Vaylis vs SE Ranking: Which AI Search Monitoring Tool Delivers Better ROI?

When navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI search, marketing teams need a robust solution that provides deep insights without hidden costs. This detailed comparison examines how Vaylis and SE Ranking's AI tracking features stack up across capabilities, pricing, and overall value proposition.
Quick Comparison Overview
Feature | Vaylis | SE Ranking (AI Add-on) |
---|---|---|
Starting Price (AI Tracking) | €119/month (tax included) | €79/month + VAT (add-on) plus required SEO plan |
AI Platforms Covered | ChatGPT 4o Search, Perplexity, Google AI | Google AI Mode, ChatGPT (Perplexity, Gemini coming soon) |
Tracking Logic | Prompt-based, full LLM answer capture and analysis (sentiment, context, position) | Keyword-based, mention/link detection only |
Daily Prompt/Keyword Volume | ✅ Daily (50-200 prompts) | ✅ Daily (200-1,000 keywords) |
Full LLM Answer Capture | ✅ Yes, stores and analyzes full answer text | ❌ No, only mention/link detection |
Content Gap Analysis | ✅ Detects AI misunderstandings, context, and sentiment | ❌ Limited insights |
Setup Complexity | Simple, guided onboarding | Moderate (requires core SE Ranking plan) |
Core SEO Suite Required | ❌ No, standalone | ✅ Yes, must pay for core SE Ranking plan plus AI add-on |
Pricing Comparison: The Real Cost
Vaylis Pricing Structure (Tax Included)
- Starter: €119/month – 50 prompts daily, 3 AI platforms, full LLM answer capture and deep analysis
- Growth: €289/month – 200 prompts daily, priority support
- Enterprise: Custom pricing – unlimited prompts, API access, SSO
SE Ranking Pricing Structure (AI Search Add-on + Base Subscription)
To use SE Ranking’s AI tracking, you must pay for both a base SEO subscription and the AI add-on:
Core SEO Plans (annual billing, excl. VAT)
- Essential: €47.20/month – 500 keywords, 5 projects, 1 manager seat
- Pro: €87.20/month – 2,000 keywords, 30 projects, 3 manager seats
- Business: €188.00/month – 5,000 keywords, unlimited projects, 5 manager seats
AI Search Add-on (Plus VAT, on top of base plan)
- Starter Add-on: €79/month + VAT (~€95 total) – 200 keyword checks/month
- Mid-tier Add-on: €159/month + VAT (~€191 total) – 450 keyword checks/month
- Enterprise Add-on: €299/month + VAT (~€359 total) – 1,000 keyword checks/month
Total Cost Example:
To get SE Ranking’s AI tracking, the minimum monthly spend is:
- Essential Plan (€47.20) + AI Add-on (€79) + VAT (~€25) = €151.20/month
This is for just 200 keyword checks/month and does not include full LLM answer capture or analysis.
Winner: Vaylis offers a more transparent, all-in-one solution for dedicated AI search monitoring. SE Ranking’s add-on appears cheaper upfront but always requires a separate core SEO subscription, making it more expensive and less focused for AI monitoring alone.
Feature Deep-Dive Analysis
AI Platform Coverage & Tracking Logic
Vaylis
- Monitors ChatGPT 4o Search, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
- Prompt-based tracking: Sends specific prompts to AI models and captures the entire AI-generated answer. Deep analysis of context, sentiment, and brand representation.
- Daily tracking with 50-200 prompts depending on plan.
SE Ranking
- Focuses on Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, with Perplexity and Gemini "coming soon."
- Keyword-based tracking: Monitors pre-defined keywords and detects if your brand or links appear in AI answers. Does not store or analyze the full LLM answer text.
- Daily tracking of 200-1,000 keywords, but each keyword tracked on a different platform consumes a separate "prompt" credit.
Verdict: Vaylis offers fundamentally deeper tracking by capturing and analyzing the full LLM answer, essential for understanding AI representation nuances.
Daily Tracking Volume & Depth
Vaylis
- Daily tracking with higher prompt volumes (50-200 prompts daily).
- Each prompt captures and analyzes the full AI answer, allowing for detailed content, sentiment, and context analysis.
