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Comparison

AthenaHQ Alternatives for AI Search Tracking

By Rahil Jain, founder of Chalk LabsUpdated How we research

The short answer

AthenaHQ sells by credits, and one credit equals one AI response. If credit maths puts you off, the alternatives are Scrunch and Otterly.AI, which count prompts, Ahrefs or Semrush add-ons, Profound for large brands, or a free spreadsheet routine. We read public pages only and have tested none of these tools.

  • AthenaHQ lists a free Essential tier, a $295 monthly Starter plan with 3,600 credits, and custom Enterprise 1.
  • One credit is one AI response, so cost grows with prompts, engines and how often you run them.
  • Rivals count prompts, checks or seats instead, which is easier to budget for some teams.
  • A free routine of Search Console plus a prompt log is enough for a short list.

What are the main alternatives to AthenaHQ?

Choose by billing style first. Credit-based: AthenaHQ itself. Prompt-based: Otterly.AI and Scrunch. Check-based or suite add-ons: Ahrefs Brand Radar and Semrush. Quote-led at the top end: Profound and Peec AI Enterprise, both of which show plans without dollar figures. And a free routine for anyone not ready to pay.

We read each vendor's public page on 20 October 2026 and ran no hands-on test, so we rank nothing and make no claim about accuracy. Disclosure: Chalk Labs sells AI SEO strategy and page production, not tracking software.

Which one fits you?

Four questions to point you at a billing style. They suggest a starting point, not a vendor.

Stay with credits (AthenaHQ)

Pay for AI responses and control spend by run frequency.

Best when
  • You want many engines
  • You can run weekly instead of daily
  • You like a free tier to test

A flat prompt allowance

Otterly.AI, Scrunch or a suite add-on.

Best when
  • You want a predictable bill
  • You know your prompt count
  • You need seats for a team

Free reports plus a log

Search Console and a monthly prompt sheet.

Best when
  • You are testing the idea
  • You track under about 30 prompts
  • Budget is near zero

A short quiz

0 of 4 answered

Question 1 of 4How do you want to be billed?
Question 2 of 4How many AI engines matter to your buyers?
Question 3 of 4How often do you need fresh data?
Question 4 of 4Who will use it?

What does AthenaHQ list publicly today?

Its pricing page shows three plans. Essential is free with 300 credits and covers ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Copilot 1. Starter is $295 a month with 3,600 credits across 11 named models, including Google AI Mode and Claude 1. Enterprise is custom 1.

Starter lists unlimited topics, prompts and competitors, country-level support, CSV export and a content optimisation agent 1. API access and extra credits are optional add-ons billed on top 1. Annual billing is described as 17% off 1. The page also lists free starting credit ($25 on Essential, $300 a month on Starter); check how it recurs before you rely on it 1. The page defines one credit as one AI response 1.

How fast do credits run out?

Credits are the unit to watch. Since one credit is one AI response, your spend depends on how many prompts you track, how many engines answer each one, and how often. The page we read did not state a run schedule, so ask AthenaHQ before you budget. The sums below assume one response per prompt per engine per run.

Credit maths (our arithmetic, not a quote)
  • Free tier: 300 credits. 25 prompts x 5 engines = 125 responses per run, so two runs.
  • Starter: 3,600 credits. 30 prompts x 4 engines x 30 daily runs = 3,600.
  • Same 30 prompts on all 11 Starter models, run weekly: 30 x 11 x 4 = 1,320 credits.
  • Same 30 prompts on 11 models, run daily: 30 x 11 x 30 = 9,900 credits, 2.75 times the Starter allowance.

What should you compare before you switch?

Convert every plan into one monthly figure at your own prompt list. These checks usually decide it.

  • Billing unit: credits, prompts, checks or seats, and what happens when you pass the limit.
  • Run frequency: can you choose weekly runs to save allowance?
  • Engines: which are in the base price and which cost extra?
  • Exports: CSV, JSON or an API, and whether the API is an add-on.
  • Trial or free tier: can you test on your own prompts first?
  • Contract: monthly or annual, and the discount for committing.

How do the alternatives compare on price and billing unit?

The table shows what each vendor's own page listed on 20 October 2026. A dash of caution: pages change often, and some gave no dollar figures.

Public list prices and billing units (read 20 October 2026; no hands-on test)
ToolBilling unitPublic priceEnginesFree option
AthenaHQCredits 1.Free; $295 a month Starter 1.5 free; 11 on Starter 1.Free tier 1.
Otterly.AIPrompts 2.$29, $189, $489 a month (second set shown on page: $25, $160, $422; unclear which applies) 2.Four included; three extra at a fee 2.Trial, length not stated 2.
ScrunchPrompts and seats 3.$300 a month, or $250 billed annually 3.ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, AI Mode, AI Overviews, Meta 3.7 days, no card 3.
Ahrefs Brand RadarChecks 4.Add-on from $199; packages from $50 4.Counts given, names not 4.None listed 4.
Semrush AI Visibility ToolkitPrompts 5.$99 a month for 25 prompts 5.ChatGPT, Google AI Mode 5.No trial 5.
ProfoundCustom plan 6.No dollar figure shown 6.3 in trial; up to 9 6.7-day trial 6.
Peec AIPrompts times models times frequency 7.No dollar figure shown 7.Names ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini 7.None mentioned 7.
Free routineNone.No licence fee.Whatever you check by hand.Not applicable.

