By Rodrigo Diniz · Last updated: May 2026
AI Search Optimization Pricing: What GEO & AEO Cost in 2026
Straight answer: our Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) engagements both run $500 to $1,400 per month, month-to-month, no long-term contract. What changes between them is the work, not the price — and this page breaks down exactly what each tier includes.
It's part of our broader AI search optimization practice. For traditional SEO, web design, and PPC benchmarks, see the digital marketing pricing guide.
How AI-search pricing works
AI search optimization is priced as a monthly retainer rather than a one-time project, because the result — being cited by AI engines and owning direct-answer surfaces — is earned and then defended over time. Authority compounds; a fixed build can't hold a position the way ongoing work does.
Both GEO and AEO scale on the same $500–$1,400 band. Where you land depends on the size of your entity footprint and the number of query surfaces you're competing for — detailed in what affects your price.
GEO pricing tiers
Generative Engine Optimization earns your brand citations and recommendations inside AI answers. Tiers scale with your entity footprint and the citation surface you're targeting:
$500–$700 / mo — Knowledge-Graph Hygiene
Single-entity GEO: Person and Organization schema buildout, knowledge-graph hygiene (Wikidata, Crunchbase, LinkedIn), AI-citation baseline measurement across ChatGPT and Perplexity, and monthly tracking.
$800–$1,100 / mo — Multi-Engine Citation most common
Multi-entity GEO: expert-bylined content production, original research that earns inbound citations, four-engine measurement (ChatGPT + Perplexity + Gemini + Claude), and quarterly methodology reviews.
$1,200–$1,400 / mo — Saturated-Category GEO
Full-stack GEO for saturated or multi-vertical categories: dedicated knowledge-graph claim work, named-expert media-placement coordination, custom AI-engine measurement panels, and monthly strategic review with our Head of Search Strategy.
See the full GEO service.
AEO pricing tiers
Answer Engine Optimization wins the direct-answer surfaces — featured snippets, voice, and People Also Ask. Same price band as GEO, different deliverables, scaling with the number of question queries you target:
$500–$700 / mo — Featured-Snippet Setup
Single-domain AEO: conversational query research, on-site FAQ schema buildout, voice-search-friendly rewrites for your top 20 question queries, and monthly featured-snippet tracking.
$800–$1,100 / mo — Answer-Surface Expansion most common
Multi-domain AEO covering 50–80 question queries with answer-first content, expanded schema (HowTo, QAPage, SpeakableSpecification), and quarterly competitive analysis on snippet ownership.
$1,200–$1,400 / mo — Voice + PAA Dominance
Full-stack AEO for dense answer-engine surfaces: continuous People-Also-Ask tracking, voice-search audit work for Hawaii-local queries, and dedicated answer-engineering for industry-defining questions.
See the full AEO service.
GEO vs AEO: which costs what
The price bands are identical; the value is different. Here's the at-a-glance comparison:
| Tier | GEO buys you | AEO buys you |
|---|---|---|
| $500–$700 | Entity schema + AI-citation baseline (ChatGPT, Perplexity) | FAQ schema + voice rewrites for 20 queries |
| $800–$1,100 | Bylined content + 4-engine measurement | 50–80 queries + HowTo/QAPage schema |
| $1,200–$1,400 | Knowledge-graph claims + custom measurement | PAA tracking + answer-engineering |
Not sure which you need? Read GEO vs AEO for the full distinction. Most businesses run both, sequenced — AEO for near-term answer-box wins, GEO for compounding citation authority.
What affects your price
- Entity footprint (GEO): a single local brand sits at Knowledge-Graph Hygiene; multiple services, locations, or named experts push toward Multi-Engine Citation and Saturated-Category GEO.
- Query volume (AEO): the number of question queries you want to own — 20 vs 80 — moves you up the tiers.
- Competitive density: saturated categories require more content and authority work to break into the citation surface.
- One discipline or both: running GEO and AEO together raises total investment through combined scope, not a premium rate.
Pricing FAQ
How much does GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) cost?
GEO engagements at Nekko Digital range $500 to $1,400 per month. Knowledge-Graph Hygiene ($500–$700) covers single-entity schema and AI-citation baselining; Multi-Engine Citation ($800–$1,100) adds expert-bylined content and four-engine measurement; Saturated-Category GEO ($1,200–$1,400) adds knowledge-graph claim work and custom measurement panels. Pricing is month-to-month with no long-term contract.
How much does AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) cost?
AEO engagements also range $500 to $1,400 per month, but the deliverables differ from GEO. Featured-Snippet Setup ($500–$700) covers FAQ schema and voice-search rewrites for your top 20 question queries; Answer-Surface Expansion ($800–$1,100) covers 50–80 queries with HowTo/QAPage schema; Voice + PAA Dominance ($1,200–$1,400) adds continuous People-Also-Ask tracking and answer-engineering for industry-defining questions.
Is GEO or AEO more expensive?
Neither — both run on the same $500–$1,400 per month range. They differ in what you get, not what you pay. GEO buys citation authority inside generative answers (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude); AEO buys ownership of direct-answer surfaces (featured snippets, voice, People Also Ask). Many businesses run both; the combined scope, not a premium, is what raises the investment.
Why is AI search optimization priced as a monthly retainer?
Because the work compounds. AI citation authority and answer-box ownership are earned over months of content, schema, and entity signals, then maintained as engines and competitors change. A one-time project can't hold a position the way ongoing optimization does, which is why we price month-to-month rather than as a fixed build.
Are there long-term contracts?
No. All Nekko Digital AI search optimization engagements are month-to-month — cancel anytime. We'd rather earn the next month than lock you in.
Get a number for your business
Tell us your market and goals and we'll point you to the right tier — no obligation, no lock-in.
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