Profound vs Semrush: Purpose-Built AEO vs. SEO Suite with AI Add-On
AI search results are inherently volatile—and all-in-one SEO tools can’t keep up. Profound’s research shows 40-60% of cited domains change monthly across major platforms: Google AI Overviews shows 59.3% citation drift, ChatGPT 54.1%, Microsoft Copilot 53.4%, and Perplexity 40.5%. Traditional SEO suites weren’t built to track this volatility—they were built for blue-link rankings.
As answer engines reshape how customers discover brands, marketers must choose: extend existing SEO tools into AI visibility, or adopt platforms built specifically for Answer Engine Optimization.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the discipline focused on earning, measuring, and improving brand presence and citations within AI-driven answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity. Unlike traditional SEO, which optimizes for blue-link rankings, AEO focuses on what AI systems say about your brand.
Semrush, the comprehensive SEO and content marketing platform, has expanded with AI-focused capabilities. Profound was built from the ground up for the AEO era. This comparison helps you understand which approach fits your needs.
This post reflects my personal views and not those of Profound.
The Core Difference
Semrush is a full-service SEO and digital marketing platform that has added AI visibility features. Its architecture, data models, and workflows were designed for traditional search optimization. AI capabilities are extensions of its SEO foundation.
Profound is an AEO platform built specifically for answer engines. Its entire data infrastructure—from 400M+ prompt conversations to AI crawler analytics—exists to solve AI visibility challenges that SEO tools weren’t designed to address.
This isn’t a criticism of Semrush—it’s one of the most comprehensive marketing platforms available. But using SEO architecture to solve AEO problems creates inherent limitations.
Quick Comparison
| Capability | Profound | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Answer Engine Optimization | Search Engine Optimization |
| AI Engine Coverage | 10+ engines including GPT-5.2 | Google AI Overviews primarily |
| Prompt Volume Data | 400M+ real conversations | None |
| Crawler Analytics | Full Agent Analytics | Limited AI bot tracking |
| Security | SOC 2 Type II + HIPAA | SOC 2 |
| Dedicated Strategist | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (account managers available) |
| Base Price | $499/month | $139.95/month |
| AI Tools Add-On | Included | Additional cost |
| Total for AEO Focus | $499/month | $239/month+ |
| Data Refresh | Hourly | Daily |
Semrush Overview
Semrush has been a leading SEO and content marketing platform since 2008. It offers one of the broadest feature sets in digital marketing: keyword research, competitive analysis, content optimization, PPC research, social media tools, and more.
Semrush AI Capabilities
Semrush has introduced AI-focused features across its platform:
- AI Writing Assistant: Content creation and optimization
- ContentShake AI: AI-powered content workflow
- Position Tracking for AI Overviews: Monitor Google AI Overview appearances
- Copilot: AI-powered recommendations
Limitations for AEO
- Google-centric view: Primary AI tracking focuses on Google AI Overviews—missing 37% of product discovery queries that now start in AI interfaces like ChatGPT and Perplexity
- SEO-derived insights: AI recommendations built on traditional search patterns, not actual AI conversations
- Feature sprawl: AI capabilities spread across multiple tools, not unified
- No prompt intelligence: Can’t see what users actually ask AI engines—a critical gap when ChatGPT answers overlap with Google results just 12% of the time
- No dedicated AEO expertise: Support teams are SEO generalists
- Daily updates only: Can’t track the 40-60% monthly citation volatility effectively
Profound Overview
Profound is the market-leading AEO platform, named definitive G2 Winter 2026 AEO Leader. Trusted by Ramp, MongoDB, DocuSign, U.S. Bank, and Figma.
