-side comparison and a decision framework for which one fits your team. - [How AI answer engines cite sources (and why it moves)](https://citedindex.com/blog/how-ai-answer-engines-cite-sources.md) (2026-07-15) — Three large studies of AI citations show ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews cite different sources — and that the mix keeps shifting. Here is the data. - [The State of GEO & AI-Visibility Tools 2026 — A Landscape Report](https://citedindex.com/blog/state-of-geo-ai-visibility-tools-2026.md) (2026-07-11) — An analysis of the 74 most-researched AI-visibility and GEO tools: pricing, engine coverage, API availability and market segments, from verified, sourced listings.