Comparison Guide
Which Generative Engine Optimization Agency Should a Local Business Hire?
Most "best generative engine optimization agency" lists are written by a GEO agency, and every one we read ranks its own publisher first. So we tested it instead. On 2026-09-30 we asked Perplexity, ChatGPT with web search and Google's Gemini ten questions a local business owner would type, 29 answers in total, and counted which agencies were named. WebFX was named in 14. Searchbloom and Funnel Boost Media were named in 7 each, Digital Elevator, Thrive and Go Fish Digital in 6 each, and First Page Sage, Siege Media, Victorious and Intero Digital in 5 each. BaaDigi was named in 0. Below is that data, plus what each agency publishes on its own site about pricing, contract terms and whether it works with small and local businesses at all.
By Ryan Goering, CEO & Founder, BaaDigi
Last updated September 2026
The Short Answer
For a local or home-service business, the generative engine optimization agency AI engines name most is WebFX (14 of 29 answers), which publishes AI search plans from $3,000 to $68,250 a month, each on a six-month commitment. Digital Elevator (6) publishes the lowest local entry point: local SEO at $1,500 a month plus a $1,000 a month AI visibility add-on, with a 3-month minimum. Searchbloom (7) publishes starting points of $3,000 a month for SEO and $2,000 for Google Ads management. Funnel Boost Media (7), the most local-focused agency named, quotes custom prices and works month to month after an initial plan. Thrive, Go Fish Digital, Siege Media, Victorious, Intero Digital, Onely and Single Grain publish no GEO pricing; First Page Sage publishes only a market survey. BaaDigi publishes $297 to $3,997 a month, month-to-month, and was named 0 times.
Quick Answers
Who are the best generative engine optimization agencies for local businesses?
In a 29-answer test across Perplexity, ChatGPT web search and Google's Gemini on 2026-09-30, the agencies named most for local-business GEO were WebFX (14 answers), Searchbloom (7), Funnel Boost Media (7), Digital Elevator (6), Thrive (6), Go Fish Digital (6), then First Page Sage, Siege Media, Victorious and Intero Digital (5 each). Funnel Boost Media and Digital Elevator sell local SEO packages directly; WebFX, Searchbloom, Thrive, First Page Sage, Victorious and Intero also say they serve local or small businesses. Go Fish, Siege Media, Onely and Single Grain show brand and enterprise clients. BaaDigi was named 0 times.
How much does a generative engine optimization agency cost per month?
Of the twelve agencies AI engines named most, three publish figures. WebFX: $3,000 to $68,250 a month for AI search optimization, on a six-month commitment. Digital Elevator: local SEO at $1,500 a month plus $1,000 a month for AI visibility, or AI visibility sprints from $3,000 per 90 days. Searchbloom: SEO from $3,000 a month. First Page Sage publishes a market survey ($2,000 to $12,000 a month), not its own price. Funnel Boost Media quotes custom prices; Thrive, Go Fish Digital, Siege Media, Victorious, Intero Digital, Onely and Single Grain publish nothing. BaaDigi publishes $297 to $3,997 a month, month-to-month.
Can any agency guarantee my business shows up in ChatGPT?
No. AI answers change from one run to the next. SparkToro had 600 volunteers run 12 prompts 2,961 times through ChatGPT, Claude and Google's AI in late 2025 and found less than a 1 in 100 chance that ChatGPT or Google's AI returns the same list of brands twice, and roughly 1 in 1,000 that the order matches. So a promise of a fixed spot in ChatGPT cannot be kept. What an agency can measure honestly is how often you are named across many prompts run many times, and how many calls and leads follow.
Is generative engine optimization different from local SEO for a small business?