- Comprehensive coverage across 3 major AI platforms, with ChatGPT 4o Search included in all plans.
SE Ranking
- Daily tracking with 200-1,000 keyword checks.
- Checks only confirm presence/absence of a brand/link, not the full AI answer content.
- Requires a core SEO subscription, making it more complex and potentially more expensive for pure AI monitoring.
Verdict: While SE Ranking offers higher "keyword" counts, Vaylis provides deeper insights per "prompt" by capturing and analyzing the full AI answer—essential for true content optimization and brand reputation management in AI search.
Advanced Analytics Capabilities
Vaylis
- Full LLM Answer Analysis: Stores and analyzes the full AI answer for each prompt, including sentiment, context, and brand positioning.
- Content Gap Analysis: Identify where AI models misunderstand your brand or miss key information.
- AI Crawler Analytics: Technical insights into how AI bots interact with your site.
- Share of Voice: Detailed competitor benchmarking based on full AI answers.
SE Ranking
- AI Mode Tracker: Monitors brand mentions and links in Google’s AI Mode answers.
- Competitor Benchmarking: See how often competitors are featured in AI answers (mention-based).
- Traffic Potential Analysis: Estimates traffic opportunities from AI-generated results (keyword volume).
- Visibility Distribution: Breaks down AI visibility by business category, topic, and sub-topic.
Verdict: Vaylis offers more actionable and in-depth insights, especially around context, sentiment, and content optimization based on actual AI output. SE Ranking is more focused on keyword-level mention tracking.
User Experience & Implementation
Vaylis Advantages
- Intuitive dashboard designed specifically for AI search monitoring.
- Guided onboarding process.
- Comprehensive documentation and responsive customer support.
- Standalone solution; no need for a separate core SEO platform.
SE Ranking Advantages
- Integrated within a broader SEO suite, convenient for existing SE Ranking users.
- Familiar interface for those already using rank tracking tools.
- Multi-language support.
True Cost Comparison: Vaylis vs SE Ranking
Vaylis Starter Total Cost:
- €119/month (tax included, ChatGPT 4o Search included, 50 prompts daily, full LLM answer capture and analysis)
SE Ranking Starter AI Add-on Total Cost (with Essential Plan):
- €47.20/month (Essential Plan) + €79/month (AI Add-on) + VAT (
€25) = **€151.20/month** - Provides 200 keyword checks/month, no full LLM answer capture or analysis.
Savings with Vaylis: Potentially significant, plus deeper insights and a dedicated AI monitoring solution.
Why Marketing Teams Choose Vaylis Over SE Ranking for AI Search
1. Deeper Insights with Full LLM Answer Capture
Vaylis captures and analyzes the entire AI-generated answer, allowing you to understand context, sentiment, and how your brand is truly represented. SE Ranking only detects mentions/links, offering a more superficial view.
2. Transparent & Dedicated AI Monitoring Pricing
Vaylis is a standalone, all-inclusive AI search monitoring tool with clear pricing. SE Ranking's AI tracking is an add-on, requiring a separate core SEO subscription, leading to higher overall costs and a less focused solution for AI visibility.
3. True Content Optimization Guidance
By analyzing full AI answers, Vaylis can identify "AI misunderstandings" and content gaps, providing actionable insights to optimize your content specifically for AI models. SE Ranking's keyword-based approach offers limited guidance here.
4. Simpler Setup & Focused Experience
Vaylis is built from the ground up for AI search monitoring, offering a streamlined setup and user experience without the complexity of integrating with a broader SEO suite if AI is your primary focus.
The Verdict: Why Vaylis Wins
While SE Ranking offers a valuable SEO suite with an AI tracking add-on, Vaylis provides a superior, more focused, and often more cost-effective solution for dedicated AI search visibility.
Vaylis delivers:
- Full LLM answer capture and analysis for unparalleled insight into AI representation.
- Clear, all-inclusive pricing without requiring a separate core SEO subscription.
- Precise content optimization guidance based on AI's actual output.
- A dedicated, intuitive platform built specifically for the nuances of AI search.
For marketing teams serious about understanding and optimizing their brand's presence in the evolving AI search landscape, Vaylis provides the comprehensive and insightful solution needed to succeed.
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