How much does Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) cost?

AEO pricing varies widely. Enterprise tools like SimilarWeb charge $500+ per month just for monitoring. AEO agencies charge $3,000-$10,000+ per month for full-service implementation. CiteZilla offers a complete AI Visibility Package for $199 one-time — including a scan, schema markup, llms.txt, 10-20 answer pages, and a 90-day re-scan. It's designed for local businesses, not enterprise budgets.

AEO pricing comparison

What you get at each price point

• DIY (free) — You research schema markup, write your own answer pages, and hope the structure is right. No scan, no verification, no expert review. Works if you have the technical knowledge and time.
• CiteZilla ($199) — Automated scan identifies gaps, then you get schema markup, llms.txt, 10-20 answer pages targeting your services and service area, and a 90-day re-scan. Works on any platform.
• Enterprise tools ($500-$2,000/mo) — SimilarWeb, BrightEdge, and others offer AI visibility dashboards and monitoring. They show you the data but don't implement anything. Best for brands that already have in-house teams.
• AEO agencies ($3,000-$10,000+/mo) — Custom strategy, content creation, technical implementation, and ongoing optimization. Makes sense for multi-location businesses or competitive national markets.

Why CiteZilla is cheaper

CiteZilla uses an automated scan plus templated answer pages instead of custom consulting. Agencies charge for strategy meetings, account managers, and custom content. CiteZilla delivers the same technical deliverables — schema markup, answer pages, llms.txt — at a fraction of the cost because the process is standardized for local businesses.

The result is the same: your site goes from invisible to AI engines to fully readable and citable. The difference is you're paying for the deliverables, not the meetings.

What's included in the $199 package

• Full AI visibility scan — 9 categories, score out of 120, letter grade
• Schema markup — LocalBusiness, Service, FAQPage structured data
• llms.txt — supplemental file for AI crawlers
• 10-20 answer pages — targeting your services, service area, and the questions customers ask AI
• 90-day re-scan — verify your improvement and catch any new issues
• Any platform — WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, custom builds, anything

When you might need more

The $199 package covers the technical foundation. Some businesses eventually want:

• Monthly tracking — ongoing AI visibility monitoring to see if competitors catch up
• Ongoing content — new answer pages as customer questions evolve
• Multi-location support — separate schema and answer pages for each location

CiteZilla will offer add-on services for these needs. But for most local businesses, the $199 package is the right starting point. Launch pricing is available for the first 30 clients.