# Mentionova vs Ahrefs Brand Radar (2026): Pricing, Engines and Which Fits

Brand Radar is a 525-million-prompt index with tracking metered in checks. Mentionova is a flat plan that turns gaps into briefs and CMS drafts.

_Source: https://mentionova.com/blog/mentionova-vs-ahrefs-brand-radar_

- **Author:** [Jimmy Pal](https://mentionova.com/authors/jimmy-pal), Founder, GTM 8020
- **Published:** 2026-11-02

Ahrefs Brand Radar and Mentionova both tell you whether AI answers name your brand. They are built for different jobs. Brand Radar is a research index of 525 million prompts, plus custom prompt tracking metered in checks from $50 a month, sitting next to the Ahrefs SEO suite. Mentionova is a flat-price tracker from $99 a month billed annually that turns citation gaps into briefs, CMS drafts and Reddit replies. Every Ahrefs price and limit below was read on ahrefs.com on 2 November 2026 and is linked in the sources. We make Mentionova, so we say plainly where it loses.

**[Already paying for Ahrefs? Test your buying questions in a Mentionova free trial, no card.](https://app.mentionova.com/login?mode=signup&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=mentionova-vs-ahrefs-brand-radar&utm_content=hero)**

## What are the key takeaways?

-   **Brand Radar has the data; Mentionova has the workflow.** Ahrefs' AI Visibility Index covers 525 million prompts with search demand behind each. Mentionova has no prompt index and tracks only the prompts you add.
-   **Ahrefs is cheaper for pure daily tracking.** A $50 package buys 2,500 checks, enough for 25 prompts daily on 3 platforms. Mentionova Starter is $125 a month, or $99 billed annually, for 25 prompts on 3 engines, on a weekly schedule by default.
-   **Mentionova's bill is flat.** Ahrefs meters every prompt, platform and location as a check, charges Claude at 8 checks per update and bills overage automatically.
-   **Ahrefs covers more engines.** Brand Radar tracks AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot and, for custom prompts, Claude. Mentionova covers six engines on Scale, including Reddit, but not AI Mode or Copilot.
-   **Only Mentionova has a free trial.** Ahrefs' pricing FAQ says it never runs discounts. Mentionova offers a free trial on every paid plan, no card.

## How do Mentionova and Ahrefs Brand Radar compare at a glance?

Ahrefs Brand Radar is an AI visibility index and prompt tracker priced in checks, bought with an Ahrefs plan or on its own. Mentionova is an AI visibility platform priced per plan, with tracking, opportunity briefs, content drafts and Reddit engagement included. The table compares both, read 2 November 2026.

|  | Ahrefs Brand Radar | Mentionova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Entry price for prompt tracking | $50/mo package, or 5 prompts on Ahrefs Lite at $129/mo | $125/mo, or $99/mo billed annually |
| Prompt index | AI Visibility Index, 525 million prompts, from $199/mo | None |
| Usage unit | Checks: 1 prompt on 1 platform in 1 location | Prompts per plan; agentic tasks for AI work |
| Overage | $0.010 to $0.020 per check, billed monthly | None for tracking; tasks come from a monthly pool |
| Engines | AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, plus Claude on custom prompts | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google on Starter; adds Claude, Gemini, Reddit on Scale |
| Cadence | Daily, weekly or monthly per platform | Weekly, every two weeks or monthly, plus on demand; daily through the API |
| Content output | Not part of Brand Radar; Content Kit add-on from $99/mo | Briefs, workflows and grids, drafts pushed to your CMS |
| Reddit | Reddit results in Google, YouTube and TikTok, free while in beta for Ahrefs customers | Reddit as a tracked engine, plus reply drafts for threads engines cite |
| SEO suite | Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Rank Tracker and more on Ahrefs plans | Not an SEO suite |
| Trial | No free trials, per pricing FAQ | Free trial on every paid plan, no card |