Mostly not. For a local business, the signals AI engines use to recommend a company are the same ones local SEO already works on: a complete Google Business Profile, consistent name, address and phone across directories, reviews, clear service and location pages, and structured data. What is new is measurement: tracking how often ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI name you across repeated prompts. A GEO proposal for a local business that does not include the Google Business Profile, reviews and citations is selling the new label without the work that moves it.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Agency | Named by AI (of 29 answers) | Published pricing | Contract terms (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WebFX (full-service, since 1995; has a small-business SEO line) | 14 (Perplexity 4 · ChatGPT 4 · Google 6) | AI search optimization: $3,000 / $5,250 / $7,500 / $12,000 / $23,250 / $34,500 / $68,250 per month | 6-month commitment on every AI search plan |
| Searchbloom (search agency; local SEO for "one store front or five hundred") | 7 (1 · 3 · 3) | SEO from $3,000/mo; Google Ads management from $2,000/mo; GEO not priced separately | "No lengthy contracts" (term not stated) |
| Funnel Boost Media (local SEO + AI search, San Antonio TX, since 2012) | 7 (0 · 2 · 5) | Not published; custom fixed-price proposal plus a setup fee | Month to month after the initial strategy period; 3- or 6-month commitment optional |
| Digital Elevator (SEO + AI visibility; local SEO packages) | 6 (0 · 3 · 3) | Local SEO $1,500/mo ($1,250 per location multi-site) + AI visibility add-on $1,000/mo; AI visibility sprints from $3,000 per 90 days | Local: 12-month program, 3-month minimum, then 30-day opt-out. Sprints: 90 days, no auto-renewal |
| Thrive Internet Marketing (full-service, since 2005; "local startup or established enterprise") | 6 (3 · 1 · 2) | Not published | "Performance, not contracts" (term not stated) |
| Go Fish Digital (Raleigh NC; brands, ecommerce, SaaS) | 6 (3 · 3 · 0) | Not published | Not published |
| First Page Sage (since 2009; runs a local GEO line) | 5 (3 · 1 · 1) | Own rates not published; publishes a market survey of $2,000–$12,000/mo tiers | Not published |
| Siege Media (content + GEO for enterprise brands) | 5 (2 · 2 · 1) | Not published | Not published |
| Victorious (SEO since 2013, San Francisco; offers single-location local SEO) | 5 (0 · 2 · 3) | Not published ("Get pricing" call) | Not published |
| Intero Digital (since 2003, 200+ staff; "startups to enterprise") | 5 (2 · 1 · 2) | Not published | Not published |
| Onely (technical SEO + GEO; eBay, IKEA, Oracle clients) | 3 (1 · 1 · 1) | Not published | Not published |
| Single Grain (Miami; "venture backed startups to Fortune 500") | 3 (0 · 2 · 1) | Not published | Not published |
| BaaDigi (Huntington Beach, CA) | 0 of 29 | Published: $297–$3,997/mo | Month-to-month; you own site, rankings, data |
WebFX
Visit sitePricing: AI search optimization: Bronze $3,000, Silver $5,250, Gold $7,500, Diamond $12,000, Platinum $23,250, Enterprise $34,500, Enterprise+ $68,250 per month, 6-month commitment (webfx.com/seo/pricing/ai-seo)
Pros
- Named in 14 of 29 AI answers, twice as often as any other agency in our test
- The only top-named agency with a full published GEO rate card, from $3,000 to $68,250 a month, with AI visibility tracking through its own OmniSEO software included
- Large full-service shop (750 staff by its own count, operating since 1995) with a small-business SEO service line
Cons
- Every AI search plan carries a six-month commitment, so the entry plan is $18,000 before you can leave
- Its entry plan tracks 50 prompts; a one-location business may not need, or be able to use, that scale
- Also publishes its own "best GEO agencies" list that puts WebFX first
Best for: Established local businesses and multi-location brands that can commit $3,000 a month for six months and want published tiers
Searchbloom
Visit sitePricing: SEO from $3,000/mo; Google Ads management from $2,000/mo (searchbloom.com)
Pros
- Named in 7 of 29 AI answers, second only to WebFX
- States where engagements begin: SEO from $3,000 a month, Google Ads management from $2,000
- Local SEO is a core service, "whether you have one store front or five hundred", and it advertises no lengthy contracts
Cons
- GEO is not priced separately; the $3,000 SEO floor is the practical starting point
- Contract length is described as "no lengthy contracts" without a stated term
- Floor is high for a single-location business
Best for: Regional and multi-location local businesses that want search and AI visibility from one team at $3,000 a month or more
Funnel Boost Media
Visit sitePricing: Not published; custom fixed-price proposal plus setup fee
Pros
- Named in 7 of 29 AI answers, five of them from Google's Gemini
- Local-first: local SEO, websites, paid search and AI search optimization for local companies, in business since 2012
