✦ AI SEARCH INTELLIGENCE COMPARISON
The Ultimate AI Search Intelligence Matrix: Searchlyst vs. The Field
A feature-by-feature breakdown of Searchlyst, Profound, Semrush, and Ahrefs — see exactly where each platform stands.
FEATURE/METRIC
SEARCHLYST
PROFOUND
SEMRUSH
AHREFS
CORE PRODUCT FOCUS
Specialized AI Search Intelligence & Visibility Infrastructure
Enterprise AI Content Generation + Basic Analytics
Legacy SEO Platform with an Aggregate AI Tracker Add-on
Macro SEO Tools with a Static Global Prompt Dataset
TRACKING METHOD
Real-Time Custom Tracking: User defines exact custom prompts.
Custom Tracking (limited prompt numbers on lower tiers).
Global database aggregation (239M index); Custom tracking requires extra module.
Static dataset of 250M+ prompts (PAA queries) updated once a month.
LLM UPDATE FREQUENCY
Daily automated checks with next-run countdowns.
Daily tracking.
Global index: Monthly. Custom tracker: Daily.
Monthly static updates (with irregular, out-of-sync daily checks in beta).
AI MODELS COVERED
Comprehensive: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, GEO Tracking, etc.
Primarily ChatGPT on entry tiers; Multi-model costs extra.
Google AI Mode and ChatGPT only (requires split projects for each).
Variable; covers major models but requires full Brand Radar plan + add-ons.
CITATION DEPTH
Deep URL & Domain Level: Identifies exact source URLs feeding the LLM.
Domain-level and URL-level tracking.
Owned sources only (only tracks if your site was used; skips external citations).
Owned sources only (only tracks if your site was used; skips external citations).
COMPETITOR GAP ANALYSIS
Advanced: Identifies exact URLs where multiple competitors are cited but you aren't.
Manual reporting or through integrated content optimization briefs.
Limited. Cannot see top-mentioned brands outside of your own domain.
Rigid. Hard to pivot analysis from a competitor's viewpoint or sort columns.
SENTIMENT ANALYSIS
Native Feature: Full sentiment categorization built into metrics.
Not natively emphasized in analytics workflows.
None available for LLM tracking.
None currently offered.
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Global (80+ Regions): Multi-region GEO tracking across various locales.
Restrictive; limits regional coverage to 1 area on basic tiers.
Severely limited (6 major English-speaking regions + Spain).
Dependent on their index; global but difficult to isolate local deviations.
TEAM SEATING / SEATS
Unlimited Seats included on standard plans.
Scaled down (limits to 3 or fewer users on Growth plans).
Paid add-on ($45 to $100/mo per extra user).
Tied strictly to your core, premium Ahrefs license tiers.
SEARCHLYST ENTERPRISE API
Planned: Complete programmatic access to custom prompt variations, local GEO results, and citation URLs for advanced data-savvy engineering pipelines.
Fully operational platform API focused heavily on content deployment pipelines.
No dedicated API endpoints available for the standalone AI tracking add-on.
Standard Ahrefs API does not fully unpack specific, dynamic Brand Radar components.
SEARCHLYST MCP
Planned: Native Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers allowing local or enterprise LLMs to securely context-fetch internal AI visibility data natively.
No native framework built around Model Context Protocol integration.
Non-existent; data stays completely enclosed inside their legacy UI dashboard.
Non-existent; strict enterprise security policies prevent open data-sharing via MCP.
DATA EXPORT & PORTABILITY
Full CSV/Excel dumps, API Access, Looker Studio & MCP integrations.
Geared towards technical CDNs (AWS, Cloudflare, Fastly integrations).
Not available for the AI search module.
Heavily throttled (exports capped at a maximum of 1,000 rows).
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE
Disruptive & SMB Friendly: $85 – $199/mo (Hypothetical entry tier alignment).
Premium Enterprise: High entry price (saves $2,000+ per year choosing standard SaaS alternative).
Add-on Gated: Core platform pricing + $99/mo AI Toolkit add-on.
Expensive Bundle: Base platform sub ($199+) + Brand Radar fee + Custom tracker add-ons ($249+/mo min).