## How much does each one cost?

Ahrefs sells Brand Radar three ways: a daily prompt quota inside every paid Ahrefs plan, standalone custom prompt packages from $50 a month, and the AI Visibility Index from $199 a month. Mentionova sells three brand plans at $125, $400 and $999 a month, or $99, $320 and $799 billed annually.

| Ahrefs option ([ahrefs.com/pricing](https://ahrefs.com/pricing)) | Price | Brand Radar allowance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lite plan | $129/mo | 150 checks, 5 daily prompts; 1 user |
| Standard plan | $249/mo | 300 checks, 10 daily prompts |
| Advanced plan | $449/mo | 600 checks, 20 daily prompts |
| Enterprise plan | $1,499/mo, annual commitment | From 2,500 checks, from 83 prompts |
| Custom prompts Basic | $50/mo | 2,500 checks; overage $0.020 per check |
| Custom prompts Growth | $100/mo | 7,000 checks; overage $0.015 per check |
| Custom prompts Scale | $250/mo | 25,000 checks; overage $0.010 per check |
| AI Visibility Index | From $199/mo; $699/mo for all models | 83 prompts a day, 2,500 checks a month, overage $0.020 per check |

Ahrefs says annual billing saves up to 17%, and Brand Radar can be bought standalone, with an Ahrefs Free account included.

| Mentionova plan ([pricing](https://mentionova.com/pricing)) | Price | Includes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter | $125/mo, $99 billed annually | 25 prompts, 3 engines, 100 agentic tasks |
| Scale | $400/mo, $320 billed annually | 100 prompts, 6 engines, 500 agentic tasks |
| Enterprise | $999/mo, $799 billed annually | 250 prompts, 6 engines, 2,500 agentic tasks |

Every Mentionova plan lists pages and AI traffic attribution, actionable opportunities with ready briefs, workflows and grids for bulk content, Reddit engagement and integrations. The [plans overview](https://mentionova.com/docs/billing/plans-overview) adds 1 workspace and 3 team seats per brand plan.

## What does tracking the same prompts cost on each?

For a small daily set, Ahrefs costs less: 25 prompts on 3 platforms daily is 2,250 checks, inside the $50 Basic package. Claude changes the sum, because each Claude update costs 8 checks. Mentionova costs the same whatever the engine mix, but its scheduled runs are weekly, not daily.

Worked examples, using Ahrefs' own rule that 5 prompts on 1 platform daily is 150 checks a month. The arithmetic is ours.

| Workload | Ahrefs checks a month | Cheapest Ahrefs option | Closest Mentionova plan |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 25 prompts, 3 platforms, daily | 25 x 3 x 30 = 2,250 | Basic, $50 | Starter, $125 ($99 annual), weekly |
| 25 prompts, 3 platforms plus Claude, daily | 2,250 + (25 x 8 x 30) = 8,250 | Growth, $100 plus 1,250 overage checks at $0.015 = $118.75 | Scale, $400 ($320 annual), weekly |
| 100 prompts, 4 platforms plus Claude, daily | (100 x 4 x 30) + (100 x 8 x 30) = 36,000 | Scale, $250 plus 11,000 overage checks at $0.010 = $360 | Scale, $400 ($320 annual), weekly |
| 5 prompts, 1 platform, daily | 150 | Included in Ahrefs Lite, $129 | Starter, $125 ($99 annual) |

The table prices tracking only. Content work at Ahrefs sits in the Content Kit add-on, from $99 a month; Mentionova's agentic tasks cover briefs, grids, workflows and Reddit reply drafts.

## Which AI engines does each tool track?

Ahrefs covers six AI platforms in its index and adds Claude for custom prompts. Mentionova covers ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google on Starter, and adds Claude, Gemini and Reddit on Scale and Enterprise. Only Ahrefs tracks Google AI Mode and Microsoft Copilot. Only Mentionova tracks Reddit as an answer engine.

| Engine | Brand Radar index | Brand Radar custom prompts | Mentionova Starter | Mentionova Scale and Enterprise |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ChatGPT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Perplexity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google AI Overviews | Yes | Yes | Yes (Google) | Yes |
| Gemini | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Claude | Not in index list | Yes, 8 checks per update | No | Yes |
| Google AI Mode | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Reddit | Reddit results in Google (beta) | No | No | Yes |

Ahrefs also tracks offsite sources that shape answers: YouTube videos, TikTok trends and Reddit results in Google, free while in beta for Ahrefs customers. Mentionova's Reddit tab lists the threads your engines cite, plus threads found through Reddit search, and drafts a reply for you to post yourself.

