AI visibility tools · Head to head

Scrunch vs HubSpot AEO: which AI visibility tool wins in 2026?

A multi-brand enterprise platform with site audits versus a $50 tracker that lives next to your CRM. Both publish a price, and both cost $2 a prompt at entry. Compared on engines, scope and who each is built for. Sourced from both companies' live pages.

Javed Khatri Co-founder, Prefer
Updated September 2026 · Facts checked September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
On this page
TL;DR

Scrunch is the pick for enterprises and agencies running several brands, with 125 prompts on four engines, five site audits a month and agent-traffic analytics from $250 a month; HubSpot AEO is the pick for a single team, especially one already on HubSpot, with 25 prompts on ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for $50 a month and a 28-day trial. Prefer, our product, starts at $24 a month, below both entry prices, tracks five engines including Gemini and Google AI Overviews, and writes 15 AI articles a month on that plan.

Per prompt they cost the same at entry: $250 for 125 on Scrunch, $50 for 25 on HubSpot AEO, $2 each. What the money buys differs. Scrunch adds four engines, site audits, one page optimization a month and a path to nine engines, SSO and an API on Enterprise. HubSpot AEO adds daily runs, sentiment and prioritized recommendations inside the tool your marketing team already uses. Their engine lists overlap only on ChatGPT and Perplexity: Scrunch Core has Google AI Overviews and Copilot, HubSpot AEO has Gemini.

Scrunch vs HubSpot AEO at a glance
  • Both publish a price. Scrunch Core is $250 a month for 125 prompts; HubSpot AEO is $50 a month ($45 annual) for 25. That is $2 a prompt on both.
  • Only two engines overlap. Scrunch Core tracks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and Copilot; HubSpot AEO tracks ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. Gemini is Enterprise-only on Scrunch; Google AI Overviews is not listed on HubSpot AEO.
  • Scrunch is built for many brands: Agency Core is $500 a month for three brand and three pitch workspaces. HubSpot AEO handles more brands by buying another $50 instance per brand.
  • Scrunch acts a little (five site audits and one page optimization a month, basic content generation); HubSpot AEO recommends what to publish or fix, with blog drafts inside Marketing Hub. Neither documents off-page work.
  • Trust signals: Scrunch shows SOC 2 Type 2 on its trust center and G2 4.6/5 from 73 reviews; HubSpot AEO carries G2 4.5/5 from 145 reviews and a Beta label on its product page.

The contenders

Screenshot not captured
Scrunch Multi-brand AI visibility and agent experience, now part of Sitecore
  • Founded2023, Salt Lake City; Sitecore acquired it June 2026
  • Starting price$250/mo (Core, 125 prompts)
  • Free tierNo; 7-day trial, plus a free 30-second audit
  • Engines at entry4 (ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, Copilot); 9 on Enterprise
  • Acts on findings5 site audits and 1 page optimization a month
  • Third-party ratingG2 4.6/5 (73 reviews, Sep 2026)
  • FocusEnterprise and agency, many brands
Screenshot not captured
HubSpot AEO AI visibility tracking inside the HubSpot CRM
  • LaunchedApril 2026, built on XFunnel (acquired Oct 2025)
  • Starting price$50/mo ($45/mo annual) for 25 prompts
  • Free tierNo; 28-day free trial, plus a free one-time AI Search Grader
  • Engines3 (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)
  • Acts on findingsPrioritized recommendations; drafts inside Marketing Hub
  • Third-party ratingG2 4.5/5 (145 reviews, Sep 2026)
  • FocusTracking next to your CRM data
Capability Scrunch HubSpot AEO Prefer
Tracks AI citations across engines
Acts on findings (content or page fixes)
Done-for-you Managed service

The Prefer column is shown for reference: it is our product, and this page compares the other two. Website screenshots captured September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep); every claim is referenced in Sources.

