What are the best alternatives to DerivateX?
It depends on why DerivateX does not fit. It works only with B2B SaaS companies from $5M to $50M ARR, so a company below $5M ARR needs someone else. Citant, Growthner, Arobis and Optimist say they work with earlier-stage companies. If you want a published rule against working for your competitor, AY Rank publishes one and DerivateX does not. 1 2
What does DerivateX offer, and what does it cost?
DerivateX is one of the more transparent agencies in this market. It publishes three retainers, $5,000, $8,000 and $12,000 a month, starts every engagement as a 90-day pilot with no lock-in afterwards on the lower two tiers, and offers a standalone $3,500 diagnostic. The $12,000 tier carries a 6-month minimum. An off-site citation budget of $1,000 to $3,000 a month sits outside the retainer and needs your approval before any spend. 1
So the entry tier really costs $5,000 plus that budget, which matters when you set it beside an agency whose price covers placements.
How we chose the alternatives
Each alternative is one of the 107 agencies in the AEO Agency Index, sells AI search work to B2B SaaS, and publishes a price. Then it had to meet one of two tests that DerivateX does not: say on its own site that it works with companies earlier than $5M ARR, or publish a rule against taking your direct competitor. Every fact was read twice. 2
The alternatives, and us
| Agency | From, per month | Why it is an alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Arobis 6 | $2,500 | AI shortlist work for Series A to growth-stage companies, on a 3-month minimum. |
| AY Rank 7 | $1,700 | Publishes one client per category per market, the competitor rule DerivateX does not state. |
| Citant 8 | $5,000 | Built for seed to Series B SaaS; a $440 audit, then a nine-week pilot before any retainer. |
| Growthner 9 | $2,500 | A $2,500 plan aimed at early-stage SaaS, with no lock-in contracts. |
| Optimist 10 | $3,000 | SEO and AEO for early-stage startups to public companies, month to month. |
| Salienz (us) | $5,499 | One client per product sub-niche, published. Built for roughly $5M ARR and up, so not an early-stage option. |
| Stay Citable 11 | $2,500 | AEO and GEO retainer on a 3-month minimum, then month to month. |
Which agencies work with SaaS below $5M ARR?
Citant is the most explicit. It says it serves B2B SaaS from seed through Series B, starts with a one-time $440 audit, then runs a nine-week pilot at $7,875 before a retainer from $5,000 a month. Growthner's $2,500 plan is described as best for early-stage SaaS brands. Arobis works with companies typically at Series A to growth stage, and Optimist with teams from early-stage startups to public companies. 8 9 6 10
If you want a rule about your competitors
DerivateX publishes no rule on whether it will also work for your direct competitor. Few agencies do. Across the five industry lists we built this month, covering 33 agencies, two publish one: AY Rank takes one client per category per market, and MADX Digital offers one client per category on its Enterprise tier. We take one client per product sub-niche. Ask DerivateX directly, and put the answer in the contract. 7 4 5
When is DerivateX the better choice?
If you are a B2B SaaS company between $5M and $50M ARR and want SEO and AI search run together, DerivateX is built for you. The 90-day pilot limits your risk, its prices are public, and its industry pages go into detail on how buyers in each category search. Compare its entry tier plus placement budget with any alternative's full monthly cost. 1
Where Salienz fits
We sell AI visibility to B2B SaaS on a 3-month minimum, from $5,499 a month, and take one client per product sub-niche. Like DerivateX, our retainers are built for companies of roughly $5M ARR and up, so we are not the answer for an early-stage team. The free AI visibility audit is open to anyone, and the paid audit is $800. 3
Related: Discovered Labs alternatives, the AI visibility agencies with a cybersecurity page, and what an AEO budget should be at your ARR.
Common questions
Receipts
11 sources- 01DerivateX, home and pricing pagesRead twice, 3 and 5 November 2026. SEO and GEO for B2B SaaS companies from $5M to $50M ARR; retainers of $5,000, $8,000 and $12,000 a month; every engagement starts as a 90-day pilot; the $12,000 tier has a 6-month minimum; an off-site citation budget of $1,000 to $3,000 a month sits outside the retainer; a standalone $3,500 diagnostic.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 02Salienz, AEO Agency Index107 agencies selling AI visibility work to B2B companies, read from their own sites on 3 November 2026, every price read at least twice. The pool every alternative here was chosen from, and the source of its price.Last checked 3 November 2026
- 03Salienz pricingThe free audit, the $800 Foundation audit, Domination at $5,499 a month for roughly $5M to $20M ARR and Expansion at $8,499, on a 3-month minimum, with one client per product sub-niche.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 04Salienz, best AI visibility agencies for fintech and finance softwareAcross five industry lists covering 33 agencies, two publish a rule against taking your direct competitor: AY Rank and MADX Digital, the latter on its Enterprise tier only.Last checked 4 November 2026
- 05Salienz, AEO agencies that take only one client per categoryOur earlier read of eight agencies' exclusivity terms, and why a capacity cap is a different promise.Last checked 18 October 2026
- 06Arobis, home and pricing pagesRead twice, 3 and 5 November 2026. Done-for-you work at $2,500 a month on a 3-month minimum, for companies typically Series A to growth stage.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 07AY Rank, home page and FAQRead twice, 4 and 5 November 2026. One client per category per market; once work starts, the category is closed to direct competitors. Its lowest price, $1,700, is from its own list page in the AEO Agency Index.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 08Citant, home pageRead twice, 3 and 5 November 2026. Serves B2B SaaS from seed through Series B. A one-time $440 audit, a nine-week pilot at $7,875 in three payments, then a retainer from $5,000 a month on a 3-month minimum.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 09Growthner, home and pricing pagesRead twice, 3 and 5 November 2026. A $2,500 a month plan described as best for early-stage SaaS brands, and no lock-in contracts.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 10Optimist, home pageRead twice, 3 and 5 November 2026. SEO and AEO retainers starting at $3,000 a month, month to month, for B2B teams from early-stage startups to publicly traded businesses.Last checked 5 November 2026
- 11Stay Citable, pricing pageRead twice, 3 and 5 November 2026. A Growth Retainer at $2,500 a month, 3-month minimum, then month to month.Last checked 5 November 2026