## How fresh is the data in each tool?

Ahrefs custom prompts can run daily, weekly or monthly per platform, while the AI Visibility Index re-tests its question sets monthly on a 90-day reporting window. Mentionova runs tracked prompts on a weekly, two-weekly or monthly schedule or on demand, with daily runs available through the API.

What that means in practice:

-   **Index data is broad but monthly.** Ahrefs says the index "works best for established brands or topics with meaningful search demand" and may have limited coverage for brands with little search volume. A young brand will rely on custom prompts.
-   **Index history goes back.** You can search any brand, product or category in the index with historical responses back to 2025 and no domain cap.
-   **Mentionova's first read is quick.** Its tracker page says the first signal lands in about two minutes, with no pixel, tag or code on your site.

## What does Brand Radar do that Mentionova does not?

Brand Radar wins on research. It lets you look up any brand across 525 million search-backed prompts with no setup, estimates impressions from real search volume, tracks AI Mode and Copilot, and sits beside Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer and Rank Tracker. If you live in Ahrefs already, it adds AI data to the tools you use.

From the [Brand Radar page](https://ahrefs.com/brand-radar):

-   **Competitive research without setup.** Search any brand or category in the index and benchmark share of voice before you track a single prompt.
-   **Search demand behind each prompt.** Index prompts map back to real keywords, so AI visibility connects to topics and volume.
-   **Four core metrics.** Mentions, citations, AI share of voice and estimated impressions weighted by search volume.
-   **Prompt tooling.** AI-generated prompt suggestions, fanout queries, sentiment, buyer-journey stage and tags.
-   **AI analytics.** AI traffic through Ahrefs Web Analytics, free, and AI bot visits, free while in beta.

Mentionova has none of the index, search-volume or SEO-suite features above, and it does not track AI Mode or Copilot.

## What does Mentionova do that Brand Radar does not?

Mentionova wins on turning a gap into work. Each plan lists actionable opportunities with ready briefs, workflows and grids for bulk content, and drafts pushed to WordPress, Webflow, Ghost, Sanity or a webhook. It tracks Reddit as an engine and drafts replies to cited threads. Brand Radar's page lists no briefs, drafting or CMS publishing.

From Mentionova's [pricing](https://mentionova.com/pricing), [AI visibility tracker](https://mentionova.com/product/ai-visibility-tracker) and [CMS integrations](https://mentionova.com/docs/integrations/cms-integrations) pages:

-   **Opportunities with briefs.** Gaps arrive as actionable opportunities with a ready brief, on every plan.
-   **Drafts, never auto-publish.** Every CMS target creates a draft; a person opens it, reads it and publishes. There is no publish-live switch.
-   **Reddit engagement.** The Reddit tab drafts a reply for you to post; Mentionova never posts on your behalf. Enriching a thread costs 5 tasks from the plan's pool.
-   **Citations kept per prompt.** The tracker keeps 1,000+ citations per prompt, grouped by URL or domain and exportable as CSV.
-   **Flat tracking.** Running a prompt by hand does not draw from the task pool, per the plans overview.
-   **Trial first.** Every paid plan starts with a free trial, no card.

## Which tool fits which team?

Brand Radar fits SEO teams already on Ahrefs, brands with enough search demand to show up in the index, and anyone who needs daily data on AI Mode, Copilot or Claude at a low per-check price. Mentionova fits lean teams that want a flat bill and a tool that drafts the fix.