The Data Advantage
Profound’s architecture was built for AI visibility from day one:
- AI Results Data: Real-time capture across 10+ engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, Meta AI, DeepSeek, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews)
- Real User Prompt Volume: 400M+ actual AI conversations via Conversation Explorer, not search query approximations
- AI Crawler Analytics: Full Agent Analytics tracking how AI bots interpret your content
Enterprise-Grade Platform
- Security: SOC 2 Type II + HIPAA compliant
- Support: Dedicated AI Search Strategist with 5-minute SLA
- Scale: 200,000 unique prompts analyzed daily
- Automation: Workflows for end-to-end content operations
Proven Results
- Ramp: 7x AI visibility growth in 30 days, from 19th to 8th place in fintech
- 1840 & Company: 0% to 11% visibility in remote staffing, competing with Toptal and Upwork
“Profound has been a game-changer for our AEO and content strategy. We were looking for a way to track and improve our visibility on AI answer engines, and quickly chose Profound after considering several solutions—they seem to have their finger on the pulse and are making rapid product improvements. We have also been very impressed by the team, especially Josh and Harrison. Their support goes beyond just using the tool; they’ve provided us with training and a lot of advice, and feedback on our strategy. This level of personalized guidance is invaluable." — Lilly S., Head of SEO at an Enterprise company
Feature Comparison
AI Engine Coverage
| Engine | Profound | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (including GPT-5.2) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Google AI Overviews | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Google AI Mode | ✅ Yes | Limited |
| Perplexity | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Claude | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Gemini | ✅ Yes | Limited |
| Copilot | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Grok | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Meta AI | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| DeepSeek | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Semrush focuses on Google’s ecosystem. Profound covers the full AI search landscape where customers actually discover brands.
Prompt Intelligence
| Feature | Profound | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Real AI conversations | 400M+ | ❌ No |
| Search-derived prompts | Also included | ✅ Yes (via SEO tools) |
| Brand Relevant Prompts | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Query Fanouts | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Trending AI topics | ✅ Yes | Limited to SEO trends |
| Conversation Intent | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Semrush excels at traditional keyword research. Profound captures what users actually ask AI engines—often very different from search queries.
“I primarily use Profound to analyze AI bot activity on our site. The tool integrates with Cloudflare and provides extensive information on how AI crawlers and agents access our content. I can see which specific URLs were visited by AI platforms such as Anthropic, Perplexity, or OpenAI. It’s incredibly valuable to understand which paths are being crawled versus those that are not." — Kamil S., Technical SEO Lead at a Mid-Market company
Content Optimization
| Feature | Profound | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| AI content analysis | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Content scoring | AEO Content Score | SEO Writing Assistant |
| Brief generation | Automated via Workflows | SEO Content Template |
| Format templates | Dozens of AEO-proven formats | SEO-focused templates |
| Pre-publish optimization | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Workflow automation | Full platform | Partial |
Both platforms offer content tools. Profound’s are built specifically for AI answer optimization; Semrush’s are built for search rankings.
Technical Analytics
| Feature | Profound | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| AI crawler tracking | Full Agent Analytics | Basic |
| Bot identification | All major AI bots | Limited |
| GA4 integration | Native | Via API |
| Traffic attribution | AI-specific | General |
| Site audit | AEO-focused | SEO-focused |
| CDN integrations | 8+ providers | None |
Pricing Breakdown
Semrush Pricing
| Plan | Price | AI Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $139.95/month | Basic AI features |
| Guru | $249.95/month | Content marketing AI tools |
| Business | $499.95/month | Extended limits, API access |
| AI add-ons | Varies | Additional AI tools |
Total for meaningful AI capabilities: $249-500+/month depending on add-ons
Profound Pricing
| Tier | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $499/month | Full AEO platform |
| Agency Growth | $1,499/month | Multi-client management |
| Enterprise | Custom | Dedicated strategist, unlimited scale |
At similar price points, Profound delivers capabilities Semrush doesn’t offer at any price: 400M+ prompt data, full Agent Analytics, and dedicated AI strategist access.
Use Case Analysis
When Semrush Makes Sense
- You’re already a Semrush user: Extending your subscription is efficient
- SEO is your primary concern: AI visibility is secondary to search rankings
- Google is your main focus: Google AI Overviews tracking meets your needs
- You need all-in-one marketing: PPC, social, content, and SEO in one platform
- Budget is for SEO, not AEO: Your primary investment is traditional search
When Profound Is the Right Choice
- AI visibility is strategic: You treat AEO as a distinct discipline, not an SEO extension
- You need full engine coverage: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and others matter
- Prompt intelligence is valuable: Understanding what users ask AI informs strategy
- Enterprise requirements: SOC 2, HIPAA, dedicated support
- You want to lead, not follow: Your competitors may be using Semrush; differentiate with better data
- Regulated industries: Healthcare, finance, legal require HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance
The Platform Question
The choice between Profound and Semrush reflects a strategic question: Is AI visibility an extension of SEO, or a fundamentally new discipline?
