SEO tools · #9 of 56 · ↑ Mangools · ↓ Moz
Surfer
Surfer lands an overall score of 12 out of 100 in the SEO tools category, with individual assistants split narrowly: ChatGPT gives it 11, Claude and Gemini both 14, and Perplexity 16. Across all questions tested, Surfer was named in 21 of 76 answers. It shows up consistently for broader questions like "What tool should I use to optimize blog posts so they rank?", "What are the best SEO tools?", "Which SEO software do professionals actually use?", and "What are the top SEO tools in 2026?" — each 4 of 4. It's never named for keyword research, technical audits, data accuracy, value for money, or local Google Maps ranking questions.
this is mine claim it, free, forever. We also check whether ChatGPT and Claude can read surferseo.com.
Who's talking about you
| assistant | score | named in, this week | usual spot, this week |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 11 | 21% of answers | #7.5 |
| Claude | 14 | 35% of answers | #15.6 |
| Gemini | 14 | 29% of answers | #8.2 |
| Perplexity | 16 | 25% of answers | #4.6 |
Questions you win
| question | named in | best spot |
|---|---|---|
| What tool should I use to optimize blog posts so they rank? | 4 of 4 | #1 |
| What are the best SEO tools? | 4 of 4 | #4 |
| What are the top SEO tools in 2026? | 4 of 4 | #5 |
| Which SEO software do professionals actually use? | 4 of 4 | #6 |
| What are the best free or low-cost SEO tools? | 2 of 4 | #13 |
| What are the best SEO tools for a small business? | 1 of 3 | #7 |
| What's the best all-in-one SEO platform right now? | 1 of 4 | #13 |
| What's the best SEO tool for a Shopify or ecommerce store? | 1 of 4 | #14 |
Questions you lose
| question | who got named instead |
|---|---|
| Which SEO tool gives the most value for the money? | SE Ranking, Semrush, Ahrefs |
| What SEO tools should a beginner start with? | Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Bing Webmaster Tools |
| What's the best SEO tool for an agency managing lots of clients? | Semrush, SE Ranking, Ahrefs |
| Which SEO tools have the most accurate data? | Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Google Analytics |
| What's the best tool for keyword research? | Semrush, Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner |
| What's the best rank tracker for monitoring my Google positions every day? | AccuRanker, SE Ranking, Semrush |
| Which tool is best for backlink analysis and finding link building opportunities? | Ahrefs, Semrush, Majestic |
| What's the best tool to run a technical SEO audit of my website? | Screaming Frog, Semrush, Google Search Console |
| What's the best SEO tool for a local business that wants to rank on Google Maps? | BrightLocal, Local Falcon, Whitespark |
| What's the best tool to track whether my brand shows up in AI answers like ChatGPT? | Ahrefs |
| What's the best SEO tool for a solo founder with no SEO experience? | Google Search Console, Ahrefs, Semrush |
| Which tool is best for seeing what keywords my competitors rank for? | Semrush, Ahrefs, SpyFu |
In their words
- ChatGPT“If you want one tool specifically for optimizing blog posts to rank, I’d start with Surfer SEO.”
- Claude“Surfer SEO — around $100/month, the most popular pick, strong content editor”
- Gemini“Surfer SEO (Best Overall)”
Closest rivals
- Surfer vs Mangools12
- Surfer vs Moz11
- Surfer vs Sitebulb11
- Surfer vs Google Keyword Planner14
- Surfer vs Bing Webmaster Tools9
All Surfer alternatives · Full SEO tools leaderboard · Sources