Updated March 2026
Found by AI vs HubSpot AEO Grader
Start with the free snapshot. Graduate when you need continuous monitoring.
HubSpot's AEO Grader is a free tool that analyzes your brand's AI visibility across GPT-4o, Perplexity, and Gemini -- providing a 10-page report with scores, competitor benchmarking, and optimization recommendations at zero cost. It is the best free starting point available. However, AI search results are probabilistic and shift constantly. Found by AI provides automated weekly monitoring with 2x-5x verification per prompt (from EUR 29/mo), ongoing competitor tracking, monthly optimization playbooks, and optional managed content creation (from EUR 129/mo) that improves your visibility over time.
The Core Difference
An on-demand snapshot vs. an automated monitoring service.
HubSpot's AEO Grader is genuinely impressive for a free tool. It delivers a 10-page report scoring your brand across 5 dimensions -- brand recognition, competitive positioning, presence quality, sentiment, and share of voice -- with platform-specific breakdowns across 3 AI engines. You can benchmark against 2-5 competitors, and the report includes actionable optimization recommendations. With 228,000+ HubSpot customers and zero-friction access (no account required), it is the obvious first step for any business exploring AI visibility.
Found by AI is an automated monitoring and improvement service. Where HubSpot gives you a snapshot each time you manually run it, Found by AI runs weekly scans automatically -- each prompt verified 2x on The Minimum or 5x on Growth for statistical reliability. On Growth (EUR 179/mo), that is 50 prompts x 5 verifications x 4 platforms = 1,000 verified data points per scan cycle, with ongoing competitor tracking, configurable alerts, and a monthly optimization playbook of prioritized actions. When you are ready to accelerate, managed content creation is also available separately from EUR 129/mo -- editorial directory listings and expert articles published on your domain.
Where each excels
Where HubSpot AEO Grader excels
- 100% free with no usage limits -- a 10-page report with 5 scored dimensions, competitor benchmarking (2-5 competitors), and optimization recommendations across 3 AI platforms, at zero cost
- Massive brand trust: HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) with 228,000+ customers -- zero friction to start (no account, no credit card, no email required)
- Rich ecosystem integration with HubSpot Marketing Hub, Content Hub, and CRM for businesses already in the HubSpot platform
Where Found by AI excels
- Automated weekly monitoring with 2x-5x verification per prompt -- 1,000 verified data points per cycle on Growth (EUR 179/mo) vs. a single-run manual snapshot
- Ongoing competitor tracking over time with configurable alerts and trend data -- not a one-time comparison but week-over-week competitive intelligence
- Managed content creation available separately from EUR 129/mo -- editorial directory listings as third-party citation sources plus expert articles published on your domain
Feature comparison
| Found by AI | HubSpot AEO Grader | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | EUR 29/mo (The Minimum: 2 platforms, 15 prompts) | 100% free -- no limits, no account required |
| AI platforms tracked | 2 (The Minimum), 4 (Growth), 7+ (Enterprise) | 3 (GPT-4o, Perplexity, Gemini) |
| Verification methodology | Each prompt verified 2x (The Minimum) or 5x (Growth) for statistical reliability | Single-pass queries per report run |
| Scan frequency | Automated weekly (4/month) -- up to daily on Enterprise | On-demand -- manual re-run required each time |
| Monthly optimization playbook | Prioritized actions based on your data (Growth, EUR 179/mo) | General optimization recommendations in each report |
| Competitor tracking | Ongoing tracking (4 competitors on The Minimum, up to 9 on Growth, weekly updates) | One-time comparison (2-5 competitors per report run) |
| Managed content service (done-for-you) | Available separately from EUR 129/mo -- not required for monitoring | No |
| Agentic commerce readiness | Preparing -- learn about AEO | AEO in name (answer engine focus) |
Key Differences
Choose HubSpot AEO Grader if...
- You want a free, zero-commitment first look at your AI visibility with a 10-page report, competitor benchmarking, and optimization recommendations
- You are just learning about AI visibility and want to understand where you stand before investing in any paid tool
- You already use HubSpot's Marketing Hub or CRM and want to stay within that ecosystem
Choose Found by AI if...