**Choose Ahrefs Brand Radar if:**

-   You already pay for Ahrefs and want AI visibility next to your SEO data.
-   You need competitive research across millions of prompts before you pick what to track.
-   You need AI Mode or Copilot coverage, or daily runs on a budget.
-   Your team will write and publish content without help from the tool.

**Choose Mentionova if:**

-   You want one monthly price with no per-check overage.
-   You want gaps turned into briefs and CMS drafts for a person to approve.
-   Reddit threads shape the answers in your category.
-   You want to test on your own prompts before paying.

## What is the verdict, criterion by criterion?

Ahrefs wins on data depth, engine coverage, daily cadence and price for pure tracking. Mentionova wins on predictable pricing, the free trial, content output and Reddit. The right pick depends on whether the bottleneck is knowing where you stand or shipping the pages that change it. Every verdict uses the live pricing pages.

| Criterion | Ahrefs Brand Radar | Mentionova | Verdict |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Prompt research index | 525 million prompts | None | Ahrefs |
| Cheapest daily tracking | $50 for 2,500 checks | Daily only through the API | Ahrefs |
| Engines | 7 including Claude | 6 including Reddit | Ahrefs |
| AI Mode and Copilot | Yes | No | Ahrefs |
| Bill predictability | Metered checks, automatic overage | Flat plan price | Mentionova |
| Free trial | None | Yes, no card | Mentionova |
| Briefs and CMS drafts | Not in Brand Radar | Every plan | Mentionova |
| Reddit replies | No | Drafts replies to cited threads | Mentionova |
| SEO suite | Yes | No | Ahrefs |

**[Keep Ahrefs for research and test the drafting side. Start a Mentionova free trial, no card.](https://app.mentionova.com/login?mode=signup&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=mentionova-vs-ahrefs-brand-radar&utm_content=body)**

## Can you run Brand Radar and Mentionova together?

Yes. For SEO teams already on Ahrefs, the two cover different jobs. Use Brand Radar's index to find the prompts and topics where competitors win, then load your top 25 or 100 buying questions into Mentionova to track them and turn each gap into a brief, a CMS draft or a Reddit reply.

A split that avoids paying twice for the same thing:

1.  **Research in Ahrefs.** Search your category in the AI Visibility Index and note the prompts where rivals are named and you are not.
2.  **Track in one place.** Keep daily custom prompts in Ahrefs only for engines Mentionova does not cover, such as AI Mode and Copilot.
3.  **Fix in Mentionova.** Track the rest in Mentionova and work the opportunity list: briefs, drafts and Reddit replies.

Our [Ahrefs Brand Radar alternatives](https://mentionova.com/blog/ahrefs-brand-radar-alternatives) post covers other trackers, and [Semrush AI Toolkit vs Ahrefs Brand Radar vs a dedicated platform](https://mentionova.com/blog/semrush-ai-toolkit-vs-ahrefs-brand-radar-vs-dedicated-platform) covers the suite question.

## Why isn't my brand in ChatGPT, and which tool tells you why?

ChatGPT names the brands that appear in the sources it retrieves. If competitors own the review sites, listicles and forum threads it reads, they get the mention. Both tools show which pages were cited. Brand Radar shows it across a huge index; Mentionova shows it for your prompts and drafts the response.

How each tool answers "why not us?":

-   **Ahrefs Brand Radar** reports mentions, citations and share of voice, and its custom prompts reveal the fanout queries AI runs behind a prompt, which point to content gaps.
-   **Mentionova** shows, for each tracked prompt and engine, who was named instead of you, your position, the sentiment and every source URL the engine relied on, then lists the gap as an opportunity with a brief.

Before you buy either, run the manual check in our guide on [how to check if ChatGPT mentions your brand](https://mentionova.com/blog/how-to-check-if-chatgpt-mentions-your-brand). For every vendor's price in one table, see [AI visibility tool pricing](https://mentionova.com/blog/ai-visibility-tool-pricing-2026).

