HikooVSProfound
Comparison

Hikoo vs Profound: Complete Comparison 2026

Choosing between Hikoo and Profound can be challenging. Both are solutions, but they have distinct differences. In this comprehensive comparison, we'll analyze features, pricing, and use cases to help you make the best decision.

Timothé Merle(CEO & Co-Founder)

Hikoo

A GEO (AI visibility) platform to analyze how AI models understand your website, get actionable optimization recommendations, track mentions across AI platforms, and benchmark visibility against competitors.

Pricing
Starter: $99.99/mo
Standard: $299.99/mo
Pro: $599.99/mo
Key Features
  • Multi-platform AI tracking (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini)
  • Google AI Overviews tracking
  • Brand mention tracking

Profound

An enterprise-focused GEO / Answer Engine Optimization platform that measures how a brand shows up in AI answers (visibility, share of voice, sentiment, citations), surfaces opportunities (high-volume prompts, influential sources), and helps create/optimize AI-ready content through workflows and automation.

Pricing
Starter: $99/mo
Standard: $399/mo
Key Features
  • Multi-platform AI tracking (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini)
  • Google AI Overviews tracking
  • Brand mention tracking

Key Features Comparison

Here's a detailed breakdown of features offered by each platform:

FeatureHikooProfound
Multi-platform AI tracking (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini)
Google AI Overviews tracking
Brand mention tracking
Citation and source tracking
AI visibility score/metrics
Competitive benchmarking / Share of voice
Actionable recommendations
Website/technical audit
Daily data refresh
Multi-language support
Multi-country support
AI content optimization suggestions
Free tool: llms.txt generator
Sentiment analysis
Historical tracking and trends
CSV exports
AI crawler/bot analytics
Team collaboration / Workspaces
SSO / Enterprise security
Free plan available

Pricing Analysis

Profound is more affordable at $99/month, offering a 500.99 dollars savings compared to its competitor.

Pros and Cons

Hikoo

Pros
  • Covers multiple major AI platforms (incl. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, etc.)
  • End-to-end workflow: audit + recommendations + monitoring + competitive benchmarking
  • Includes a free tool (llms.txt generator) to start quickly
  • Cancel anytime
Cons
  • No public pricing shown (highlighted plan is Custom / Contact Sales)
  • Plan limits (quotas, audit frequency, competitor slots, etc.) are not visible on the landing page

Profound

Pros
  • Very complete stack: analytics (visibility/citations/sentiment) + demand (Prompt Volumes) + crawl/attribution (Agent Analytics) + content ops (Workflows)
  • Broad multi-engine coverage with data captured from real front-end experiences
  • Strong enterprise posture (SOC2, SSO, support) and ability to track many engines / multiple entities on Enterprise
  • Action-oriented: insights plus integrated content creation/optimization tooling
Cons
  • Historically enterprise-leaning positioning: access can be more sales-led depending on context
  • Starter/Growth are tightly scoped around prompt counts and platform coverage
  • If you only need basic prompt tracking, the platform may be broader than necessary

Best Use Cases

Each platform excels in different scenarios:

Hikoo
Best for

  • 1SEO/Content teams aiming to be cited in AI answers (GEO / AEO / LLMO)
  • 2Brands that want to monitor mentions across ChatGPT/Claude/Perplexity/etc.
  • 3Product marketing teams tracking an AI visibility score and prioritizing optimizations
  • 4Competitive intel: benchmark AI presence vs competitors and find gaps
  • 5Generating and deploying an llms.txt file to help AI assistants reference a site accurately

Profound
Best for

  • 1GEO / LLMO: track visibility, SOV, sentiment, and citations across multiple answer engines
  • 2Content teams: create and optimize citation-winning content via templates + workflows
  • 3PR & Brand: monitor perception/accuracy and narratives associated with the brand
  • 4Tech/SEO: diagnose AI crawlability, understand AI-driven traffic impact, and prioritize fixes
  • 5E-commerce: improve product presence in ChatGPT Shopping (placement, attributes, sentiment)
  • 6Enterprise: governance, security (SSO/SOC2), dedicated support, and expanded coverage (10 platforms)