Where each tool sits

Feature comparison

Capability
Scrunch
HubSpot AEO
Coverage
Engines at entry tier[1]
4 (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Copilot)
3 (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)
Engines at top tier[1]
9 on Enterprise (adds Claude, Gemini, Meta AI, Google AI Mode, Grok)
3 (the same list on every tier as published)
Gemini[1]
Enterprise only
Yes, every plan
Google AI Overviews[1]
Yes, from Core
Not listed on the product page
Prompts at entry[1]
125 unique prompts (Core)
25 prompts, buy more anytime
Countries and languages[1]
1 country, 1 language on Core; unlimited or custom on Enterprise
Not listed on the product page
Competitors tracked[1]
5 on Core; custom on Enterprise
Competitor share of voice (count not listed)
Features
Visibility, sentiment, share of voice[2]
Yes (presence, position, sentiment, share of voice, citations)
Yes (sentiment on a -100 to +100 scale)
Site audits[1]
5 a month on Core; complete audits on Enterprise
Not listed on the product page
Acts on findings[2]
1 page optimization a month, basic content generation (Core)
Prioritized recommendations; blog drafts in Marketing Hub
AI crawler analytics[2]
Agent Traffic from CDN logs
Not listed on the product page
Pages served to AI agents[1]
AXP / Agent Pages at the edge (Enterprise)
Not listed on the product page
Free diagnostic[2]
Free AI visibility audit, results in 30 seconds
AI Search Grader (free, one-time, no account)
Off-page work[2]
Not documented
Not documented; the work stays with your team
Trust and fit
Multiple brands[1]
1 workspace on Core; 3 brand + 3 pitch on Agency Core
One $50 instance per brand
Seats[1]
5 licenses on Core; unlimited on Agency Core
Not listed on the product page
CRM[2]
No CRM; GA4 AI-referral data
Native HubSpot; no HubSpot subscription needed
API[1]
Query and advanced API on Enterprise
Not listed on the product page
SSO and compliance[3]
Google SSO on Core; SAML/OIDC on Enterprise; SOC 2 Type 2
Not listed on the AEO product page
Third-party rating[3]
G2 4.6/5, 73 reviews (Brand Intelligence)
G2 4.5/5, 145 reviews (#7, enterprise AEO)
Ownership[3]
Sitecore (acquired June 2026), runs standalone
HubSpot (built on XFunnel, launched April 2026)

Based on both products' public pages, facts checked September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep). "Not advertised" means we could not verify the capability from public materials. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

Pricing, side by side

Plan
Scrunch
HubSpot AEO
Entry plan[1]
Core, $250/mo
HubSpot AEO, $50/mo ($45/mo annual)
What entry includes[1]
125 prompts, 4 engines, 5 site audits, 1 brand, 5 licenses
25 prompts, 3 engines, daily runs; no HubSpot subscription needed
Cost per prompt at entry[1]
$2 ($250 / 125)
$2 ($50 / 25)
More brands[1]
Agency Core $500/mo (3 brand + 3 pitch workspaces, 250 prompts)
Another $50/mo instance per brand
Top tier[1]
Enterprise, custom (9 engines, AXP, API, SAML SSO)
Inside Marketing Hub Pro and Enterprise; HubSpot for Marketers $900/mo includes AEO
Free trial[1]
7 days
28 days

Prices checked September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep) from each product's public pricing page.

Scrunch (founded 2023, Salt Lake City) was venture-backed until Sitecore announced it was acquiring the company in June 2026, a deal Bloomberg reported at about $225M; it still runs as a standalone product with its own pricing page. It sells AI visibility monitoring alongside site audits, Agent Traffic (AI crawler analytics from CDN logs) and AXP, which serves an AI-optimized version of your pages to agents at the edge, and it says it is trusted by 500+ brands and agencies (its own figure). HubSpot AEO launched in April 2026 on the XFunnel platform HubSpot agreed to buy in October 2025. It is sold on its own at $50 a month with no HubSpot subscription required, and it is folded into Marketing Hub, where prompt suggestions draw on CRM data and gaps turn into blog drafts. Its product page still carries a Beta label. Sources

Which should you choose?

