Comparison
CitationDesk vs HubSpot AEO Grader.
Free one-time AI brand-perception grade (ChatGPT · Perplexity · Gemini)
HubSpot AEO Grader and CitationDesk both help you win AI citations, with different jobs: CitationDesk is a free point-in-time readiness audit plus fix generators; HubSpot AEO Grader sells continuous monitoring. Here's a side-by-side written by the operator who built CitationDesk — including where HubSpot AEO Grader is the better pick.
Quick read
CitationDesk
Free — no paid tiers
Free Citation Readiness Score + fix generators · open methodology · readiness scored for 4 LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) · no signup · NL/EU.
HubSpot AEO Grader
Free one-time grade (signup) · $50/mo HubSpot AEO for continuous monitoring
HubSpot’s AEO Grader (formerly the AI Search Grader) is a free tool that scores how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini characterize your brand across five dimensions — sentiment (40 pts), presence quality (20), brand recognition (20), share of voice (10), and market competition (10) — with a written interpretation. Full results require a short form. It is a one-time snapshot, not ongoing monitoring; the paid HubSpot AEO product ($50/mo) adds continuous monitoring and competitor tracking.
Side-by-side
| Feature | CitationDesk | HubSpot AEO Grader |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free — no paid tiers | Free grade + $50/mo HubSpot AEO |
| What you get free | ✓ Readiness score + fixes (no signup) | ~ One-time brand grade (signup required) |
| Free fix generator (llms.txt + schema + robots) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ongoing monitoring | ✗ (we recommend dedicated tools) | ✓ ($50/mo HubSpot AEO) |
| LLMs covered | Readiness scored for 4 (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) | 3 (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) |
| Claude coverage | ✓ (readiness scored) | ✗ |
| Page-level audit (per URL) | ✓ | ~ (brand-perception focus) |
| Works without a marketing suite | ✓ | ~ (HubSpot-ecosystem-leaning) |
When CitationDesk is the better pick
CitationDesk goes deeper than a one-time brand grade, free: the Citation Readiness Score audits any URL with no signup and returns the actual fixes (llms.txt, schema, robots allowlist) — page-level readiness rather than brand perception. It covers Claude (which the AEO Grader omits), with an open scoring rubric.
When HubSpot AEO Grader is the better pick
If you already run your marketing inside HubSpot and want a frictionless, free brand-perception snapshot across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini with a HubSpot-native upgrade path, the AEO Grader is the easiest place to start.
Who each is best for
- CitationDesk: Solo operators, indie publishers, content marketers, small SEO teams, AI-native product teams under €5k/mo tooling budget.
- HubSpot AEO Grader: Marketing leaders and brand managers — especially existing HubSpot customers — who want a fast, free read on how AI assistants describe their brand, with a HubSpot-native upgrade path to $50/mo monitoring.
Try CitationDesk free.
Get a free Citation Readiness Score on any URL in 90 seconds. No signup. No credit card.
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Compare all 12 AI-visibility tools side by side →
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