Quick Verdict
LLMrefs and Mentions.so both track how often AI models mention your brand or website, but they attack the problem from opposite angles. LLMrefs goes deep on technical tracking methodology, while Mentions.so focuses on team collaboration and client reporting.
The core difference comes down to tracking approach versus business workflow. LLMrefs runs actual prompts against AI models to measure visibility. Mentions.so measures the traffic that actually arrives from AI-referred searches. Both matter, but they're solving different parts of the AI visibility puzzle.
Score comparison
Score Comparison
| Dimension | LLMrefs | Mentions.so |
|---|---|---|
| Feature Depth | 20.0 | 22.0 |
| Ease of Use | 35.0 | 35.0 |
| Data Quality | 32.0 | 58.0 |
| Value for Money | 75.0 | 79.0 |
| Integration | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Market Traction | 9.0 | 3.0 |
Feature comparison
| Feature | LLMrefs | Mentions.so |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Platform Citation Tracking | ✓ | — |
| 4.5M+ ChatGPT Dataset | ✓ | — |
| AI Crawlability Checker | ✓ | — |
| LLMs.txt Generator | ✓ | — |
| Reddit Threads Finder | ✓ | — |
| A/B Content Tester | ✓ | — |
| AI Tools Directory | ✓ | — |
| Unlimited Team Seats | — | ✓ |
| AI Visitor Attribution | — | ✓ |
| White-Label Reporting | — | ✓ |
| Auto-Generated Insights | — | ✓ |
Pricing comparison
| Plan | LLMrefs | Mentions.so |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $49/mo |
| Pro | Contact for pricing | $149/mo |
| Agency | — | $399/mo |
| Enterprise | — | Custom |
Feature Comparison
LLMrefs wins on raw tracking capability. It crawls ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude using real UI interactions — not API calls that might return different results than what users see. The platform automatically generates test prompts from a 4.5 million ChatGPT prompt dataset, which beats manually writing prompts every time. LLMrefs also runs multiple prompt variations to establish statistical significance, something most visibility trackers ignore. Mentions.so takes a business-first approach. Every plan includes unlimited team seats, which immediately makes it more practical for agencies. The white-label reporting on their Agency plan lets you rebrand everything for clients. But their tracking methodology isn't detailed publicly — you're trusting their algorithms without knowing how they actually measure AI visibility. LLMrefs throws in useful extras like a free llms.txt generator and Reddit thread finder. These aren't core features, but they're handy for anyone working on AI optimization.
Pricing Comparison
LLMrefs starts free, which makes it accessible for testing AI visibility without commitment. Mentions.so starts at $49/month with no free tier. That $49 buys you unlimited seats, so teams of three or more get immediate value compared to per-seat pricing elsewhere. Mentions.so's Agency plan costs $399/month but includes white-label reports and bulk client management — features that agencies typically pay extra for elsewhere. LLMrefs hasn't published detailed paid plan pricing yet, which makes budget planning difficult for larger tracking needs.
Best For
LLMrefs is better for technical SEOs who want to understand exactly how AI models respond to different prompts. The statistical approach and cross-platform crawling gives you data to optimize with. Solo practitioners and small teams benefit from the free tier, especially when starting AI visibility tracking from scratch. Mentions.so works better for agencies managing multiple clients or larger teams that need collaboration features. The focus on actual visitor measurement rather than prompt testing appeals to businesses that care more about revenue impact than technical metrics. The white-label reporting saves hours of manual report building.
The Verdict
Choose LLMrefs if you're doing the optimization work yourself and want detailed tracking data. The free tier lets you test AI visibility tracking without risk, and the technical approach gives you actionable data for improving AI mentions. Choose Mentions.so if you're managing client work or need team collaboration — the unlimited seats and white-label reporting justify the higher price for agency work. Start with LLMrefs free tier to understand your baseline AI visibility, then upgrade to Mentions.so if you need team features.
Our verdict
For features, llmrefs leads. On a budget, go with llmrefs.