What AI assistants actually quote#
Prefer asked ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity this question three times each on 13 September 2026. These are the medians of the figures they stated:
| Tier | Median of figures quoted | Lowest to highest number seen |
|---|---|---|
| Small business | $1,500 to $4,000 | $500 to $5,000 |
| Mid-market | $4,000 to $10,000 | $2,500 to $15,000+ |
| Enterprise | $15,000 to $32,500 | $8,000 to $50,000+ |
| Software instead | $299 to $999 | $50 to $1,000 |
Read the top numbers as floors, not ceilings. Every engine wrote its top enterprise figure with a plus sign, and some mid-sized bands ended in one too. Our own first pass at this data read those figures as caps; the raw answers say otherwise. The enterprise median is also mostly Claude’s: Claude gave 15 of the 28 enterprise ranges, and its own median is the same $15,000 to $32,500.
Gemini quotes the lowest figures in every tier#
Gemini’s median mid-market range was $2,500 to $7,500, half the $5,000 to $15,000 that Claude and Perplexity both gave. Its small-business and enterprise medians were the lowest too, though they rest on only four and three ranges. For enterprise, Gemini started at $8,000 in all three answers and Perplexity at $15,000, writing “$15,000 to $50,000+” all five times. ChatGPT sat in between.
Why these are answers, not market rates#
Every figure here is what an AI told a buyer, not a price we verified. The most-cited sources are vendor blogs: fuelonline.com was cited in 9 of the 12 answers, stackmatix.com in 7, getaira.io in 6, and stridec.com and hashmeta.ai in 5 each.
One vendor came back as three different prices. stackmatix.com publishes several AI SEO pricing pages. Claude credited it with “$15,000 to $30,000+” for enterprise, ChatGPT with “$30,000+”, and Perplexity, citing it alongside other sources, with “$15,000 to $50,000+”.
Two engines suggest software instead#
Claude and Gemini raised software as the cheaper option in every answer, unprompted. ChatGPT and Perplexity never did. The $299 to $999 median is the range Claude attributed to Aira, repeated in all three of its answers.
How to check a quote before you sign#
- Get your baseline first. ChatGPT suggested tracking 25 to 100 real customer questions. Run a free AI visibility audit to start. Done when you have a dated number to compare against in 90 days.
- Compare scope, not just price. The engines’ tiers are loose size labels, so place yourself by what you need, using the inclusions in the FAQ below. Ask whether a one-time setup or audit fee sits on top of the retainer. A very low quote is a warning too: ChatGPT flagged packages “under $1,000/month that promise large volumes of AI-written articles but exclude technical work”. Done when the agency has explained what its number buys, setup fee included.
- Ask for the measurement plan in writing. All 12 answers to “How do I choose an AEO agency?” named one as a criterion. Ours: the engines tracked, the prompts tracked, and how often they report. Done when the proposal names all three.
- Ask for a pilot before a long contract. Nine of those 12 recommended a pilot or short first contract. Done when month one has a defined deliverable and a way out.
- Walk away from guaranteed placement. Eleven of those 12 named it as a red flag, because no agency controls what ChatGPT says. Done when the contract promises measurement, not a position.
Disclosure: we sell Prefer Managed, a done-for-you service, so we have a stake in how you answer this.
Sources
- Across 12 answers to 'How much does an AI SEO agency cost per month?' from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity (three runs each, 13 September 2026), the medians of the figures stated were $1,500 to $4,000 a month for small business, $4,000 to $10,000 for mid-market, and $15,000 to $32,500 for enterprise. Claude gave 15 of the 28 enterprise ranges, and $15,000 to $32,500 is also Claude's own median, so the enterprise figure mostly reflects Claude. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16), dated research note)
- Per-engine medians: Gemini $1,250 to $2,500 small, $2,500 to $7,500 mid-market, $8,000 to $25,000 enterprise. Claude $2,000 to $5,000, $5,000 to $15,000 and $15,000 to $32,500. Perplexity $1,500 to $5,000, $5,000 to $15,000 and $15,000 to $50,000. ChatGPT $1,500 to $3,750, $4,000 to $10,000 and $15,000 to $27,500. Gemini's medians were the lowest in every tier, and its mid-market median was half of Claude's and Perplexity's. Gemini's small-business and enterprise medians rest on only four and three ranges. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, addendum 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- Upper figures were often written with a plus sign. Enterprise: Gemini '$8,000 to $25,000+' (twice) and '$8,000 to $20,000+'; Perplexity '$15,000 to $50,000+' in all five; ChatGPT '$8,500 to $25,000+', '$10,000 to $30,000+' and '$15,000+'; Claude '$15,000 to $30,000+' and '$15,000 to $50,000+'. The one firmly capped enterprise band was Claude's $8,000 to $35,000 for a full-stack engagement. Some mid-sized bands also ended in a plus: ChatGPT '$5,000 to $15,000+' for more comprehensive programs, Gemini '$4,000 to $15,000+' for GEO and AEO agencies, and Claude '$5,000 to $15,000+' for highly competitive niches. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, correction 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- stackmatix.com publishes several AI SEO pricing pages, and the engines cited five of them. The enterprise figure credited to stackmatix differed by engine: Claude '$15,000 to $30,000+', ChatGPT '$30,000+/month', and Perplexity, citing it alongside other sources, '$15,000 to $50,000+'. We did not read the stackmatix pages; this is about what the engines attributed. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, addendum 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- Claude and Gemini raised software as the cheaper alternative in all six of their answers, without being asked. ChatGPT and Perplexity did not raise it in any answer. The median software range, $299 to $999 a month, is the range Claude attributed to Aira: Claude gave it in all three answers, citing getaira.io and naming Aira in two, and those are 3 of the 9 software ranges. We did not check Aira's price ourselves. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, addendum 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- The most-cited sources behind those price answers are vendor blogs: fuelonline.com was cited in 9 of the 12 answers, stackmatix.com in 7, getaira.io in 6, and stridec.com and hashmeta.ai in 5 each. No agency's price was verified by us. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16), dated research note)
- One ChatGPT answer listed what each tier includes: $500 to $1,500 for Google Business Profile, technical fixes and basic reporting; $1,500 to $3,500 for keyword strategy, AI-assisted content, on-page and local SEO, link building and monthly reporting; $3,500 to $8,500 for content production, technical SEO, digital PR and AI search visibility; $8,500 to $25,000+ for multiple sites or markets, large-scale content and advanced authority building. Two ChatGPT answers added a one-time setup or audit fee: $1,000 to $5,000 in one, $500 to $3,000+ in the other. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, addendum 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- Answers also warned about quotes that are too low. ChatGPT: 'Be cautious of packages under $1,000/month that promise large volumes of AI-written articles but exclude technical work, editing, link building, or measurable reporting.' Claude: 'Very cheap plans are a red flag.' (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, addendum 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- Asked 'How do I choose an AEO agency?' (12 answers, same run), all 12 named a measurement and reporting plan as a criterion and 9 named a pilot or short first contract. As red flags, 11 named guaranteed AI placement and 5 named a long contract before any baseline. ChatGPT suggested a baseline of 25 to 100 customer prompts, with no source attached. Asked whether to hire an agency or use a tool, ChatGPT recommended a specialist agency 'for a fixed-scope audit or project rather than an open-ended retainer', and none of the 12 answers recommended an agency outright. (Prefer research note: AI SEO and GEO agencies (2026-09-16, addendum 2026-09-18), dated research note)
- Prefer sells Prefer Managed, a done-for-you AI search service, so we have a commercial stake in this question. Our published price and guarantee terms are on the Prefer Managed page. Prefer Managed (our product)
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