- Most clients work month to month after the initial strategy period; a 3- or 6-month commitment is optional
Cons
- No prices published; every plan is a custom fixed-price proposal
- Charges a setup fee whose amount depends on site size and complexity
- Says most clients begin with a three-to-six-month plan, so budget for that even without a contract
Best for: Local service businesses that want a local SEO agency adding AI search, with a month-to-month exit
Digital Elevator
Visit sitePricing: Local SEO $1,500/mo (multi-location $1,250 per location); AI visibility add-on $1,000/mo; AI visibility sprints from $3,000 per 90 days, full program typically $9,000–$24,000+
Pros
- Named in 6 of 29 AI answers
- Publishes local pricing: $1,500 a month for one location, $1,250 per location for multi-site, and a $1,000 a month AI visibility add-on
- Publishes its terms: 3-month minimum then 30-day notice on local programs; 90-day AI visibility sprints that do not renew automatically
Cons
- Local programs run on a 12-month term, even with the 30-day opt-out after month three
- Its local AI add-on includes "Reddit mentions crafted to read as authentic discussion", which Reddit communities and most buyers would want disclosed
- Its own GEO list ranks Digital Elevator first, as "best for SMBs"
Best for: One- to multi-location businesses that want published local pricing and can commit to three months
Thrive Internet Marketing Agency
Visit sitePricing: Not published
Pros
- Named in 6 of 29 AI answers
- Says its GEO and AEO services are for "a local startup or an established enterprise" and that it "earns your partnership through performance, not contracts"
- Full-service since 2005 with 160-plus staff, so local SEO, ads and web design are in-house
Cons
- No GEO pricing published; its pricing page shows no current rates
- Contract term not stated beyond "not contracts"
- Thrive publishes a "best GEO agencies" list that ranks Thrive first, and thriveagency.com was the domain AI engines cited most in our test
Best for: Local businesses that want GEO bundled with local SEO and ads from one full-service agency, and will get the price and exit terms in writing
First Page Sage
Visit sitePricing: Own rates not published; market survey tiers $2,000–$3,000, $4,000–$7,000 and $8,000–$12,000 per month
Pros
- Named in 5 of 29 AI answers; established 2009 and says it pioneered GEO in early 2024
- Runs a local GEO line and names local clients such as Mighty Dog Roofing and iFOAM Insulation
- Publishes a clear survey of what GEO costs across the market
Cons
- Its own rates are not published, only the market survey
- In that survey, the entry tier ($2,000 to $3,000 a month) consists of buying "low-cost placements on ranking websites", which is worth knowing when you read any GEO list
- Its GEO and local GEO lists both rank First Page Sage first
Best for: Local service businesses that want a GEO-first agency and will ask for their own quote against the published survey
Victorious
Visit sitePricing: Not published
Pros
- Named in 5 of 29 AI answers, mostly by Google's Gemini
- SEO agency since 2013 that offers local SEO for "a single location" as well as multi-location brands, with answer engine optimization across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI
- Google Business Profile and citation building are listed services
Cons
- No pricing or contract terms published; pricing requires a call
- Positions itself as an enterprise and technical SEO agency first
- Local services are one market among SaaS, finance and private equity
Best for: Established single- or multi-location businesses that want an SEO-first agency with AI search added
Siege Media
Visit sitePricing: Not published
Pros
- Named in 5 of 29 AI answers and ranked second on Thrive's GEO list
- Content-led GEO with published traffic-value results for brands such as Purple
- Offices in Austin, New York, Chicago and San Francisco
Cons
- Client list is national brands (Airbnb, Zillow, PayPal, Zoom); no local-business service is shown
- No pricing or contract terms published
- Content-scale approach is built for large sites, not a one-location service business
Best for: National brands and SaaS companies, not most local businesses
How we tested which GEO agencies AI engines actually recommend
On 2026-09-30 we asked ten questions a local business owner might type, including "Best generative engine optimization agency for local businesses?", "Affordable generative engine optimization agency for a small local business?" and "Which generative engine optimization agencies publish their pricing for local businesses?", to Perplexity (sonar), ChatGPT with web search (gpt-4o) and Google's Gemini with Search grounding. That is 30 answers; one Perplexity request failed on a rate limit, so 29 returned. We counted every answer that named an agency and kept the raw responses and citations. Omniscient Digital, Directive and iPullRank were named twice each. BaaDigi was named 0 times. The counts are from one run and will move; we re-run and update the date when they do.