- You want automated weekly monitoring with verified data -- each prompt checked 2x-5x, not a single-pass snapshot you must re-run manually
- You want ongoing competitor tracking with trend data and configurable alerts, not a one-time comparison
- You want the option to add done-for-you content creation when ready -- managed publishing and editorial directory listings from EUR 129/mo
- You want a provider actively building toward the agentic AI future
Start with both. Run HubSpot's free AEO Grader for your baseline report, then run Found by AI's free AI Visibility Check for a second perspective. When you are ready for automated monitoring, verified data, and content that improves your score, Found by AI's paid tiers start at EUR 29/mo with a 14-day free trial on Growth.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HubSpot AEO Grader enough for AI visibility?
HubSpot's AEO Grader is an excellent free starting point -- it provides a 10-page report with brand recognition, sentiment analysis, competitive positioning (2-5 competitors), and optimization recommendations across GPT-4o, Perplexity, and Gemini. For a first look at AI visibility, it is the obvious choice. However, AI search results are probabilistic and shift constantly. The Grader gives you a snapshot each time you manually run it, but does not track changes automatically, send alerts, or verify results with multiple runs. Found by AI provides automated weekly monitoring with 2x-5x verification per prompt, ongoing competitor tracking, and optional managed content creation -- the tools you need after the initial snapshot.
Why pay for Found by AI when HubSpot AEO Grader is free?
HubSpot gives you a free on-demand snapshot each time you run it -- a valuable 10-page report with scores and recommendations. Found by AI automates what HubSpot requires you to do manually: weekly scans across 2-4 AI platforms with each prompt verified 2x-5x for statistical reliability, ongoing competitor tracking (up to 9 competitors on Growth), configurable alerts when visibility changes, and a monthly optimization playbook with prioritized actions. On Growth (EUR 179/mo), that is 50 prompts x 5 verifications x 4 platforms = 1,000 verified data points per scan cycle. Separately, managed content creation (from EUR 129/mo) produces the articles that actually improve your score. HubSpot diagnoses. Found by AI diagnoses continuously and also treats.
Which AI platforms does each tool cover?
HubSpot's AEO Grader covers 3 platforms: GPT-4o (ChatGPT), Perplexity, and Google Gemini. Found by AI covers 2 platforms on The Minimum (EUR 29/mo): Google AI Overview and ChatGPT. Growth (EUR 179/mo) adds Copilot and Perplexity for 4 total. Enterprise adds Claude, Gemini, and Grok for 7+. HubSpot covers Gemini at the free tier, whereas Found by AI includes Gemini only on Enterprise. On the other hand, Found by AI covers Microsoft Copilot from Growth tier, which HubSpot does not cover at all.
Can I use HubSpot AEO Grader and Found by AI together?
Yes, and this is the recommended path. Start with HubSpot's free AEO Grader for your initial AI visibility assessment -- it costs nothing and gives you a solid baseline with competitor comparisons. Then run Found by AI's free AI Visibility Check for a second perspective. When you are ready for automated weekly monitoring, verified data, competitor tracking over time, and content creation, graduate to Found by AI's paid tiers starting at EUR 29/mo for monitoring. The two tools are complementary: HubSpot for the first look, Found by AI for the ongoing work.
Bottom line
HubSpot's AEO Grader is a genuinely useful free tool -- a 10-page report with competitor benchmarking, sentiment analysis, and optimization recommendations across 3 AI platforms, backed by HubSpot's 228,000+ customer ecosystem. Found by AI is an automated monitoring and improvement service starting at EUR 29/mo, with 2x-5x verification per prompt, weekly scans across 2-7+ platforms, ongoing competitor tracking, and a monthly optimization playbook on Growth (EUR 179/mo). Choose HubSpot if you want a free first look at AI visibility. Choose Found by AI when you need continuous, verified monitoring with actionable guidance and the option to add content creation. The simplest test: if you need someone to create the content that improves your AI visibility, Found by AI is the only option in this comparison that does that.
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See where you stand
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