19. Semrush vs Ahrefs: can our existing SEO platform handle AI visibility?

Possibly—but separate broad competitive research from repeated tracking of your own questions. The right comparison is the additional capability and cost you need, not the total number of prompts in a vendor’s database.

The Semrush pricing page reviewed displayed $99 per month per domain, billed annually, including 25 custom tracked prompts and a Brand Performance domain. Confirm checkout terms and the coverage of each reporting module rather than assuming every feature uses the same engines or cadence. (semrush.com)

Ahrefs’ September 2026 help documentation lists custom-prompt packages including $50 for 2,500 monthly checks, with additional overage charges. It defines one check as one prompt execution on one model in one location; these check packages are distinct from its broader AI dataset offering. (help.ahrefs.com)

Illustrative scope calculation: 100 prompts × three surfaces × 30 daily collections equals 9,000 checks under that definition, before adding locations or further repetitions.

For either platform, ask:

• Which existing allowance do we already have?
• Does the proposed price include the account or base subscription we need?
• Are custom prompts and database-derived prompts distinguishable in exports?
• Can we obtain full answers rather than only aggregated scores?
• What happens at the usage cap?

Do not convert conventional search-volume weighting into a claim about actual ChatGPT prompt volumes without evidence supporting that interpretation.