Why AI Visibility Tools Ignore Independent Businesses

We did a count recently. There are over 200 AI visibility tools on the market right now. The average price? $337/month. The number built for independent businesses like plumbers, dentists, or local restaurants? Zero.

That seemed like a problem worth solving.

The Market Gap Nobody's Talking About

Here's what we found when we surveyed the landscape:

Entry-level plans start at $29-99/month, which sounds reasonable. But look closer - they only include 10-25 prompts. That's barely enough to scratch the surface. Want actual useful monitoring? You're looking at $189-499/month.

And here's the real kicker: these tools are built to track prompts like "best CRM software" or "top project management tools." They're not thinking about "emergency plumber near me" or "best Italian restaurant downtown."

The dashboards are impressive. Lots of charts, lots of data. The customer base? Marketing agencies and enterprise brands with dedicated teams to interpret it all. Not the neighborhood bakery owner who just wants to know if ChatGPT mentions her shop.

What Business Owners Actually Need

We talked to dozens of local business owners. Here's what they kept asking for:

Meanwhile, Google's AI Is Already Calling Businesses

Here's something wild that's happening right now: Google's "Have AI check pricing" feature lets users click a button, and Google's AI literally calls businesses to ask about pricing and availability.

It's live for plumbers, HVAC technicians, hair salons, auto repair shops, and more. If you're not showing up in the top results when someone asks about your service, the AI doesn't even consider calling you. Your phone doesn't ring.

This is the future arriving faster than most people expected.

So We Built Something Different

We figured if no one else was going to build this, we would. Here's what LocalAICheck does:

• 1.One score. 0-100. Red, yellow, or green. You know exactly where you stand in seconds.
• 2.Local queries built in. We understand that plumbers care about "emergency plumber near me," not "best SaaS tools for enterprise."
• 3.Pricing that makes sense. Under $20/month, or $149 lifetime (ends Feb 28, 2026). No enterprise-only features locked behind $500/month plans.