# AthenaHQ vs Gauge

A detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool.

## Pricing and key differences

### AthenaHQ

#### Best for

[Enterprise](/content/aeo-tools/enterprise/index.html) [SMB](/content/aeo-tools/smb/index.html)

#### Pricing

- ✓Self-serve: $295/month  
- ✓Enterprise: custom

#### Funding

$2.7 million

#### Free plan or trial

- ✗No free trial  
- ✓offers a free audit and discounted first month ($95)

### Gauge

#### Best for

[Enterprise](/content/aeo-tools/enterprise/index.html) [SMB](/content/aeo-tools/smb/index.html) [Agency](/content/aeo-tools/agency/index.html)

#### Pricing

- ✗Custom pricing  
- ✗Contact for quote

#### Funding

Pre-Seed (undisclosed)

#### Free plan or trial

- ✗Custom pricing  
- ✗Contact for details

## AEO tool overview

### AthenaHQ

AthenaHQ was founded in 2024 and emerged from stealth in 2025. In addition to monitoring, auditing, and optimization, it also offers AI-generated content capabilities designed to help you draft content briefs, outlines, and full articles.

### Gauge

Gauge is a complete analytics platform for GEO, AEO, and LLMO optimization workflows. Monitors ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, CoPilot, AI Mode, and AI Overviews, connecting keyword research to prompt generation with volume data.

### Worth noting

AthenaHQ uses a credit-based system (for example, the Self-serve plan includes 3,500 credits per month), wherein one credit is spent each time you take a certain action, like analyzing an AI prompt response for a specific AI model or drafting content.

### Worth noting

Teams appreciate Gauge's "engineering over marketing" approach. Built real web experience monitoring that pulls data from actual user interfaces, not just API calls. Typical customers see 3x-5x uplift in AI visibility within first month.

## AEO and GEO features comparison

### AthenaHQ

[✓ **Monitoring**](/content/aeo-tools/monitoring/index.html)

Track how often your brand appears in AI-generated answers across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Claude, and other LLMs. See share of voice, prompt coverage, and visibility trends over time.

[✓ **Auditing**](/content/aeo-tools/auditing/index.html)

Analyze which pages and content are being cited by AI engines. Identify gaps, see competitor presence, and understand which sources AI models rely on for your industry.

[✓ **Optimization**](/content/aeo-tools/optimization/index.html)

Get actionable recommendations to improve content so it ranks better in AI answers. Align your pages with the prompts that matter and refine structure for LLM-friendly consumption.

### Gauge

[✓ **Monitoring**](/content/aeo-tools/monitoring/index.html)

[✓ **Auditing**](/content/aeo-tools/auditing/index.html)

[✓ **Optimization**](/content/aeo-tools/optimization/index.html)

## Customer reviews and success stories

[10x citation rate growth\
\> GEO became Rootly's #1 growth pillar.\
\ Adam Frank, Head of Marketing — Rootly](https://www.athenahq.ai/case-studies)

[50% increase in demos from AI search\
\> AthenaHQ helped us understand where citations lead to real business outcomes.\
\ Finn Lobsien, Content Lead — Lago](https://www.athenahq.ai/case-studies)

[Share of Voice: 2.0% to 12.6% in 60 days\
\> Share of Voice grew from 2.0% to 12.6% in 60 days.\
\ Connor Dault, CMO — Gruns](https://www.athenahq.ai/case-studies)

[2x AI visibility in 14 days\
\> If this is what we got done in two weeks, I can't wait to see how much progress we can make in the next couple of months. Job's not finished.\
\ Lane Altbaum, Marketing — Standard Metrics](https://www.withgauge.com/blog/standard-metrics-doubled-their-ai-visibility)

[416% visibility increase\
\> Since working with Gauge, Eco's search impressions on Google grew by 200% month-over-month.\
\ Jay Kurahashi-Sofue, CMO — Eco](https://www.withgauge.com/blog/how-eco-5x-their-ai-visibility)