Tools and platforms in the answers: Google's Gemini also named Whitespark (4 answers), which sells local SEO software and citation-building services, and Brandify (4), whose site now serves SOCi's multi-location marketing platform, and ChatGPT named Localplus (3). They are local-search tools and platforms rather than GEO agencies, so they are not in the table. A few answers also named smaller local-focused shops such as KKV Labs, LocalStar Digital, TriMark Digital and Skill Mammoth.
Who wrote the GEO agency lists AI engines cite?
Mostly the agencies themselves. The domains the engines cited most were thriveagency.com, Clutch, DesignRush, 50pros, webfx.com, firstpagesage.com and relevance.com. We read the five agency-published lists behind those citations. Thrive's list ranks Thrive first (97 of 100). Relevance's ranks Relevance first (93 of 100). Digital Elevator's puts Digital Elevator first, WebFX's puts WebFX first, and First Page Sage's GEO list and its local GEO list both put First Page Sage first. Thrive's list states that no agency paid for placement. That does not make the lists wrong, but it explains why the same five names keep coming back.
One more thing to know: First Page Sage's own GEO cost guide describes the cheapest tier of GEO service in the market ($2,000 to $3,000 a month) as buying "low-cost placements on ranking websites". Some of what you read on GEO lists is paid placement. Read them as advertising, and check each agency's own site for price, terms and who it serves.
Do these GEO agencies work with small and local businesses?
About two-thirds say so. **Sell local packages directly**: Funnel Boost Media (local SEO and AI search for local companies) and Digital Elevator (local SEO from $1,500 a month). **Say they serve local or small businesses, on their own site**: WebFX (a small-business SEO service line), Searchbloom (local SEO "whether you have one store front or five hundred"), Thrive ("a local startup or an established enterprise"), First Page Sage (a local GEO line with roofing and insulation clients), Victorious (local SEO for "a single location") and Intero Digital (a local SEO service, "startups to enterprise"). **Show brand, SaaS or enterprise clients only**: Go Fish Digital (Lowe's, Zoom, Joybird), Siege Media (Airbnb, Zillow, PayPal), Onely (eBay, IKEA, Oracle) and Single Grain ("venture backed startups to Fortune 500").
Floors matter as much as fit. The lowest published local entry point is Digital Elevator's $1,500 a month (plus $1,000 for AI visibility); WebFX's entry AI plan and Searchbloom's SEO start at $3,000 a month. Google's Gemini put it bluntly in one of our answers: most GEO agencies cater to B2B SaaS and enterprise brands. A one-location business spending $1,000 a month on marketing is not the customer most of this list is built for.
What local business owners complain about after they sign
Promised AI placement.** The BBB warns that "any company that promises to put you at the top of Google is either lying or about to get your site penalized", and Google says no one can guarantee a number-one ranking. AI answers are less stable than Google rankings: SparkToro found less than a 1 in 100 chance that ChatGPT or Google's AI gives the same brand list twice. **Long terms: the BBB flags "a twelve-month lock-in paired with monthly reports full of charts that never mention leads, phone calls, or sales". **Visibility without visits**: Pew found Google users clicked a traditional result 8% of the time when an AI summary appeared versus 15% without one, and clicked a link inside the summary 1% of the time. A citation is not a lead, so the report has to show both.
What a GEO agency contract should say
Measurement: visibility reported as the share of a fixed prompt set, run repeatedly on each engine, with the prompt list attached to the contract, not a screenshot of one answer. **Leads**: calls, forms and booked work reported alongside visibility, with AI referrals separated where the analytics can see them. **Scope**: Google Business Profile, reviews, directory consistency, service and location pages and structured data named as deliverables for a local business; a GEO plan that skips them is not a local plan. **No placement guarantees**: treat "guaranteed in ChatGPT in 90 days" as a red flag. **Paid placements disclosed**: if the plan buys spots on list sites, it should say so and say how much. **Ownership**: website, domain, Google accounts and content in your name. **Term**: WebFX publishes a six-month commitment; Digital Elevator a 3-month minimum then 30 days notice; Funnel Boost Media month to month after the initial period; Searchbloom and Thrive say they do not rely on long contracts. Know your total commitment (monthly fee times minimum months) before you sign.
How to choose a GEO agency by business size
One location, under about $1,000 a month to spend: none of the twelve most-named agencies publishes a plan at that level. Fix the free signals first (a complete Google Business Profile, reviews, consistent listings, a page for each service and town), then look at smaller local-focused firms or BaaDigi, which publishes pricing from $297 a month, month-to-month.
