Why Perplexity is different from the other AI platforms
Perplexity was built as an answer engine. It searches the web for almost every question, writes a short answer and attaches numbered citations to its sentences, with the full list of sources next to the text. That makes it the most transparent of the AI platforms: you can see exactly which pages shaped the answer.
It also makes it the platform where classic SEO and AI visibility meet most directly. The pages Perplexity cites are pages that rank, that load fast and that answer the question clearly, so the work you already do on content shows up here first. And because many of its users are researchers, buyers comparing options and professionals, a mention in a Perplexity answer often reaches people close to a decision.
Mentioned or cited: the two ways to appear in Perplexity
On most platforms you only ask whether your brand is named. On Perplexity there is a second question: is one of your pages among the sources? The two do not always go together, and the four combinations call for different work.
When you are both named and cited, the answer is built on your own content: protect those pages and keep them up to date. When you are named but not cited, Perplexity is talking about you through someone else's page, such as a review, a directory or a comparison article; those pages are where your reputation is being written, and they are worth earning a place in. When you are cited but not named, your page is used as a source while your brand stays invisible, which usually means the page answers the question but does not make clear who is behind it. And when you are neither, the sources tell you exactly which sites to aim for.
QuotedBy tracks both sides for every question, so you can see which case you are in and how it changes over time. Our page on AI citation tracking explains how to turn the sources into a plan.
How QuotedBy tracks your brand in Perplexity
You set up a project once: your brand and its spelling variants, your website, a few competitors and the questions to track. When you start a run, QuotedBy opens Perplexity in a tab with the first question, which usually starts on its own (if Perplexity only types it, you press Enter), and QuotedBy waits for the answer to finish, saves it and moves to the next question. The same run can include ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Claude and Gemini in parallel tabs.
Each answer is read for you: whether your brand appears, in what position, which competitors are named first and which domains and pages are cited. Across the project, sources are ranked by how often they come back, so a review site that appears in half of your answers stands out at once. The AI visibility overview then shows how Perplexity compares with the other platforms.
Every answer is stored with its full text, links, a screenshot and the date. After each run you see what changed since the previous one: questions gained or lost, new competitors and new sources. For the method behind all of this, read our guide on how to track brand mentions in AI search.
A note on Perplexity in your analytics
Perplexity is generous with links, so it often sends visits that show up in GA4 as perplexity.ai. Those visits land in GA4's AI Assistant channel, with perplexity.ai as the source and ai-assistant as the medium: our guide shows where to find Perplexity visits in GA4. Still, analytics only counts the clicks. The answers show the much larger number of times your brand was put in front of someone who did not click.
Free Perplexity rank tracking, and what Pro adds
The Free plan tracks Perplexity for one project with three competitors and 20 active questions, together with the other four platforms, and keeps 90 days of visible history. No trial and no card.
Pro, at 24 € a month, is for freelancers and small teams who follow several clients: 10 projects, 15 competitors and 80 active questions, full history, built-in AI analysis with no API key, alerts when a client drops out of an answer and PDF reports with your own logo.
Automated Perplexity trackers run on their own servers and usually charge by the number of questions. They suit large brands that need hundreds of questions every day. QuotedBy is for people who track a few brands, want the answers from a real account and prefer to keep the data on their own computer (how we handle data).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Perplexity rank tracker?
Yes. QuotedBy's Free plan includes Perplexity for one project with up to 20 questions, with no time limit and no credit card. Our comparison shows what other free AI rank trackers include.
How do I track my brand in Perplexity AI?
Ask Perplexity the questions your customers would ask, at regular intervals, and record whether your brand is named, in what position and which pages are cited. QuotedBy does it for every question in your project and keeps the history.
What is the difference between a mention and a citation in Perplexity?
A mention is your brand's name in the answer text. A citation is one of your pages in the list of sources. You can have one without the other, and each points to different work.
Do I need a Perplexity Pro account?
No. QuotedBy works with free and paid Perplexity accounts. Keep the same account between runs, because the plan can change the model that answers.