Choose Scrunch if…

  • You run several brands or clients and want them in one platform
  • Google AI Overviews and Copilot matter more to you than Gemini at entry
  • Site audits, AI crawler analytics and SOC 2 Type 2 are on your checklist
  • You want a path to nine engines, SAML SSO and an API on one contract

Choose HubSpot AEO if…

  • You already run HubSpot and want AI visibility next to your CRM and content
  • 25 prompts on ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity covers the questions you care about
  • You want the lower entry price of the two and a 28-day trial
  • Recommendations your own team acts on fit how you work
The third option · Our product
One runs many brands. One lives in a CRM. Prefer tracks five engines and writes the content, from $24 a month.

Prefer tracks the same signals across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode, then produces the content and citations that move the number. Free trial, paid from $24/mo. See how it compares to Scrunch and HubSpot AEO.

Run your free audit No card, no commitment

Scrunch vs HubSpot AEO, answered

Is Scrunch or HubSpot AEO better?

Neither wins outright: Scrunch is better for enterprises and agencies running several brands, with 125 prompts on four engines, site audits and agent-traffic analytics from $250 a month, and HubSpot AEO is better for a single team on HubSpot, with 25 prompts on ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for $50 a month. Prefer, our product, sits below both at $24 a month for five engines and 15 AI articles, so weigh that we build it. Pick Scrunch for breadth across brands, HubSpot AEO for tracking that lives next to your CRM.

Which is cheaper, Scrunch or HubSpot AEO?

HubSpot AEO is cheaper to start: $50 a month ($45 billed annually) against Scrunch Core at $250 a month, checked 26 and 19 September 2026. Prefer starts lower than both, at $24 a month for 30 prompts on five engines. Per prompt the two are level at $2 each at entry, because Scrunch's $250 buys 125 prompts and HubSpot's $50 buys 25. Scrunch's extra money buys a fourth engine, site audits and multi-brand scope, not a lower unit price.

Which AI engines do Scrunch and HubSpot AEO track?

Scrunch Core tracks four engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and Copilot) and Enterprise tracks nine, adding Claude, Gemini, Meta AI, Google AI Mode and Grok; HubSpot AEO tracks three (ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity). Prefer, our product, tracks five on every plan: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, with Claude on Enterprise. So the two rivals overlap only on ChatGPT and Perplexity: if Gemini matters, HubSpot has it at $50 and Scrunch only on Enterprise; if Google AI Overviews matters, Scrunch has it from Core and HubSpot AEO does not list it (checked 19 and 26 September 2026).

Can Scrunch or HubSpot AEO handle several brands?

Both can, in different ways: Scrunch sells an Agency Core plan at $500 a month with three brand workspaces, three pitch workspaces, 250 prompts and unlimited user licenses, while HubSpot AEO asks you to buy another $50 a month instance for each brand. Prefer, our product, sells a separate agency track next to its $24 Starter plan, priced per active client. Scrunch's Core plan itself is one brand workspace, so multi-brand on Scrunch means Agency Core or Enterprise.

Do Scrunch or HubSpot AEO create content or fix pages for you?

Scrunch does a little and HubSpot AEO mostly recommends: Scrunch Core includes five site audits and one page optimization a month with basic content generation, while HubSpot AEO turns gaps into prioritized recommendations and, inside Marketing Hub, a blog draft. Prefer, our product, writes 15 AI articles a month on its $24 Starter plan; its off-page work (Reddit, PR, placements) comes with Enterprise and Prefer Managed, not the self-serve plans. Scrunch Enterprise also adds AXP, which serves an AI-optimized version of your pages to agents at the edge. Neither Scrunch nor HubSpot AEO documents off-page citation work.

Does HubSpot AEO need a HubSpot subscription?

