90%
of the businesses AI assistants picked were named from their own site
Picks Index, 729 first picks across 139 markets, September 2026
48%
of local queries got completely different answers from four AI engines
Yext research, 491,972 local queries, February to August 2026
32%
of local business sites show a price
Picked by Agents live sample, 236 sites in Dallas and Phoenix, September 2026
What each of us actually does
Search Atlas plans are billed monthly. Starter is $99 with OTTO SEO, which it describes as running technical fixes, on-page changes and content on its own, plus content tools and 3 Google Business Profiles, but no LLM visibility. Growth, at $199, adds AI visibility on ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode with 100 queries across 2 projects. Pro, at $399, adds Copilot and Perplexity and white label reporting. Agency starts from $999 with client portals. Starter and Growth come with a 7 day trial.
Picked by Agents monitors the questions that decide your customers' choice, on the assistants in our research network, including Meta Muse and Instinct. Monitoring is $79 a month, month to month. Each monthly pick report quotes the assistant, names the business it chose and records the reason it gave. White glove programs, where we make the changes, are optional.
Where the two approaches part
- 01
Automation vs the reason you lost
OTTO applies SEO changes at scale. We start from what the assistant said when it passed on you, which in our sample is often a price or booking path the site never showed.
- 02
A platform for agencies vs a report for owners
Search Atlas is sized by projects, seats and credits. Our monitoring is one report for one business, written so the owner can read it.
- 03
AI visibility vs the local pick
Search Atlas tracks how often your brand appears across queries. We record the one outcome a local owner cares about, which business the assistant told the customer to call.
When Search Atlas is the better choice
If you are an agency or a marketer who wants SEO automation, content, ads and AI visibility in one subscription, Search Atlas covers far more ground than we do. If you own a local business and want the assistants' own words on who they picked and why, we fit.
Switching from Search Atlas
Bring your LLM visibility queries, the competitors you track and the Google Business Profiles you manage. We rewrite queries as the questions a customer asks near you, and each location comes from you on the report form.
What changes is the output. The free first report quotes each assistant on those questions and names the business it chose, with the reason. That becomes the baseline your monthly reports are measured against. Keep Search Atlas for SEO work if it serves you.
Search Atlas vs Picked by Agents
| Search Atlas | Picked by Agents | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | SEO automation, content and AI visibility platform | AI visibility monitoring, with optional done for you work |
| Price | $99 to $399 a month, Agency from $999 | $79 a month, month to month |
| AI engines | ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Mode, plus Copilot and Perplexity on Pro | The assistants in our network, including Muse and Instinct |
| Output | Visibility across tracked queries | Who got named on each question, quoted, with the reason |
| Guarantee | None stated on their pricing page | Named in 90 days or we work free, on the programs |
| Built for | Brands, marketing teams and agencies | Local business owners and the agencies serving them |
Questions we get asked
Is Picked by Agents a Search Atlas alternative?
- For tracking the AI pick on local questions, yes. For SEO automation, content and ads, Search Atlas is the platform and we are not.
Does the Search Atlas Starter plan include AI visibility?
- Its pricing page lists no LLM visibility projects or queries on Starter. AI visibility starts on Growth.
Can we use both?
- Yes. We ask for no exclusivity, and the changes we recommend land on your own site and profile, so they should show up in Search Atlas too.
Where do your facts about Search Atlas come from?
- Its pricing page, read in October 2026. The 90% and 32% are from our Picks Index and live sample, and the 48% from Yext's published research. If Search Atlas changes its plans, tell us and we will correct this page.
Your free report
See who the assistants name for your customers' questions.
The first pick report is free and becomes your monitoring baseline. If Search Atlas fits you better, we will say so.
- 01We read your site and work out what your customers ask an assistant for.
- 02We run the top assistants on those requests in your area.
- 03You get where you rank, whether they would book you and why, and what to change first.