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Best AI visibility tools for small and local businesses (2026)
For a free quick local check, start with PickCheck or BrightLocal's free checker. For tracking a brand across many AI engines, pick Otterly.AI, Peec AI or Profound. Agencies should look at Otterly.AI, Peec Advanced or BrightLocal. Prices checked October 2026.
Last updated October 16, 2026
PickCheck is a free AI recommendation checker for local service businesses, made by Hive Asset Group, LLC.
Most "best AI visibility tools" lists are written for marketing teams. This one is for the person who owns a plumbing, HVAC, roofing, dental, med spa or law business and wants to know one thing: does an AI assistant name me when a customer asks for the best one in my town?
AI answers change from run to run. No tool here can promise you will be recommended. They show you what the assistants say.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Engines | Starting price | Free option | Town-level local focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PickCheck | Free quick check for one local business | Kimi only (live web search) | Free scan. Fix Kit $29 once. Monitor $19/mo | Yes, no email | Yes |
| BrightLocal | Local businesses and agencies, per location | AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT | From $31/mo (all plans) | Free checker (email needed), 14-day trial | Yes |
| HubSpot AI Search Grader | Free one-time brand snapshot | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini | Free. HubSpot AEO $50/mo | Yes, short form for full results | City input accepted |
| Otterly.AI | Brand tracking, small teams and agencies | ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity, Copilot | See their pricing page | See their pricing page | Not stated on their page |
| Peec AI | Marketing teams and agencies | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and more | $95/mo (50 prompts) | Free trial | Not stated on their page |
| Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit | Teams already on Semrush | Google AI Mode, ChatGPT and others | $99/mo per domain | Separate free basic checker | City-level locations in one report; town-level prompt tracking not stated |
| Profound | Large brands | Up to 9 engines on Enterprise | Custom (no price on their page) | 7-day free trial | Not stated (regions only) |
Sources are listed at the end. Plans change, so check each site.
The tools
PickCheck
A free scan takes about 30 seconds. You give a business name, trade and town. It asks Kimi, one AI assistant with live web search, three customer-style questions. You see if you were named and who was named instead. The Fix Kit ($29 once) adds a 10-question scan, a site audit and a 30-day plan. Monitor ($19/month) adds weekly re-scans. It does not test ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity. Pick it if you own one local business and want a fast, free first look.
BrightLocal
A local SEO company with a free Local AI Visibility Checker. Enter your email and location, choose Google AI Mode or ChatGPT, and get a PDF for up to 5 prompts. Its paid tracker comes with plans from $31 a month and has a 14-day trial. It covers ChatGPT, AI Mode and AI Overviews, which is more than PickCheck. Pick it if you want ChatGPT results or manage several locations.
HubSpot AI Search Grader
A free one-time score of how ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini describe your brand. You can enter a city. It is a brand snapshot, not a "best plumber in town" test. The paid HubSpot AEO is $50 a month. Pick it if you already use HubSpot.
Otterly.AI
A tracking tool for brands that checks ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity and Copilot. We have not listed its prices here because we could not confirm them from their pricing page, so check it directly. Pick it if you want several engines in one report.
Peec AI
An analytics platform with unlimited users. Starter is $95 a month for 50 prompts, Pro $245 for 150 prompts and Advanced $495 for 350 prompts. Pick it if you run a marketing team or agency.
Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit
$99 a month for one domain and 25 tracked prompts, with no free trial. Semrush also has a separate free AI Visibility Checker for a basic brand scan. Pick it if your SEO work already lives in Semrush.
Profound
An enterprise platform. There is a free 7-day trial and custom pricing after. It is built for large brands that need many engines and team controls. Most single-location shops will not need it. See PickCheck vs Profound.
How to pick
- Own one local shop and want it free? Run PickCheck or BrightLocal's free checker. Use both if you want Kimi and ChatGPT views.
- Need ChatGPT specifically? PickCheck does not test it. Use BrightLocal, HubSpot or Otterly.
- Run a brand with many prompts? Otterly, Peec or Profound fit better than a local scan.
- Run an agency? Look at Otterly.AI, Peec Advanced or BrightLocal.
How we compared
PickCheck is our product, so we are not neutral. We listed it first only for the "free local check" job, not as best overall. For other jobs, we say when another tool is the better pick. We used each tool's own pages where we could and left out or flagged what we could not confirm. We did not run paid trials. We checked prices on October 16, 2026.
Related reading: Does AI recommend my business? and What is AI visibility?
FAQ
What is the best free AI visibility tool for a local business?
For a quick local check, PickCheck and BrightLocal's free checker are the two built for it. PickCheck needs no email and asks Kimi. BrightLocal needs an email and uses Google AI Mode or ChatGPT. HubSpot's grader is free too, but it scores a brand, not a town.
Does PickCheck check ChatGPT?
No. PickCheck asks one assistant, Kimi, with live web search. It does not query ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity. If you need ChatGPT, use BrightLocal, HubSpot or Otterly.
Do I need a paid tool?
Not to start. A free scan shows whether an assistant names you and who it names instead. Paid tools help when you want weekly re-checks, more prompts or more locations.
Can any tool get my business recommended by AI?
No. AI answers change from run to run. These tools show what assistants say. What you change on your website and listings is up to you.
How were prices checked?
From each tool's own pages on October 16, 2026. Where we could not confirm a number, the table says so or points you to their site. Plans change.
Sources: PickCheck pickcheck.co. BrightLocal free checker and tracker. HubSpot AI Search Grader. Otterly pricing. Peec pricing. Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit. Profound pricing.