No: HubSpot's own FAQ says the standalone $50 a month plan works without one, and Scrunch has no CRM tie-in at all. Prefer, our product, likewise sells without a CRM, from $24 a month. The deeper HubSpot version, with CRM-based prompt suggestions and blog drafts, sits inside Marketing Hub; HubSpot's AEO page lists HubSpot for Marketers at $900 a month with AEO included (read 23 September 2026).

Who is Scrunch best for?

Enterprises and agencies that benchmark several brands, regions or pitches, want site audits and AI crawler analytics in the same tool, and need SOC 2 Type 2 and a route to SAML SSO and an API. Prefer, our product, is the better fit when the need is content written for you at a published $24 a month rather than audits. Scrunch is also the natural pick for Sitecore customers, since Sitecore now owns it, and its G2 rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 73 reviews.

Who is HubSpot AEO best for?

Teams already on HubSpot that want AI visibility sitting next to their CRM, content and contact data, and small teams that want a $50 entry and a 28-day trial before committing. Prefer, our product, is the better fit when you need Google AI Overviews and AI Mode tracked, which HubSpot AEO does not list, from $24 a month. HubSpot AEO launched in April 2026 and still carries a Beta label, so it is younger than Scrunch.

Which has the better free option, Scrunch or HubSpot AEO?

HubSpot AEO has the longer trial: 28 days against Scrunch's 7, and neither has a permanent free tier for tracking. Prefer, our product, starts with a free audit and a free trial on every paid plan. Both rivals also offer a free one-off check: Scrunch runs a free AI visibility audit with results in 30 seconds, and HubSpot's AI Search Grader gives a one-time score out of 100 with no account.

What is the best alternative to Scrunch and HubSpot AEO?

Prefer is the best pick if you want five engines, including both Gemini and Google AI Overviews, and the content work in one plan at a price below both: it tracks ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode with 30 prompts and writes 15 AI articles a month from $24, with Search Console and GA4, a free audit, a free trial and a done-for-you Managed option. It is our product, so check the sources below. The category also includes Profound, Peec AI, AthenaHQ, Otterly and Ahrefs Brand Radar; see our roundup of the best AEO tools.

References

Sources

  1. Scrunch pricing page (rendered 19 Sep 2026) scrunch.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  2. HubSpot AEO product page (rendered 19 Sep and 26 Sep 2026) hubspot.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  3. Scrunch help center: what platforms Scrunch monitors (read 23 Sep 2026) helpcenter.scrunchai.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  4. Scrunch homepage (features, free audit; read 23 Sep 2026) scrunch.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  5. Scrunch Agent Traffic page (checked 11 Aug 2026) scrunch.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  6. HubSpot AI Search Monitoring page (trial, daily runs; read 23 Sep 2026) hubspot.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  7. HubSpot AEO in Marketing Hub (bundle, drafts; read 23 Sep 2026) hubspot.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  8. HubSpot Knowledge Base: set up and analyze AEO (read 23 Sep 2026) knowledge.hubspot.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  9. HubSpot AI Search Grader (free tool, checked 5 Sep 2026) hubspot.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  10. Scrunch trust center (rendered 19 Sep 2026) trust.scrunchai.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  11. Scrunch AI on G2 (rendered 23 Sep 2026) g2.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  12. G2: enterprise AEO tools, HubSpot AEO listing (rendered 23 Sep 2026) g2.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  13. Sitecore press release: Scrunch acquisition (3 Jun 2026) sitecore.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)
  14. HubSpot to acquire XFunnel (Oct 2025) hubspot.com Accessed September 2026 (Scrunch 19 Sep and 23 Sep, HubSpot AEO 26 Sep)

Keep comparing

Head to head Prefer vs Scrunch Head to head Prefer vs HubSpot AEO Roundup The best AEO tools in 2026, tested and compared Alternatives The best Scrunch alternatives Alternatives The best HubSpot AEO alternatives Head to head HubSpot AEO vs Profound

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