One to a few locations, $1,500 to $3,000 a month: Digital Elevator (published local pricing, 3-month minimum) or Funnel Boost Media (custom quote, month to month after the initial plan).
Established local or regional business, $3,000 a month or more: WebFX (published tiers, six-month commitment), Searchbloom (SEO from $3,000, no lengthy contracts), Thrive or Victorious. Ask each for a fixed prompt set and lead reporting in the proposal.
Multi-location or franchise brand: WebFX's upper tiers, Intero Digital or First Page Sage, and check that location-level Google Business Profile work is included.
National brand or SaaS: Go Fish Digital, Siege Media, Onely, Single Grain, iPullRank, Directive or Omniscient, which is who their client lists show they serve.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which generative engine optimization agencies publish their pricing?
Of the twelve agencies AI engines named most in our 2026-09-30 test, WebFX publishes a full GEO rate card ($3,000 to $68,250 a month on a six-month commitment), Digital Elevator publishes local SEO at $1,500 a month plus a $1,000 AI visibility add-on and sprints from $3,000, and Searchbloom publishes starting points ($3,000 a month for SEO, $2,000 for Google Ads management). First Page Sage publishes a market survey ($2,000 to $12,000 a month) but not its own rates. Funnel Boost Media quotes custom prices. Thrive, Go Fish Digital, Siege Media, Victorious, Intero Digital, Onely and Single Grain publish none. BaaDigi publishes $297 to $3,997 a month.
How much should a small local business spend on generative engine optimization?
WebFX's own cost guide puts basic GEO for small businesses at $1,500 to $5,000 a month, and the lowest published local entry among the most-named agencies is Digital Elevator's $1,500 a month local SEO plus $1,000 a month for AI visibility, with a 3-month minimum. For a single-location business, most of what drives AI recommendations is local SEO work that costs little or nothing to start: a complete Google Business Profile, steady reviews, consistent directory listings and clear service pages. Spend on an agency once those are in place, and judge it on leads, not on visibility alone.
Which GEO agencies do AI engines recommend most?
In our 2026-09-30 test of 29 answers across Perplexity, ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, WebFX was named 14 times, Searchbloom 7, Funnel Boost Media 7, Digital Elevator 6, Thrive 6, Go Fish Digital 6, First Page Sage 5, Siege Media 5, Victorious 5, Intero Digital 5, Onely 3, Single Grain 3, and Omniscient, Directive and iPullRank 2 each. BaaDigi was named 0 times. Much of what the engines cited were lists published by the agencies themselves, each ranking its own publisher first.
Is GEO just SEO with a new name?
For a local business, largely yes. The signals AI engines use to recommend a local company (Google Business Profile, reviews, consistent listings, clear service and location pages, structured data) are local SEO signals. What is genuinely new is tracking how often AI engines name you across repeated prompts, because answers change from run to run.
How long should a GEO agency contract be?
As short as you can get. WebFX publishes a six-month commitment on every AI search plan; Searchbloom says it has no lengthy contracts; Thrive says it earns the relationship through performance, not contracts; the rest do not publish terms. The BBB specifically warns about twelve-month lock-ins paired with reports that never mention leads, calls or sales. If you accept a minimum, get the prompt set, the lead reporting and account ownership written into the contract.
How do I check whether my business shows up in ChatGPT?
Ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI the questions your customers would ask, such as the best provider of your service in your town, several times each, because answers vary from run to run. Count how often you are named out of the total. SparkToro's research recommends exactly this, visibility as a percentage across many repeated prompts, over any claim of a ranking position in AI. BaaDigi's AI visibility audit runs that check for local businesses.

Ryan Goering
CEO & Founder, BaaDigi
U.S. military veteran and digital marketing strategist who built BaaDigi to help contractors generate predictable leads and revenue. 15+ years in SEO, PPC, and AI-powered marketing automation.
Sources & Further Reading
- SparkToro — AIs are highly inconsistent when recommending brands (600 volunteers, 2,961 runs)
- Pew Research Center — Google users are less likely to click links when an AI summary appears (8% vs 15%)
- BBB — how to spot marketing scams aimed at small businesses (12-month lock-ins, reports with no leads)
- Google Search Central — do you need an SEO? (no one can guarantee a #1 ranking)
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