Which alternative suits which kind of buyer?

If you dislike variable credit spend, a flat prompt allowance is simpler. Otterly.AI and Scrunch both post prices and prompt counts, so you can predict your bill 23. Scrunch Starter also includes three users, which helps agencies and small teams 3.

If you already use Ahrefs or Semrush, price their add-ons first and compare against Athena's Starter plan 45. If you need security review, SSO and an API at scale, ask Profound and Scrunch's Enterprise tier for terms 36. Peec AI shows no amounts on the page, so ask what each plan costs and how prompts times models times frequency applies to you 7.

Is AthenaHQ's free tier enough, or should you build your own?

For a first look, the free tier may do the job. With 300 credits you can run a short prompt list across five engines a couple of times and see how you appear 1. That is a sample, not a monthly programme.

For something longer, combine Search Console with a spreadsheet. Google says traffic from its AI features sits inside overall Search Console totals under the Web search type, with no separate filter named on that page 8. If you stay with credits, the unique risk is daily runs, so start weekly and move to daily only for prompts that matter. Our AI visibility tracking spreadsheet guide shows the layout, and the AI prompt list builder drafts the prompts.

What can no tracking tool promise?

No tool can promise that your visibility will improve. Google notes that third-party tools cannot see its internal ranking data, cannot ensure results, and that promised AI-experience gains deserve scrutiny 9. A content agent inside a tool still needs your real expertise on the page.

Read your numbers as samples, and cross-check with customer questions and analytics. For wider coverage, see AI visibility tracking tools compared and manual vs automated prompt tracking.

Frequently asked questions

How much does AthenaHQ cost?

On 20 October 2026 its pricing page listed a free Essential tier, Starter at $295 a month with 3,600 credits, and custom Enterprise 1. API access and extra credits are optional add-ons billed on top of Starter 1. Annual billing is described as 17% off 1.

What is a credit in AthenaHQ?

The page defines one credit as one AI response 1. That means cost rises with the number of prompts, the number of engines answering and how often each runs. Ask the vendor about run schedules before you budget.

Is there a free alternative to AthenaHQ?

AthenaHQ itself has a free Essential tier 1. Beyond that, Search Console plus a spreadsheet is free 8, and Scrunch lists a 7-day trial with no card 3.

Which AthenaHQ alternative has the clearest public pricing?

Otterly.AI and Scrunch both post prices and prompt counts 23. Profound and Peec AI showed no dollar amounts on the pages we read 67, so you would need a quote.

Do AI visibility tools improve rankings?

No. They measure. Google says third-party tools lack its internal ranking data and cannot ensure results 9. The improvement comes from better pages and a stronger reputation, which the tool then helps you track.

About the author

Rahil Jain

Rahil Jain is an AI SEO (answer engine and generative engine optimisation) consultant and co-founder of Chalk Labs.

LinkedIn · Method and credentials

Sources

  1. AthenaHQ Pricing · AthenaHQOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Essential free (300 credits, five engines); Starter $295 a month with 3,600 credits and 11 models; Enterprise custom; API and extra credits are add-ons; annual 17% off; free starting credit $25 (Essential) and $300 a month (Starter); one credit is one AI response.
  2. Otterly.AI Pricing · Otterly.AIOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Lite $29, Standard $189, Premium $489 a month for 15, 100 and 400 prompts; four engines included, three as add-ons; free trial offered, length not stated; page also shows a second price set ($25, $160, $422) without saying which applies.
  3. Scrunch Pricing · ScrunchOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Starter $300 monthly or $250 annual, 350 custom prompts, 3 users; platform list; 7-day trial with no card; Enterprise with Data API and SSO.
  4. Ahrefs Pricing · AhrefsOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Brand Radar add-on from $199 a month; prompt packages from $50 for 2,500 checks; no trial listed.
  5. AI Visibility Toolkit · SemrushOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Toolkit $99 a month, 25 prompts, ChatGPT and Google AI Mode, no free trial.
  6. Profound Pricing · ProfoundOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Trial with 3 engines for 7 days; Enterprise custom with up to nine engines, API and SSO; no dollar figure shown.
  7. Peec AI Pricing · Peec AIOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Plans Starter, Pro, Advanced, Enterprise; no dollar figures; coverage calculated from tracked prompts times active models times frequency; names ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini.
  8. AI features and your website · Google Search CentralOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: AI feature traffic is included in overall Search Console traffic under the Web search type; no separate filter named; last updated 2025-12-10.
  9. Google Search's Guidance on Third-Party SEO Tools & Advice · Google Search CentralOpened October 20, 2026. Supports: Third-party tools lack Google's internal ranking data, cannot ensure results; AEO and GEO promises deserve scrutiny.
How this page was made. Built on Rahil Jain's AI SEO method and drafted with AI research assistance. Every statistic links to the page we read it on (opened October 20, 2026 or nearby). Published October 20, 2026; last updated October 20, 2026. Chalk Labs sells AI SEO services, so we have a commercial interest in this topic. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.