Elmo vs Cited
Elmo and Cited are both open-source AI visibility tools you can self-host and audit. Elmo's focus is transparent, independently verifiable tracking across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews — with white-label support for agencies and a documented methodology behind every number.
The short version
Cited is AGPL-3.0, so running a modified version as a service means publishing your changes. Elmo is MIT-licensed, so you can run, modify, and embed it with no strings attached.
Cited appears to be a very early-stage product with limited adoption.
Elmo
Open-source AEO platform. Self-host for free, forever. Track AI visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, and Google AI Overviews with full transparency.
Cited
Open-source AI citation monitoring with a low-cost hosted cloud
About Cited
Cited runs the prompts you choose on supported AI surfaces and records when your verified domain is cited, mentioned or missed, plus competitor appearances, in an evidence inbox and ledger. Self-hosted with Docker Compose using DataForSEO credentials, or hosted as Cited Cloud.
Popularity grade: F
- AGPL-3.0, self-hosted with Docker Compose and DataForSEO credentials
- Evidence inbox and ledger of cited, mentioned, and missed answers
- Hosted plans from $19/mo
Feature comparison
| Feature | Elmo | Cited |
|---|---|---|
| Core Tracking | ||
| Multi-LLM Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| AI Visibility Score | Yes | No |
| Citation Analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Competitor Benchmarking | Yes | Yes |
| Brand Mention Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| AI Engines | ||
| ChatGPT | Yes | Yes |
| Google AI Overviews | Yes | Yes |
| Google AI Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Gemini | Yes | Yes |
| Perplexity | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes | No |
| Claude | Yes | Yes |
| Grok | Yes | No |
| DeepSeek | Yes | No |
| Meta AI | Yes | No |
| Any Model | Yes | No |
| Real UI Answers | Yes | Yes |
| Bring Your Own Keys | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | ||
| White-Label / Agency | Yes | No |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
| Content Generation | No | No |
| Advanced Analytics | ||
| Prompt Volume Estimates | No | No |
| Sentiment Analysis | Yes | No |
| Query Fan-Out | Yes | No |
| AI Crawler Analytics | No | No |
| Geographic Tracking | No | Yes |
| Social Media Tracking | No | No |
| Shopping Tracking | No | No |
| Multi-Language | No | No |
| Actionable Insights | ||
| Action Recommendations | Yes | No |
| Content Gap Analysis | Yes | No |
| AI Site Audits | No | No |
| AI Keyword Research | Yes | No |
| Reporting & Integration | ||
| Email Alerts | No | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | No |
| TypeScript SDK | Yes | No |
| Python SDK | Yes | No |
| MCP Access | Yes | No |
| BI Connectors | No | No |
Key differences
Only in Elmo
- AI Visibility Score
- Microsoft Copilot
- Grok
- DeepSeek
- Meta AI
- Any Model
- White-Label / Agency
- Sentiment Analysis
- Query Fan-Out
- Action Recommendations
- Content Gap Analysis
- AI Keyword Research
- API Access
- TypeScript SDK
- Python SDK
- MCP Access
Both offer
- Multi-LLM Tracking
- Citation Analytics
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Brand Mention Tracking
- ChatGPT
- Google AI Overviews
- Google AI Mode
- Gemini
- Perplexity
- Claude
- Real UI Answers
- Bring Your Own Keys
- Open Source
Only in Cited
- Geographic Tracking
- Email Alerts
Why choose Elmo over Cited?
Open source and transparent
Every line of code is open. You can verify exactly how your visibility data is collected, calculated, and presented. No black boxes.
Self-host for free, forever
Run Elmo on your own infrastructure. The core platform is free and always will be, and Elmo Cloud is there if you would rather not run it yourself.
Your data, in your stack
Pull every metric, sentiment included, into your own code with the REST API and TypeScript and Python SDKs, or ask Claude Code and Cursor about it over MCP. Export, fork, or migrate at any time.
Built to last
Bootstrapped and sustainable. No investors pushing towards dark patterns. We'll outlast the companies taking too much VC money.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between Elmo and Cited?
- Both Elmo and Cited are open source, so you can self-host either one and inspect the code. Elmo focuses specifically on transparent, independently verifiable AI visibility tracking across every major answer engine, with white-label support for agencies and a fully documented methodology behind each number.
- Is Elmo a free, open-source alternative to Cited?
- Yes. Elmo is a free, open-source alternative to Cited. You can self-host the full platform at no cost, read every line of code, and track your AI visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews without per-seat or per-prompt fees.
- Is Cited open source?
- Yes, Cited is open source. Elmo is open source as well and is built specifically for self-hosted, independently verifiable AI visibility tracking, so you can audit exactly how each metric is calculated.
- How do Elmo and Cited compare on sentiment analysis, API access, and MCP?
- Elmo includes all three: a 0 to 100 sentiment score for every AI answer that mentions you, a REST API with TypeScript and Python SDKs, and an MCP server so assistants like Claude Code and Cursor can query your data. We have not found Cited offering sentiment analysis, API access, or an MCP server.
- Can I self-host Elmo instead of Cited?
- Yes. Elmo is designed to be self-hosted — deploy it on your own infrastructure in minutes with the CLI. You keep full ownership of your data and prompts, with no per-seat pricing and no third-party dashboard holding your visibility history.
Ready to track your AI visibility?
Deploy Elmo in minutes and start monitoring how ChatGPT, Claude, and Google AI Overviews talk about your brand.