Feature Comparison

CriteriaHikooProfound
Free Plan
Starter Price$99.99/mo$99/mo
Standard Price$299.99/mo$399/mo
Pro Price$599.99/mo-
Number of Features1315

Conclusion

Both Hikoo and Profound are excellent solutions. Hikoo is ideal for seo/content teams aiming to be cited in ai answers (geo / aeo / llmo), while Profound excels at geo / llmo: track visibility, sov, sentiment, and citations across multiple answer engines. Your choice should depend on your specific needs and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Hikoo or Profound?

It depends on your specific needs. Hikoo is better for seo/content teams aiming to be cited in ai answers (geo / aeo / llmo), while Profound excels at geo / llmo: track visibility, sov, sentiment, and citations across multiple answer engines. Consider your priorities and budget before making a decision.

Is Hikoo more expensive than Profound?

Profound is more affordable at $99/month, offering a 500.99 dollars savings.

What is the main difference between Hikoo and Profound?

The main difference lies in their focus. Hikoo offers Website/technical audit, while Profound stands out with Sentiment analysis. Hikoo targets seo/content teams aiming to be cited in ai answers (geo / aeo / llmo), whereas Profound is designed for geo / llmo: track visibility, sov, sentiment, and citations across multiple answer engines.

Which one is easier to use for beginners: Hikoo or Profound?

Both platforms are designed to be user-friendly. Hikoo covers multiple major ai platforms (incl. chatgpt, perplexity, claude, gemini, etc.), while Profound very complete stack: analytics (visibility/citations/sentiment) + demand (prompt volumes) + crawl/attribution (agent analytics) + content ops (workflows). We recommend trying the free version of each to see which interface suits you better.

Which offers the best value for money: Hikoo or Profound?

Profound offers the most competitive pricing at $99/month. However, the best value depends on which features you actually need. If you require multi-platform ai tracking (chatgpt, perplexity, claude, gemini), Hikoo might be worth the investment. For multi-platform ai tracking (chatgpt, perplexity, claude, gemini), Profound could be the better choice.

Can I switch from Hikoo to Profound easily?

Yes, migrating between Hikoo and Profound is generally possible. Most platforms offer export features that allow you to transfer your data. We recommend exporting your content before switching and checking the import options available on the new platform.

Which is better for small businesses: Hikoo or Profound?

For small businesses, Profound at $99/month is often the most practical choice due to budget constraints. However, Hikoo excels at seo/content teams aiming to be cited in ai answers (geo / aeo / llmo), while Profound is ideal for geo / llmo: track visibility, sov, sentiment, and citations across multiple answer engines. Consider your specific business requirements before deciding.

Are there free alternatives to Hikoo and Profound?

Both Hikoo and Profound offer free plans with limited features. These free versions are great for testing or light usage. For more advanced needs, the paid plans unlock additional features and higher usage limits.

Can I use both Hikoo and Profound together?

Yes, many users combine both tools to leverage their unique strengths. Hikoo can handle seo/content teams aiming to be cited in ai answers (geo / aeo / llmo), while Profound takes care of geo / llmo: track visibility, sov, sentiment, and citations across multiple answer engines. This approach can maximize productivity if budget allows.

What are the pros and cons of Hikoo compared to Profound?

Hikoo's strengths include covers multiple major ai platforms (incl. chatgpt, perplexity, claude, gemini, etc.), but it has limitations like no public pricing shown (highlighted plan is custom / contact sales). Profound offers very complete stack: analytics (visibility/citations/sentiment) + demand (prompt volumes) + crawl/attribution (agent analytics) + content ops (workflows), though historically enterprise-leaning positioning: access can be more sales-led depending on context. The best choice depends on which trade-offs matter most to you.

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