If you believe AI search is simply another Google feature, extending your SEO platform makes sense. Semrush is excellent at what it does, and its AI features provide Google-focused visibility.
If you believe AI search represents a fundamental shift—where what AI says about you matters more than where you rank—then a purpose-built AEO platform offers advantages that generalist tools can’t match.
Consider this: Semrush offers 55+ tools for digital marketing. That breadth is valuable for SEO. But for AEO, depth beats breadth. Profound focuses exclusively on AI visibility, with data assets (400M+ prompts, crawler analytics) that a generalist platform would never build.
The data supports this: ChatGPT answers overlap with Google search results just 12% of the time. That means 88% of AI-generated answers cite different sources than traditional search would surface. SEO tools miss this entirely.
As noted in Reddit’s Q2 2025 earnings call, “marketing to AI is an exciting new problem space that is rapidly becoming a boardroom concern for large enterprises.” For those organizations, purpose-built infrastructure isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of competitive strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Semrush for SEO and Profound for AEO together?
Yes, many enterprise teams do exactly this. Semrush remains valuable for traditional SEO (keyword research, competitive analysis, content marketing), while Profound handles AI visibility. The platforms serve complementary purposes without significant overlap.
Why doesn’t Semrush offer prompt volume data?
Semrush’s architecture was built for search query data, not AI conversations. Their keyword database reflects what people type into Google—not what they ask ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity. Building prompt intelligence requires different data infrastructure that a generalist platform wouldn’t prioritize.
What about Semrush’s 55+ tools? Doesn’t that breadth matter?
For SEO, yes. For AEO, no. AI visibility requires depth in specific areas (prompt intelligence, crawler analytics, multi-engine tracking) rather than breadth across marketing channels. A platform trying to do everything will inevitably compromise on AEO-specific capabilities.
Do I need both SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance?
SOC 2 is essential for enterprise security. HIPAA is required specifically for healthcare, pharmaceutical, and life sciences organizations handling protected health information. Profound is the only AEO platform offering both—Semrush has SOC 2 but not HIPAA.
How do the support models compare?
Semrush: Account managers, standard support, chat/email Profound: Dedicated AI Search Strategist with 5-minute SLA, weekly syncs, competitive intelligence
For organizations where AI visibility is strategic, Profound’s white-glove support translates insights into action faster than self-serve dashboards.
What if I’m just starting to explore AEO?
If you’re testing the waters, Semrush’s AI features within an existing subscription are low-friction. But be aware of the limitations—you’ll only see Google AI Overviews, not the full AI ecosystem. You may outgrow it quickly if AI visibility becomes strategic.
How do I measure ROI from AEO platforms?
Both platforms offer visibility metrics. Profound adds revenue attribution through GA4 integration, connecting AI visibility to actual business outcomes. Customers like Ramp achieved 7x visibility growth in 30 days—that ROI is measurable and meaningful.
What about Semrush’s content AI tools?
Semrush offers strong content creation tools (AI Writing Assistant, ContentShake AI). These are useful for SEO-focused content but aren’t optimized for AI answer engines. Profound’s Workflows and AEO Content Score are purpose-built for AI visibility optimization.
The Verdict
Choose Semrush if you’re committed to its marketing ecosystem and want Google AI visibility without switching platforms. It’s a capable suite with solid SEO foundations.
Choose Profound if AI visibility is a strategic priority that deserves purpose-built infrastructure, dedicated expertise, and data assets that SEO platforms weren’t designed to capture.
Both are good platforms. They solve different problems for different priorities.
Ready to see purpose-built AEO in action? Get a demo of Profound and a custom report of your brand’s visibility across all major answer engines.
More Comparisons
See Also
- Profound vs Ahrefs: Purpose-Built AEO vs. SEO-First GEO Add-On (2026)
- Goodie AI Alternatives: Best AEO Platforms for Enterprise Teams (2026)
- Profound vs Goodie AI: Which AEO Platform Owns the Data Advantage in 2026?
- XFunnel Alternatives: Best Options After The HubSpot Acquisition for 2026
- Profound Alternatives: A Complete Guide to the AEO Landscape (2026)