AEO Audit is a free tool that scores B2B SaaS websites for AI search visibility — how likely they are to be cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews when B2B buyers search.

What is AI Engine Optimization (AEO)?

AI Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content, entity signals, and technical infrastructure so that AI engines cite your brand in generated answers. It extends traditional SEO to cover ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.

Yes. AEO Audit is free. Enter any B2B SaaS brand and receive a full AI visibility score with prioritised recommendations.

How does AEO Audit score websites?

AEO Audit scores across six pillars: AI Visibility (22%), Brand Authority (23%), Content Quality (18%), Platform Optimization (15%), Structured Data (12%), and Technical AEO (10%). Each pillar reflects specific signals that AI engines use when deciding which sources to cite.

Subcategory · AI Citation Index

Who AI is citing in Live Chat

No brand owns Live Chat shortlists; Intercom and Richpanel lead head-to-head evaluations at 68 and 65.

Brands tracked

Avg AEO score

63/100

Citation coverage

of brands cited at least once

Dominant brands

cited > 50% of queries

Discovery stage

The shortlist

When buyers ask AI for the best Live Chat software

No discovery-stage prompts have been scored against this category yet — once the shortlist cron runs, this section will surface which brands AI cites most.

Evaluation stage

The battleground

How brands fare on comparison queries · category median 38/100

Intercom scores highest in direct comparisons at 68, followed by Richpanel at 65. The median evaluation score sits at 38, meaning half the field underperforms substantially. Gorgias appears in both the featured list (score 66) and the evaluation bottom tier (41), suggesting context-dependent citation volatility.

Each brand's evaluation score averages how AI responds to head-to-head comparison queries that mention them. Above-median brands win their comparisons more often than they lose.

Trends

Over the last 12 months

Category average citation score rose from 57 in March 2026 to 62 in April, but only two months of audit data exist — too few to establish a trend. HappyFox Chat posted the sharpest monthly gain, up 13 points.

Biggest gain

HappyFox Chat

+13 pts

Editorial picks

Brands worth watching

Intercom

Tops both the featured list (72) and head-to-head evaluations (68 across 4 comparison queries). Intercom maintains the strongest citation performance across discovery and evaluation contexts.

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HappyFox Chat

Jumped 13 points month-over-month, the steepest climb in the category. Matches Zendesk at 71 in the featured rankings despite lower brand recognition.

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Richpanel

Second-highest evaluation score (65) across 5 comparison queries. Richpanel consistently appears in competitive evaluations but doesn't dominate shortlists.

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Zendesk Support Suite

Ties Intercom at 72 in featured citations. The Support Suite brand appears as a live-chat contender despite Zendesk's broader help-desk positioning.

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Gorgias

Shows a 25-point spread: 66 in featured rankings, 41 in head-to-head evaluations. Citation quality varies sharply depending on query framing.

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FAQ

Live Chat questions, answered

What is the best live chat software for customer support teams?+

Intercom and Zendesk Support Suite both score 72 in AI-cited featured rankings. Intercom also leads head-to-head comparisons at 68, while Zendesk appears primarily in discovery-stage shortlists.

Which live chat tools are rising in AI recommendations?+

HappyFox Chat climbed 13 points from March to April 2026, the largest gain in the category. It now ties with Tidio at 71 in featured citations, just behind Intercom and Zendesk.

How do live chat vendors perform in direct comparisons?+

Intercom (68) and Richpanel (65) score highest when AI evaluates head-to-head queries. The median evaluation score is 38, meaning half the category underperforms significantly in comparison contexts.

Is there a dominant live chat brand in AI-generated shortlists?+

No. Zero brands appear consistently across the 14 discovery-stage prompts audited, yielding a 0% shortlist coverage rate. The category is heavily fragmented in AI citation behavior.

Why does Gorgias have inconsistent citation scores?+

Gorgias scores 66 in featured rankings but only 41 in head-to-head evaluations across 4 comparison queries. The 25-point spread suggests citation quality depends heavily on query framing and competitive context.

What is the average citation score for live chat software?+

The category average is 62.5 across 70 vendors. Month-over-month data shows a rise from 57 in March 2026 to 62 in April, though only two audit periods exist so far.

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