## How do you test both before you commit?

Ahrefs offers no free trial, so the cheapest test is the $50 Basic package, or the 5 daily prompts already included if you pay for Ahrefs Lite. Ahrefs also runs a free AI Visibility Checker. Mentionova's free trial needs no card. Run the same buying questions in both for one week and compare.

A one-week plan:

1.  **Day 1.** Pick 10 unbranded buying questions, such as "best \[category\] tool for \[use case\]". Add them to Mentionova's trial and to Ahrefs custom prompts on ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI Overviews.
2.  **Day 2.** Search your category in Ahrefs' index if you have it, and note prompts you missed.
3.  **Days 3 to 6.** Compare who each tool says is named instead of you, and which sources it cites.
4.  **Day 7.** Take the biggest gap. In Ahrefs, note the fanout queries; in Mentionova, open the opportunity brief. Ask which output your team can ship this week.

## Where does each number come from?

All pages read on 2 November 2026.

-   Ahrefs: [ahrefs.com/pricing](https://ahrefs.com/pricing) (Lite, Standard, Advanced and Enterprise prices, checks and prompts, custom prompt packages and overage, Content Kit, annual saving, standalone Brand Radar, no discounts or free trials, automatic charges); [ahrefs.com/brand-radar](https://ahrefs.com/brand-radar) (525 million prompts, index price, $699 for all models, platforms, Claude at 8 checks, cadence, monthly re-tests, history, metrics, YouTube, TikTok and Reddit beta); [AI Visibility Checker](https://ahrefs.com/ai-visibility-checker).
-   Mentionova: [pricing](https://mentionova.com/pricing) (plans, engines, features, free trial, Reddit engagement); [plans overview](https://mentionova.com/docs/billing/plans-overview) (seats, workspaces, engines, manual runs); [AI visibility tracker](https://mentionova.com/product/ai-visibility-tracker) (schedules, citations kept, first signal); [CMS integrations](https://mentionova.com/docs/integrations/cms-integrations) (draft-only publishing).

## What else do people ask about Mentionova and Ahrefs Brand Radar?

### Is Mentionova or Ahrefs Brand Radar better?

Neither wins for every team. Brand Radar is better for prompt research, AI Mode and Copilot coverage, daily tracking at a low price and teams already in Ahrefs. Mentionova is better for a flat bill, a free trial, briefs and CMS drafts, and Reddit engagement.

### How much does Ahrefs Brand Radar cost?

Custom prompt packages start at $50 a month for 2,500 checks. The AI Visibility Index starts at $199 a month, or $699 for all models. Paid Ahrefs plans include a daily prompt quota: 5 on Lite ($129), 10 on Standard ($249) and 20 on Advanced ($449).

### What is a check in Ahrefs Brand Radar?

Tracking one prompt on one platform in one location uses 1 check. Ahrefs' example: 5 prompts on 1 platform daily is 150 checks a month. Claude uses 8 checks per update, and overage is billed at the end of the month.

### Does Ahrefs Brand Radar have a free trial?

No. Ahrefs' pricing FAQ says it never runs discounts or free trials. Ahrefs Free gives limited access to Site Explorer and Site Audit, and the AI Visibility Checker is free to use.

### Does Mentionova track Google AI Mode or Copilot?

No. Mentionova tracks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and Reddit. Starter covers ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google; Scale and Enterprise cover all six.

### How often does Mentionova run tracked prompts?

On a weekly, two-weekly or monthly schedule, or on demand, with daily runs available through the API. Running a prompt by hand does not draw from your task pool.

### Can I use Mentionova alongside Ahrefs?

Yes. You can keep Ahrefs for SEO and index research and use Mentionova for tracked buying questions, opportunity briefs, CMS drafts and Reddit replies. Mentionova's free trial needs no card, so you can test the overlap first.

**[See which engines name you, and get the brief to fix it. Start a Mentionova free trial, no card.](https://app.mentionova.com/login?mode=signup&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=mentionova-vs-ahrefs-brand-radar&utm_content=close)**

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_Mentionova, https://mentionova.com. Markdown rendering of the page above for AI readers._